Record fish caught in Michigan

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

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 Michigan 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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American Eel

- Weight: 7 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 43"
- Location: Saint Clair Lake
- Record set by Chad Markham in 1990
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Ilya Marchenko // Shutterstock

Atlantic Salmon

- Weight: 32 lbs 9.92 oz
- Length: 41"
- Location: Lake Michigan
- Record set by Elaine Bender in 1981
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USFWS National Image Library // Wikimedia Commons

Black Buffalo

- Weight: 33 lbs
- Length: 36.5"
- Location: Grand River
- Record set by BRADLEY JAMES NIETERING in 2004
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 17"
- Location: Magician Lake
- Record set by Louie Keller in 1999
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 1.92 oz
- Location: Lincoln Lake
- Record set by Frank Lee in 1947
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 13.75"
- Location: Vaughn Lake
- Record set by Gary Saylor in 1983
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 14 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 35"
- Location: Little Crooked Lake
- Record set by Michael Miller in 1981
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 28.1"
- Location: Clear Lake
- Record set by Dennis Nevins in 1996
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brown Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 9.92 oz
- Length: 17.5"
- Location: Coldbrook Lake
- Record set by Michael Kent in 1989
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 41 lbs 7.2 oz
- Length: 43.75"
- Location: Manistee River
- Record set by Thomas Martin Healy in 2009
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Neon_TI // Shutterstock

Burbot

- Weight: 18 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 40"
- Location: Saint Marys River Munuscong Bay
- Record set by Thomas Courtemanche in 1980
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 61 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 47.5"
- Location: Big Wolf Lake
- Record set by Dale France in 1974
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 40 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 41.5"
- Location: Houghton Lake
- Record set by Richard French in 1964
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 40 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Houghton Lake
- Record set by Dick Latarski in 1960
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 46 lbs 0.96 oz
- Length: 43.5"
- Location: Grand River
- Record set by Ray Essex in 1978
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Troutnut // Shutterstock

Coho Salmon

- Weight: 30 lbs 8.96 oz
- Length: 40"
- Location: Platte River
- Record set by Paul Lewandowski in 1976
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 49 lbs 12.96 oz
- Length: 45.7"
- Location: Maple River
- Record set by Rodney James Akey in 2012
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Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 26 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 37.5"
- Location: Muskegon Lake
- Record set by James Black in 1973
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mujijoa79 // Shutterstock

Gizzard Shad

- Weight: 4 lbs 1.92 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Saint Clair Lake
- Record set by Gary Bielecki in 1996
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 8.48 oz
- Length: 10"
- Location: Kirkwood Lake
- Record set by Julius R. Drotos in 1990
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Hybrid Bass

- Weight: 10 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 27.5"
- Location: Kalamazoo River
- Record set by Jeff Van Broklin in 1996
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Hybrid Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 11.25"
- Location: Arbutus Lake
- Record set by James Manville in 1988
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Hybrid Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 11.75"
- Location: Doans Lake
- Record set by Lloyd T. Jarman Jr. in 1991
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Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock

Kokanee Salmon

- Weight: 1 lbs 15.04 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Clinton River
- Record set by John Reiland in 1978
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James.Pintar // Shutterstock

Lake Sturgeon

- Weight: 193 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 87"
- Location: Mullett Lake
- Record set by Joe Maka Jr. in 1974
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Pi-Lens // Shutterstock

Lake Trout

- Weight: 61 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 49"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by Lucas Lanczy in 1997
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Piotr Wawrzyniuk // Shutterstock

Lake Whitefish

- Weight: 14 lbs 4.48 oz
- Length: 31.75"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by Robert J. Majurin Jr. in 1993
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 11 lbs 15.04 oz
- Length: 27"
- Location: Big Pine Island Lake
- Record set by William Maloney in 1934
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 11 lbs 15.04 oz
- Length: 26"
- Location: Bamfield Dam
- Record set by Jack Rorex in 1959
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Mikhail Blajenov // Shutterstock

Longnose Gar

- Weight: 18 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 53"
- Location: Williamsville Lake
- Record set by Dennis Promo in 1995
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service // Wikimedia Commons

Longnose Sucker

- Weight: 6 lbs 14.08 oz
- Length: 22.5"
- Location: Saint Joseph River
- Record set by David Rose in 1986
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NOAA // Wikimedia Commons

Mooneye

- Weight: 1 lbs 11.04 oz
- Length: 14.38"
- Location: Saint Clair Lake Goose Bay
- Record set by Robert J. Commire in 1995
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 50 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 56.13"
- Location: Torch Lake
- Record set by Kyle Eric Anderson in 2009
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 39 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 51.5"
- Location: Dodge Lake
- Record set by Larry Clough in 1961
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SnapTPhotography // Shutterstock

Pink (Humpback) Salmon

- Weight: 8 lbs 8.96 oz
- Length: 28"
- Location: Carp River
- Record set by Ron Karasek in 1987
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs
- Length: 11.00"
- Location: BAW BEESE LAKE
- Record set by ROBERT WILLIAM HOUSER in 2004
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 26 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 39.5"
- Location: Lake Michigan
- Record set by Mark Johnson in 1975
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Clint H // Shutterstock

Redear Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 5.76 oz
- Length: 12.60"
- Location: Lyon Lake
- Record set by Herbert Lee Fox in 2010
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Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 3 lbs 9.92 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Holoway Reservoir
- Record set by Edward Arnold in 1965
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 6 lbs 8.96 oz
- Length: 25.5"
- Location: Torch Lake
- Record set by Gary Frederick in 1976
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 9 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 27.25"
- Location: Long Lake
- Record set by W.F. Shoemaker in 1906
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Splake

- Weight: 17 lbs
- Length: 34.5"
- Location: Lake Michigan Big Bay Du Noc
- Record set by JOHN A BROCKWAY in 2004
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 51 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 54"
- Location: Lac Vieux Desert
- Record set by John Knobla in 1919
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Tiger Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 26.6"
- Location: North Branch Manistee River
- Record set by Francis Putnam in 1975
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 17 lbs 3.04 oz
- Length: 35"
- Location: Pine River
- Record set by Ray Fadely in 1951
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Bclegg77 // Wikimedia Commons

Warmouth

- Weight: 1 lbs 6.08 oz
- Length: 11"
- Location: Great Bear Lake
- Record set by Michael Berg in unknown year
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 11.84 oz
- Length: 21.9"
- Location: Huron Lake
- Record set by David Kraushaar in 1989
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 6.24 oz
- Length: 19.5"
- Location: Stony Creek Metro Park
- Record set by Terrance Poirier in 2000
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Perch

- Weight: 1 lbs
- Length: 13.25"
- Location: LAKE HURON
- Record set by KYLE PATRICK RYAN in 2002
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

White Sucker

- Weight: 7 lbs 3.04 oz
- Length: 28"
- Location: Au Sable River
- Record set by Matt Frampton in 1982
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jpreat // Shutterstock

Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 6 oz
- Length: 16.8"
- Location: Lake Sixteen
- Record set by Gary Charles Fox in 2003
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 3 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Independence Lake
- Record set by George Slutter in 1947

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