Record fish caught in Minnesota

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

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 Minnesota 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: 6 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 36"
- Location: Saint Croix River - Stillwater
- Record set by Matthew R. Brown in 1997
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Ilya Marchenko // Shutterstock

Atlantic Salmon

- Weight: 12 lbs 13 oz
- Length: 35.5"
- Location: Baptism River
- Record set by Matt Bauer in 1991
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Alus164 // Wikimedia Commons

Bigmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 41 lbs 11 oz
- Length: 38.5"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Robert Koplin in 1991
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USFWS National Image Library // Wikimedia Commons

Black Buffalo

- Weight: 20 lbs 0.5 oz
- Length: 34.2"
- Location: Minnesota River
- Record set by Kevin Tauer in 1997
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 13.12 oz
- Length: 17.17"
- Location: Reno Lake
- Record set by Keith Hvezda in 1997
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 5 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Vermillion River
- Record set by Tom Christenson in 1940
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Blue Catfish

- Weight: 52 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 48"
- Location: Minnesota River
- Record set by Steven J. Ness in 2002
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Spencer Neuharth / USFWS // Wikimedia Commons

Blue Sucker

- Weight: 14 lbs 3 oz
- Length: 30.4"
- Location: Mississippi River - near Alma
- Record set by Bruce Edwards in 1987
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 13 oz
- Location: Alice Lake
- Record set by Bob Parker in 1948
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 11 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 32"
- Location: St. Croix River
- Record set in 2008
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 10 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 31"
- Location: French Lake
- Record set by Joe Engelmeyer in 1992
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 6 lbs 5.6 oz
- Length: 24"
- Location: Pigeon River
- Record set by Charles A. Pederson in 2000
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brown Bullhead

- Weight: 7 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 24.4"
- Location: Shallow Lake
- Record set by William Meyer in 1974
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 16 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 31.4"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by W. Landis Bullock in 1989
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Neon_TI // Shutterstock

Burbot

- Weight: 19 lbs 3 oz
- Length: 36.25"
- Location: Lake of the Woods - Baudette
- Record set by John Galles in 2001
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 55 lbs 5 oz
- Length: 42"
- Location: Clearwater Lake
- Record set by Frank Ledwein in 1952
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 38 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 44"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Terrence Fussy in 1975
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 33 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 44.75"
- Location: Poplar River
- Record set by Dave Anderson in 1989
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 33 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 42.25"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by Jeffrey Gulbranson in 1989
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Troutnut // Shutterstock

Coho Salmon

- Weight: 10 lbs 6.5 oz
- Length: 27.3"
- Location: Lake Superior - near Baptism River
- Record set by Louis Rhode in 1970
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 70 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Saint Croix River
- Record set by John L. Robert in 1970
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Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 35 lbs 3.2 oz
- Length: 36"
- Location: Mississippi River - near Winona
- Record set by Richard L. Rolbiecki in 1999
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Golden Redhorse

- Weight: 3 lbs 15.5 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Root River
- Record set in 2007
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie // Wikimedia Commons

Goldeye

- Weight: 2 lbs 13.1 oz
- Length: 20.1"
- Location: Root River - near Hokah
- Record set by Jamie Borowiak in 2001
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 4.8 oz
- Length: 11.4"
- Location: North Arbor Lake
- Record set in 2005
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Hybrid Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 11.5"
- Location: Middle Fork Zumbro River
- Record set by Daniel Ahlquist in 1994
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Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock

Kokanee Salmon

- Weight: 2 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Caribou Lake
- Record set by Lars Kindem in 1971
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James.Pintar // Shutterstock

Lake Sturgeon

- Weight: 94 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 70"
- Location: Kettle River
- Record set by Kim Bengston in 1994
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Pi-Lens // Shutterstock

Lake Trout

- Weight: 43 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Lake Superior - near Hovland
- Record set by G. H. Nelson in 1955
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Piotr Wawrzyniuk // Shutterstock

