State record fish: Certified weight

Records

11 popular fish species records now open

Applications now are being accepted so new certified weight records can replace the existing non-certified weight records that were established for these fish species prior to 1980.

Black crappie
Bluegill
Brown bullhead
Channel catfish
Common carp
Flathead catfish
Lake trout
Northern pike
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Yellow perch

Yellow bass added

Yellow bass are being established as a new record because the species has dramatically increased in both presence and popularity, particularly in south-central Minnesota.

Find a record

Fish listed below were weighed on a certified scale and an application was submitted and approved. See the rules section to submit an application for a certified weight record.

Use the show entries, search and sort features to locate and list record fish

Fish	Lbs.	Oz.	Inches	Girth	Place caught	County	Caught
Bass, Largemouth	8	15	23½	17½	Auburn Lake	Carver	10/3/2005
Bass, RockTie	2	0	13½	12½	Lake Osakis	Todd	5/10/1998
Bass, RockTie	2	0	12½	12⅜	Lake Winnibigoshish	Cass	8/30/2004
Bass, White	4	8	20	16	Vadnais Lake	Ramsey	10/10/2016
Bowfin	12	9	31½	18	Mississippi River	Wabasha	9/14/2012
Buffalo, Bigmouth	41	11	38⅜	29½	Pool 4 Mississippi River	Goodhue	5/7/1991
Buffalo, Smallmouth	20	0	32	23¾	Big Sandy	Aitkin	9/20/2003
Bullhead, Black	3	13	17⅛	14⅞	Reno Lake	Pope	6/8/1997
Bullhead, Yellow	3	10	17⅞	11¾	Lake Osakis	Todd	8/5/2002
Burbot (Eelpout)	19	10	33	23⅞	Lake of the Woods; near Baudette	Lake of the	12/19/2016
Carpsucker, Quillback	7	4	22⅝	18	Upper Red Lake	Beltrami	8/9/2010
Carpsucker, River	4	6	21⅝	16	Minnesota River	Carver	11/19/2012
Cisco (Tullibee)	5	13	20¾	16¾	Sybil Lake	Otter Tail	3/9/2015
Crappie, White	3	15	18	16	Lake Constance	Wright	7/28/2002
Drum, Freshwater (Sheepshead)	35	3	36	31	Mississippi River near Winona	Winona	10/5/1999
Gar, Longnose	16	12	53	16½	St. Croix River near Prescott	Washington	5/4/1982
Gar, Shortnose	5	4	31	11¾	Minnesota River	Renville	4/17/2017
Goldeye	3	5	20 ⅔	13½	Minnesota River	Blue Earth	5/3/2020
Hogsucker, Northern	3	4	18½	9	Mississippi River near St. Cloud	Stearns	5/3/2023
Mooneye	1	15	16½	9¾	Minnesota River	Redwood	6/18/1980
Muskellunge	55	14	57¾	29	Mille Lacs Lake	Mille Lacs	11/22/2021
Muskellunge, Tiger	34	12	51	22½	Lake Elmo	Washington	7/7/1999
Redhorse, Golden	4	8	22½	12¾	Otter Tail River	Otter Tail	4/7/2018
Redhorse, Greater	12	11	28½	18½	Sauk River	Stearns	5/20/2005
Redhorse, River	12	10	28⅜	20	Kettle River	Pine	5/20/2005
Redhorse, Shorthead	7	15	27	15	Rum River near Ramsey	Anoka	8/5/1983
Redhorse, Silver	10	6	26¾	17½	Rainy River	Koochiching	4/28/2018
Salmon, Atlantic	12	13	35½	16½	Baptism River	Lake	10/12/1991
Salmon, Chinook - Tie	33	4	44¾	25¾	Poplar River	Cook	9/23/1989
Salmon, Chinook - Tie	33	4	42¼	26⅛	Lake Superior	St. Louis	10/12/1989
Salmon, Coho	10	14	29	19	Lake Superior	St. Louis	9/4/2023
Salmon, Pink	4	8	23½	13⅛	Cascade River	Cook	9/9/1989
Sauger	6	2	23⅞	15	Mississippi River near Red Wing, (L&D No.3)	Goodhue	5/23/1988
Saugeye,Walleye x Sauger Hybrid	9	13	27	17¾	Mississippi River near Red Wing	Goodhue	3/20/1999
Sturgeon, Lake	94	4	70	26½	Kettle River	Pine	9/5/1994
Sturgeon, Shovelnose	6	7	33	13¾	Mississippi River near Red Wing	Goodhue	2/19/2012
Sucker, Longnose	3	10	21	10¼	Brule River	Cook	5/19/2005
Sucker, White	9	1	24¼	16¼	Big Fish Lake	Stearns	5/1/1983
Sunfish, Green	1	4	10¼	10⅝	North Arbor Lake	Hennepin	6/14/2005
Sunfish, HybridTie	1	12	11½	12	Zumbro River	Olmsted	7/9/1994
Sunfish, HybridTie	1	12	12	13	Green Lake	Kandiyohi	9/18/2022
Sunfish, Pumpkinseed	1	5	10	12⅛	Leech Lake	Cass	6/6/1999
Trout, Brook	6	5	24	14½	Pigeon River	Cook	9/2/2000
Trout, Brown	16	12	31⅜	20½	Lake Superior	St. Louis	6/23/1989
Trout, Rainbow (Steelhead)	16	6	33	19½	Devil Track River	Cook	4/27/1980
Trout, Splake, (Brook x Lake Trout Hybrid)	13	5	33½	19	Larson Lake	Itasca	2/11/2001
Trout, Tiger	2	9	20	9⅝	Mill Creek	Olmsted	8/7/1999
Whitefish, Lake	13	9	29½	22	Lake of the Woods	Lake of the Woods	4/6/2019
Whitefish, Menominee, (Round)	2	7	21	9	Lake Superior	Cook	4/27/1987

