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Record fish caught in Montana

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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 Montana 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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Arctic Grayling

Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

1 / 48

Arctic Grayling

- Weight: 3 lbs
- Length: 20"
- Location: Washtub Lake
- Record set by Glenn Owens in 2003
Bigmouth Buffalo

Alus164 // Wikimedia Commons

2 / 48

Bigmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 57 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 40.7"
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Craig D. Grassel in 1994
Black Bullhead

Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

3 / 48

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 2 lbs 9.6 oz
- Length: 14.37"
- Location: Flathead River
- Record set by Birrell in 2009
Black Crappie

Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

4 / 48

Black Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 2.08 oz
- Length: 16.7"
- Location: Tongue River Reservoir
- Record set by Al Elser in 1973
Blue Sucker

USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Spencer Neuharth / USFWS // Wikimedia Commons

5 / 48

Blue Sucker

- Weight: 11 lbs 7.36 oz
- Length: 29.75"
- Location: Yellowstone River - Miles City
- Record set by Doug Askin in 1989

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Bluegill Sunfish

dcwcreations // Shutterstock

6 / 48

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 10.24 oz
- Length: 11"
- Location: Petersons Stock Dam
- Record set by Brent Fladmo in 1983
Brook Trout

slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

7 / 48

Brook Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 0.96 oz
- Location: Lower Two Medicine Lake
- Record set by John R. Cook in 1940
Brown Trout

Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

8 / 48

Brown Trout

- Weight: 29 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Wade Lake
- Record set by E.H. Peck Bacon in 1966
Burbot

Neon_TI // Shutterstock

9 / 48

Burbot

- Weight: 17 lbs 1.28 oz
- Length: 39"
- Location: Missouri River - Wolf Point
- Record set by Jeff E. Iwen in 1989
Channel Catfish

Aleron Val // Shutterstock

11 / 48

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 37 lbs 9.6 oz
- Length: 37.6"
- Location: Castle Rock Lake
- Record set by Jessey Perry in 2009
Chinook (King) Salmon

Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

12 / 48

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 31 lbs 2.08 oz
- Length: 38"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Carl L. Niles in 1991
Cisco

Michaela Holubova // Shutterstock

13 / 48

Cisco

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 17.25"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir - below powerhouse
- Record set by Curt Zimmerman in 1991
Coho Salmon

Troutnut // Shutterstock

14 / 48

Coho Salmon

- Weight: 4 lbs 14.08 oz
- Length: 25.5"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir - face of dam
- Record set by Irven F. Stohl in 1973
Dolly Varden Trout

CSNafzger // Shutterstock

16 / 48

Dolly Varden Trout

- Weight: 25 lbs 10.08 oz
- Length: 37"
- Location: not available
- Record set by James Hyer in 1916
Freshwater Drum

Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

17 / 48

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 21 lbs
- Length: 29.5"
- Location: Fort Peck- Ghost Coulee
- Record set by Matt Washut in 2003
Golden Trout

CSNafzger // Shutterstock

18 / 48

Golden Trout

- Weight: 5 lbs 6.88 oz
- Length: 23.5"
- Location: Cave Lake
- Record set by Mike Malixi in 2000
Goldeye

USFWS Mountain-Prairie // Wikimedia Commons

19 / 48

Goldeye

- Weight: 3 lbs 2.88 oz
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Don Nevrivy in 2000
Green Sunfish

M Huston // Shutterstock

20 / 48

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 13.44 oz
- Length: 9.0"
- Location: Castle Rock Lake
- Record set by Bette Schmieding in 2009

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Kokanee Salmon

Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock

21 / 48

Kokanee Salmon

- Weight: 7 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 26.8"
- Location: Hauser Lake
- Record set by John Bomar in 2003
Lake Trout

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22 / 48

Lake Trout

- Weight: 42 lbs 7 oz
- Length: 42.5"
- Location: Flathead Lake
- Record set by Ruth Barber in 2004
Lake Whitefish

