Record fish caught in Iowa

Written by:
October 21, 2022
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Record fish caught in Iowa

Anglers the world over gather regularly for fishing derbies to see who can land the biggest catch. But record-breaking fish can be caught at anytime, weighed on an International Game Fish Association-certified scale at any number of tackle shops or marinas, and compared to the IGFA's online records database. Sport-fishing enthusiasts can even have their own scales certified by the IGFA for a $40 fee.

Stacker compiled a list of record fish caught in Iowa using data from Land Big Fish. Fish pictured are not the actual record catch. Keep reading to see which bodies of water in your state hold some of the most massive fish around.

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M Huston // Shutterstock

Blue Catfish

- Weight: 74 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 53.375"
- Location: Missouri River
- Record set by Pat Lutz in 1999
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 3 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 12.875"
- Location: private pond
- Record set by Phil Algreen in 1986
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 11 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 31.5"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Bill Gretten in 1994
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 7 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 19.75"
- Location: Fountain Springs Creek
- Record set by David Kovarik in 1996
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 15 lbs 6 oz
- Length: 29"
- Location: North Prairie Lake
- Record set by Gerold Lewis in 1995
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Eden, Janine and Jim // Wikimedia Commons

Buffalo

- Weight: 64 lbs 6 oz
- Length: 41.5"
- Location: Lake Manawa
- Record set by Lake Manawa in 2007
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WH_Pics // Shutterstock

Bullhead

- Weight: 5 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 22"
- Location: private pond
- Record set by Michael Hurd in 1989
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 50 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 44"
- Location: Glenwood Lake
- Record set by Fred Hougland in 1969
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 38 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 40"
- Location: Missouri River
- Record set by Dustin Curtis in 2005
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 21.25"
- Location: Green Castle Lake
- Record set by Ted Trowbridge in 1981
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 81 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 52"
- Location: Lake Ellis
- Record set by Joe Baze in 1958
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Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 46 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 38.5"
- Location: Spirit Lake
- Record set by R.F. Farra in 1962
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie // Wikimedia Commons

Goldeye

- Weight: 2 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Des Moines River
- Record set by Mark Ikle in 1992
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Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Grass Carp

- Weight: 61 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 49.5"
- Location: Greenfield Lake
- Record set by Tyler Warner in 1998
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 12.5"
- Location: private pond
- Record set by Ralph Mayer in 2000
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 10 lbs 14 oz
- Length: 23.5"
- Location: Lake Fisher
- Record set by Patricia Zaerr in 1984
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Mikhail Blajenov // Shutterstock

Longnose Gar

- Weight: 17 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 51"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Kevin Riley in 1992
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 50 lbs 6 oz
- Length: 52"
- Location: Spirit Lake
- Record set by Kevin Cardwell in 2000
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 25 lbs 5 oz
- Length: 45"
- Location: West Okoboji Lake
- Record set by Allen Forsberg in 1977
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Saran Jantraurai // Shutterstock

Paddlefish

- Weight: 107 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 69.5"
- Location: Missouri River
- Record set by Robert Pranschke in 1981
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 19 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 35"
- Location: French Creek
- Record set by Jack Renner in 1984
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Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 1 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 10.5"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Jim Driscoll in 1973
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 6 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 25"
- Location: Missouri River
- Record set by Mrs. W. Buser in 1976
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

Saugeye

- Weight: 12 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 29.5"
- Location: Des Moines River
- Record set by Don Ostergaard in 2000
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GUNAWAN SIDIK // Shutterstock

Shortnose Gar

- Weight: 5 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 32.8""
- Location: Red Rock Lake
- Record set by Albert Augustin in 2008
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Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock

Shovelnose Sturgeon

- Weight: 12 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 33"
- Location: Des Moines River
- Record set by Randy Hemm in 1974
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 7 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 22.75"
- Location: West Okoboji Lake
- Record set by Rick Gray in 1990
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Striped Bass

- Weight: 9 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 29"
- Location: Lake Rathbun
- Record set by Richard Pauley in 1983
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Sucker

- Weight: 15 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 32.25"
- Location: Missouri River
- Record set by Glen E. Dittman in 1983
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 27 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 47"
- Location: West Okoboji Lake
- Record set by Shannon Green in 1989
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 14 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 30.5"
- Location: Des Moines River
- Record set by Gloria Eoriatti in 1986
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 3 lbs 14 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: West Okoboji Lake
- Record set by Bill Born in 1972
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Pelow Media // Shutterstock

Wiper (Whiterock) Bass

- Weight: 18 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 33.25"
- Location: Des Moines River
- Record set by Don Ostergaard in 1997
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Kevin H Knuth // Shutterstock

Yellow Bass

- Weight: 1 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 14.5"
- Location: Lake Manawa
- Record set by Bill Campbell in 1991
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Kevin H Knuth // Shutterstock

Yellow Bass

- Weight: 1 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 13.5"
- Location: Lake Anita
- Record set by Michael Gradick in 2000
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 3 oz
- Length: 14.75"
- Location: Morse Lake
- Record set by Daniel Borchardt in 1994

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