This article was updated in February 2024
The charts that follow detail the fishing records that the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife keeps for harvested and released freshwater fish as well as for harvested saltwater fish.
For more information about claiming a game fish record in Massachusetts, we provide links to the appropriate pages below the record listings.
Freshwater Fishing Records
The following two tables list the current fishing records for freshwater gamefish caught in Massachusetts. The first is for fish that were harvested and weighed according to the rules.
The second table is for fish released after anglers appropriately documented the length of their released trophy.
Catch & Keep
| Bass, Largemouth 15 lbs, 8 oz | Sampson Pond, Carver | Walter Bolonis 1975 |
| Bass, Smallmouth 8 lbs, 2 oz | Wachusett Reservoir | Barbara Sasen 1991 |
| Bowfin 9 lbs, 10 oz | Taunton River | Andrew Langley 2020 |
| Carp 46 lbs, 5 oz | Quinsigamond Lake, Shrewsbury | Shane Felch 2012 |
| Catfish, Bullhead 6 lbs, 4 oz | Forest Lake, Methuen | Roger Aziz, Jr. 2008 |
| Catfish, Channel 26 lbs, 8 oz | Ashfield Lake, Ashfield | Dana Dodge 1989 |
| Catfish, White 9 lbs, 3 oz | Baddacook Pond, Groton | Michael Payne 1987 |
| Crappie 4 lbs, 10 oz | Jake’s Pond, Plymouth | James Crowley 1980 |
| Fallfish 1 lb, 15 oz | Connecticut River, Montague | Cam Tucker 2023 |
| Muskellunge, Tiger 27 lbs, 0 oz | Pontoosuc Lake, Pittsfield | James Lambert 2001 |
| Perch, White 3 lbs, 8 oz | Wachusett Reservoir | Val Percuoco 2016 |
| Perch, Yellow 2 lbs, 12 oz | South Watuppa Pond, Fall River | James O’Conner 1979 |
| Pickerel, Chain 9 lbs, 5 oz | Laurel Lake, Lee | Mrs. James Martin 1954 |
| Pike, Northern 35 lbs, 0 oz | Quacumquasit Pond, Brookfield | Don Greenwood, Jr. 1988 |
| Salmon, Broodstock 22 lbs, 15 oz | Mattawa Lake, Orange | Donald Savoy 1997 |
| Salmon, Landlocked 10 lbs, 2 oz | Wachusett Reservoir | Richard Gagne 1985 |
| Sucker, White 3 lbs, 8 oz | Merrimack River, Haverhill | Andrew Langley 2023 |
| Sunfish 2 lbs, 1 oz | South Athol Pond, Athol | Heather Bulger 1982 |
| Shad, American 11 lbs, 4 oz | Connecticut River | Bob Thibodo 1986 |
| Trout, Brook 10 lbs, 0 oz | Ashfield Lake, Ashfield | Peter Harand 2008 |
| Trout, Brown 19 lbs, 10 oz | Wachusett Reservoir | Dana Deblois 1966 |
| Trout, Lake 25 lbs, 7 oz | Quabbin Reservoir | William Roy 2016 |
| Trout, Rainbow 13 lbs, 13 oz | Wachusett Reservoir | Jeffrey Greco 1999 |
| Trout, Tiger 9 lbs, 7 oz | Peter’s Pond, Sandwich | Michael Shelton 2004 |
| Walleye 11 lbs, 0 oz | Quabbin Reservoir | Robert Methot 1973 |
Catch & Release
| Bass, Largemouth (tie) 25.00 inches | Mashpee-Wakeby Pond, Mashpee | John Gonsalves 2017 |
| Bass, Largemouth (tie) 25.00 inches | Mashpee-Wakeby Pond, Mashpee | Dylan Towne 2018 |