Rules

Download, review, save and print the complete rules and application package before you go fishing.

If you catch a fish that you think could be a record, follow these steps:

To ensure your catch qualifies:

For a certified weight record that exists, find and review the listing in the table above for the fish you caught.

For a new record for yellow bass or one of the existing 11 fish species records that have been re-opened, review the minimum weights for new submissions.

Fish	Minimum weight
Black crappie	2.5 lbs.
Bluegill	1.5 lbs.
Brown bullhead	3 lbs.
Channel catfish	30 lbs.
Common Carp	30 lbs.
Flathead catfish	58 lbs.
Lake trout	13 lbs.
Northern pike	32 lbs.
Smallmouth bass	7 lbs.
Walleye	14 lbs.
Yellow bass	1 lbs.
Yellow perch	1 lbs.

Download the certified weight record fish application.
Print it and bring it with you to the weighing so it can be signed by a witness.
Have the fish weighed on a state-certified scale, which can be found at most bait and butcher shops.
An observer must witness the weighing, sign and date your application in the appropriate area.
Take the fish and your application to a DNR area fisheries office for positive identification by fisheries biologists.
Complete the application, follow the application's detailed instructions on taking photographs and send all application materials to the address listed on the application.

Fish may not be caught using any methods other than angling and may not be snagged.
Fish caught from any fish hatchery (private, club or government) are not eligible to be considered for a state record.
Fish caught on a body of water without a public access are not eligible to be considered for a state record.
Fish must be caught during the legal open season and hours in Minnesota waters, including those boundary waters where a Minnesota fishing license is valid, by a person licensed or otherwise legally entitled to angle in Minnesota.
Fish must be weighted on a certfied scale, which is available at most bait and butcher shops.
Fish must be brought to an area fisheries office for species identfication/verification. Two DNR fisheries biologists must atest to the correct species identity.
The girth of the fish, measured around the thickest portion of the body, is desired but optional.
Applications must be submited within 90 days of the date on which the fish was caught.

Fishing

Fisheries