Piotr Wawrzyniuk // Shutterstock

23 / 48

Lake Whitefish

- Weight: 10 lbs 7.36 oz
- Length: 27"
- Location: Flathead Lake
- Record set by Swan T. McDonald V in 2006
Largemouth Bass

Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

24 / 48

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 12.8 oz
- Length: 22.5"
- Location: Noxon Rapids Reservoir
- Record set by Darin Williams in 2009
Mountain Whitefish

Cannon Colegrove // Shutterstock

26 / 48

Mountain Whitefish

- Weight: 5 lbs 1.76 oz
- Length: 23"
- Location: Hauser Reservoir
- Record set by Walt Goodman in 2007
Northern Pike

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27 / 48

Northern Pike

- Weight: 37 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Tongue River Reservoir
- Record set by Lance Moyer in 1972
Paddlefish

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28 / 48

Paddlefish

- Weight: 142 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 77"
- Location: Missouri River - near Kipp Park
- Record set by Larry Branstetter in 1973
Pumpkinseed Sunfish

Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

29 / 48

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 15.36 oz
- Location: Upper Thompson Lake
- Record set by Nathan Bache in 2006
Rainbow Trout

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30 / 48

Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 33 lbs 1.6 oz
- Length: 38.62"
- Location: Kootenai River - David Thompson Bridge
- Record set by Jack G. Housel Jr. in 1997

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River Carpsucker

Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

31 / 48

River Carpsucker

- Weight: 6 lbs 15.2 oz
- Length: 24"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Brady Miller in 2008
Rock Bass

Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

32 / 48

Rock Bass

- Weight: 0 lbs 13.12 oz
- Length: 9.88"
- Location: Lower Crazy Head Springs Reservoir
- Record set by Lance Dennis in 2010
Sauger

Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

33 / 48

Sauger

- Weight: 8 lbs 12.8 oz
- Length: 28.2"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Gene Moore in 1994
Saugeye

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34 / 48

Saugeye

- Weight: 15 lbs 10.56 oz
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir - Squaw Creek
- Record set by Myron Kibler in 1995
Shortnose Gar

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36 / 48

Shortnose Gar

- Weight: 7 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 34"
- Location: Fort Peck Dredge Cuts
- Record set by Ron Gulbertson in 2003
Shovelnose Sturgeon

Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock

37 / 48

Shovelnose Sturgeon

- Weight: 14 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 39.75"
- Location: Missouri River
- Record set by Chad Buck in 2010
Smallmouth Bass

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38 / 48

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 6.4 oz
- Length: 21.25"
- Location: Flathead River
- Record set by Ken Riska in 2000
Smallmouth Bass

CSNafzger // Shutterstock

39 / 48

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 6. oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Mike Otten in 2002
Smallmouth Buffalo

Ohio DNR // Wikimedia Commons

40 / 48

Smallmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 38 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 38"
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Brady Miller in 2007

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Tiger Muskellunge

Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

41 / 48

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 31 lbs 4.8 oz
- Length: 49"
- Location: Deadman's Basin Reservoir
- Record set by Dan Weil in 2011
Tiger Trout

Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

42 / 48

Tiger Trout

- Weight: 4 lbs 0.64 oz
- Length: 20.6"
- Location: Bear Lake
- Record set by Joe Sobczak in 1997
Walleye

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43 / 48

Walleye

- Weight: 17 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 35"
- Location: Tiber Reservoir
- Record set by Robert Bob Hart in 2007
White Bass

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44 / 48

White Bass

- Weight: 2 lbs 12.8 oz
- Length: 17"
- Location: Missouri River - south of Bainville
- Record set by Vernon Pacovsky in 2007
White Sucker

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46 / 48

White Sucker

- Weight: 5 lbs 5.28 oz
- Length: 21.625"
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Fred Perry in 1983
Yellow Bullhead

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47 / 48

Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 1 lbs 0.32 oz
- Length: 11.6"
- Location: Yellowstone River
- Record set by Samuel Shelton in 2012
Yellow Perch

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48 / 48

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 6.24 oz
- Length: 14.375"
- Location: Ashley Lake
- Record set by Josh Emmert in 2006

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