| Bass, Largemouth (tie) 25.00 inches | White Pond, Concord | Tracy Como-Bowe 2018 |
| Bass, Largemouth (tie) 25.00 inches | Forge Pond, Granby | Will Pellerin 2022 |
| Bass, Smallmouth 24.25 inches | Chicopee River, Chicopee | William Pellerin 2023 |
| Bowfin (tie) 34.5 inches | Connecticut River, Northampton | William Pellerin 2023 |
| Carp 44.00 inches | Connecticut River, South Hadley | Kenneth Langdon 2021 |
| Catfish, Bullhead 21.50 inches | Stiles Pond, Oxford | Roger Aziz, Jr. 2021 |
| Catfish, Channel (tie) 34.75 inches | Connecticut River, Gill | Cam Tucker 2023 |
| Catfish, Channel (tie) 34.50 inches | Connecticut River, Hatfield | Kenneth Langdon 2020 |
| Catfish, White 26.50 inches | Connecticut River, Turners Falls | Benjamin Halkett 2018 |
| Crappie (tie) 18.25 inches | Lashaway Lake, North Brookfield | Matthew Menard 2019 |
| Crappie (tie) 18.25 inches | Putnamville Reservoir, Danvers | Thomas Melanson 2020 |
| Fallfish 18.50 | Connecticut River, Northampton | Cam Tucker 2023 |
| Muskellunge, Tiger 34.00 inches | Pontoosuc Lake, Lanesborough | David DeSimone 2021 |
| Perch, White (tie) 18.00 inches | Wachusett Reservoir, West Boylston | Prince Dukuly 2018 |
| Perch, White (tie) 18.00 inches | Wachusett Reservoir, Boylston | John Ceccolini 2022 |
| Perch, Yellow (tie) 16.50 inches | Coonamessett Pond, Falmouth | Peter Brundrett 2015 |
| Perch, Yellow (tie) 16.50 inches | Long Pond, Plymouth | Mark Mohan, Jr. 2016 |
| Pickerel, Chain 32.5 inches | Bog Pond, Carver | Nicholas Gurney 2023 |
| Pike, Northern (tie) 45.50 inches | Onota Lake, Pittsfield | Ashley DePaoli 2017 |
| Pike, Northern (tie) 45.50 inches | Onota Lake, Pittsfield | Craig Strong 2021 |
| Salmon, Landlocked 27.25 inches | Quabbin Reservoir | Gary Morin 2018 |
| Shad, American 25.00 inches | Chicopee River, Granby | Paul Beauchesne, Jr. 2017 |
| Sucker, White 23 inches | Swift River, Belchertown | Colin Duarte 2023 |
| Sunfish 13.00 inches | Wrights Reservoir, Westminster | Griffin Sabolevski 2021 |
| Trout, Brook 20.75 inches | Swift River, Belchertown | David DeSimone 2021 |
| Trout, Brown 32.00 inches | Littleville Reservoir, Huntington | David DeSimone 2020 |
| Trout, Lake 34.00 inches | Wachusett Reservoir | David Desimone 2020 |
| Trout, Rainbow 27.25 inches | Swift River, Belchertown | David DeSimone 2021 |
| Trout, Tiger 25.50 inches | Ashfield Pond, Ashfield | David DeSimone 2021 |
| Walleye (tie) 29.50 inches | Connecticut River, Holyoke | Michael Taylor 2018 |
| Walleye (tie) 29.50 inches | Connecticut River, Turners Falls | Jason Wingrove 2018 |
| Walleye (tie) 29.50 inches | Connecticut River, Holyoke | Michael Taylor 2022 |
Saltwater Fishing Records
Massachusetts keeps saltwater fishing records for the following species as long as they are harvested, weighed and certified according to state rules.