Lake Whitefish

- Weight: 12 lbs 4.5 oz
- Length: 28.5"
- Location: Leech Lake - near Walker
- Record set by Darryl L. Peterson in 1999
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 12.75 oz
- Length: 13.5"
- Location: Tetonka Lake
- Record set by Joseph Johanns in 1994
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Mikhail Blajenov // Shutterstock

Longnose Gar

- Weight: 16 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 53"
- Location: Saint Croix River - Prescott
- Record set by Doug Fullerton in 1982
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service // Wikimedia Commons

Longnose Sucker

- Weight: 3 lbs 10.6 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Brule River
- Record set in 2005
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NOAA // Wikimedia Commons

Mooneye

- Weight: 1 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 16.5"
- Location: Minnesota River
- Record set by Scott Neudecker in 1980
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 54 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 56"
- Location: Lake Winnibigoshish
- Record set by Art Lyons in 1957
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 45 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Basswood Lake
- Record set by J. V. Schanken in 2002
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SnapTPhotography // Shutterstock

Pink (Humpback) Salmon

- Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 23.5"
- Location: Cascade River
- Record set by Eugene E. Troyna in 1989
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 5.6 oz
- Length: 10.1"
- Location: Leech Lake
- Record set by John Svihel in 1999
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 16 lbs 6 oz
- Length: 33"
- Location: Devil Track River
- Record set in 1980
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Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

River Carpsucker

- Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 19.5"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Stephen Cook in 1991
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Brian Gratwicke // Wikimedia Commons

River Redhorse

- Weight: 12 lbs
- Length: 28.78"
- Location: Kettle River
- Record set by Brent LaPierre in 2005
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Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 2 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 13.5"
- Location: Lake Osakis
- Record set by Paul Kern in 1998
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 6 lbs 2.75 oz
- Length: 23.88"
- Location: Mississippi River - near Red Wing
- Record set by Don Kizer in 1988
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Smithsonian Environmental Research Center // Wikimedia Commons

Shorthead Redhorse

- Weight: 7 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 27"
- Location: Rum River - near Ramsey
- Record set by Robert G. Litke in 1983
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GUNAWAN SIDIK // Shutterstock

Shortnose Gar

- Weight: 4 lbs 9.6 oz
- Length: 34.6"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Matthew Ocel in 1984
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Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock

Shovelnose Sturgeon

- Weight: 5 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 34"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Joe Yankovec in 2007
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John Czenke // Shutterstock

Silver Redhorse

- Weight: 9 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 26.6"
- Location: Big Fork River
- Record set in 2004
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 0 oz
- Location: West Battle Lake
- Record set by John Creighton in 1948
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Ohio DNR // Wikimedia Commons

Smallmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 20 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 32"
- Location: Big Sandy
- Record set in 2003
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Splake

- Weight: 13 lbs 5.44 oz
- Length: 33.5"
- Location: Larson Lake
- Record set by Michael Birdsall in 2001
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 34 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 51"
- Location: Lake Elmo
- Record set by Josh Stevenson in 1999
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Tiger Trout

- Weight: 2 lbs 9.12 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Mill Creek
- Record set by Chris Nelson in 1999
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 17 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 35.8"
- Location: Seagull River
- Record set by Leroy Chiovitte in 1979
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 4 lbs
- Length: 18.5"
- Location: Mississippi River Pool 5
- Record set in 2004
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 4 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Genoa fishing barge
- Record set by Richard Zehrt in 1974
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Constance Lake
- Record set by Michael J. Woodward in 2002
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

White Sucker

- Weight: 9 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 24.25"
- Location: Big Fish Lake
- Record set by Thomas Waibel in 1983
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jpreat // Shutterstock

Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 10.5 oz
- Length: 17.875"
- Location: Lake Osakis
- Record set by Dick Ellingsworth in 2002
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 3 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Lake Plantaganette
- Record set by Merle Johnson in 1945

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