| Albacore 65 lbs, 6 oz | Edgartown | Sean Ready 2020 |
| Albacore, False 19 lbs, 5 oz | Edgartown | Donald MacGillvray Sep 27, 1990 |
| Bass, Black Sea 8 lbs, 15 oz | Buzzards Bay | Aaron Costa May 2007 |
| Bass, Striped 73 lbs | Quick’s Hole | Charles Church 1913 |
| Bass, Striped 73 lbs | Sow & Pigs | Charles Cinto 1967 |
| Bass, Striped 73 lbs | Nauset Beach | Anton Stetzko Nov 3, 1981 |
| Bluefish 27 lbs, 4 oz | Graves Light | Louis Gordon Sep 11, 1982 |
| Bonito 13 lbs, 8 oz | NB Dike | Eddie Gomez Sep 23, 2002 |
| Cod 92 lbs | Jeffreys Ledge | Robert Radzik Jul 5, 1987 |
| Cusk 34 lbs, 4 oz | Stellwagen Bank | Gabe Silvestrone Jul 15, 1990 |
| Dolphin 61 lbs, 3 oz | Veatch Canyon | Ty Warren Aug 8, 2009 |
| Flounder, Winter 8 lbs, 2 oz | Georges Bank | Tom Hillebrand Jul 12, 1996 |
| Fluke 21 lbs, 8 oz | Nomans Island | Joseph Czapiga Sep 25, 1980 |
| Haddock 20 lbs | Stellwagen Bank | Don Rehnstrom 1972 |
| Haddock 20 lbs | Boston Lightship | Joseph Gelsomini Aug 3, 1974 |
| Halibut 321 lbs | Massachusetts Bay | Norman Cournoyer Jul 21, 1965 |
| Mackerel 3 lbs, 8 oz | Hampton Shoal | Steve Ostrander Oct 9, 1994 |
| Mackerel, King 9 lbs, 14 oz | Hedge Fence | Zak Potter 2018 |
| Mackerel, Spanish 8 lbs | Vineyard Sound | Joe Canha 2011 |
| Marlin, Blue 873 lbs | No Location Listed | Dr. Ralph DeLaTorre 2015 |
| Marlin, White 131 lbs | Nantucket | Ted Nfatzger Jul 30, 1982 |
| Pollock 48 lbs, 2 oz | Cashes Ledge | Sal Mocerino Sep 14, 1992 |
| Salmon, Coho 18 lbs, 8 oz | North River | James Lewis Jan 21, 1986 |
| Scup 5 lbs, 14 oz | Nomans Land Island | Robert Pimental Oct 17, 1983 |
| Shark, Blue 485 lbs, 2 oz | Jeffreys Ledge | Ethan Lynch 2011 |
| Shark, Mako (Shortfin) 1,324 lbs | Massachusetts Bay | Kevin Scola Jul 27, 1999 |
| Shark, Porbeagle 495 lbs | Martha’s Vineyard | Jesse Siegel 2011 |
| Shark, Thresher 630 lbs | Martha’s Vineyard | Timothy Delude 2011 |
| Swordfish 646 lbs | Nomans Land Island | Albert Little 1972 |
| Tautog 22 lbs, 9 oz | Gay Head | Michael Horsely Jun 29, 1978 |
| Tuna, Bigeye 319 lbs, 5 oz | No Location Listed | Daniel Bliss 2018 |
| Tuna, Bluefin 1,228 lbs | Cape Cod Bay | Marlene Goldstein Sep 23, 1984 |
| Tuna, Yellowfin 187 lbs | Nantucket | Mark Bojoukos Aug 5, 1990 |
| Wahoo 182 lbs, 3 oz | Veatch Canyon | Derek Wittkamper Jul 12, 2016 |
| Weakfish 18 lbs, 12 oz | Buzzards Bay | George Mahoney Aug 19, 1984 |
| Wolffish 55 lbs, 8 oz | Cape Cod Bay | Andrew Glovsky Jun 19, 2000 |
Claim Your Massachusetts Fishing Record
If you think you have any chance of breaking a record, it’s a good idea to check out the requirements before you actually bring that whopper in, so you’re prepared.
If you want to claim a record freshwater fish in Massachusetts, you’ll find the rules and contact person on the Massachusetts Freshwater Fish Records page.
If you think you’ve caught a record-breaking saltwater fish in Massachusetts waters, complete the certification process through the Saltwater Weigh-In Fishing Derby.