This article was updated in November 2024.
The following are the state angling records for species that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains.
For ease of use, we’ve divided the species to cover the freshwater fish in the first table, followed by saltwater species in the second table.
Note that in Washington, there are both freshwater and saltwater records for anadromous Pacific salmon.
Freshwater Fishing
The following records are for fish caught in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, rivers and ponds.
This list includes anadromous fish such as salmon caught after migrating into freshwater.
| BLACK BASS | ||
| Largemouth Bass 12.53 lbs | Lake Bosworth, Snohomish County | Bill Evans Aug 8, 2016 |
| Smallmouth Bass 8.75 lbs | Columbia River, Hanford Reach | Ray Wonacott Apr 23, 1966 |
| CARP | ||
| Common Carp 49.5 lbs | Moses Lake, Grant County | Duane Fisher Jun 17, 2006 |
| CATFISH | ||
| Black Bullhead 1.81 lbs | Lake Cassidy, Snohomish County | Cleon Conrad Sep 4, 2020 |
| Blue Catfish 17.75 lbs | Columbia River | Rangle Hawthorne Jul 9, 1975 |
| Brown Bullhead 11.04 lbs | Unnamed Lake, Snohomish County | Justin E. Andrews Jun 3, 2000 |
| Channel Catfish 37.70 lbs | Lake Terrell, Whatcom County | Cole Abshere Aug 20, 2019 |
| Flathead Catfish 22.80 lbs | Snake River | C. L. McCary Jun 28, 1981 |
| White Catfish 19.85 lbs | Walla Walla River | Donald W. Huffman Apr 17, 2002 |
| Yellow Bullhead 2.06 lbs | Potholes Reservoir, Grant County | Monica Beckley Sep 8, 2013 |
| COD | ||
| Burbot 17.37 lbs | Bead Lake, Pend Oreille County | Mike Campbell Apr 24, 2004 |
| CRAPPIE | ||
| Black Crappie 4.50 lbs | Lake Washington, King County | John W. Smart May 1, 1956 |
| White Crappie 2.80 lbs | Burbank Slough, Walla Walla County | Don J. Benson Jun 21, 1988 |
| MINNOWS | ||
| Northern Pikeminnow 7.92 lbs | Snake River, Whitman County | Pamela A. Ramsden May 15, 2008 |
| Peamouth 1.12 lbs | Columbia River, Klickitat County | Tanya Merrill Jun 29, 2008 |
| Tench 6.27 lbs | Sprague Lake, Adams/Lincoln Co’s | George J. Schmidt Jun 8, 2004 |
| PERCH | ||
| Yellow Perch 2.75 lbs | Snelson’s Slough, Skagit County | Larry Benthien Jun 22, 1969 |
| PIKE | ||
| Northern Pike 34.06 lbs | Long Lake, Spokane County | Bryan McMannis Apr 9, 2004 |
| Tiger Muskie 37.88 lbs | Curlew Lake, Ferry County | David Hickman Jul 26, 2014 |
| SALMON, TROUT and CHAR | ||
| Atlantic Salmon, Resident 8.96 lbs | Goat Lake, Jefferson County | Gregory Lepping Sep 13, 1992 |
| Atlantic Salmon, Sea-run 14.38 lbs | Green River, King County | Ron Howard Sep 22, 1999 |
| Brown Trout 22.00 lbs | Sullivan Lake, Pend Oreille County | R. L. Henry May 22, 1965 |
| Bull Trout 22.50 lbs | Tieton River, Yakima County | Louis Schott Apr 23, 1961 |
| Chinook Salmon 68.26 lbs | Elochoman River, Wahkiakum County | Mark Salmon Oct 5, 1992 |
| Chum Salmon 25.97 lbs | Satsop River, Grays Harbor County | Johnny Wilson Oct 19, 1997 |
| Coho Salmon 25.27 lbs | Quinault River, Grays Harbor County | Brad Wilson Nov 11, 2001 |
| Cutthroat Trout, Coastal, Resident 12.00 lbs | Lake Crescent, Clallam County | W. Welsh Jul 1, 1961 |
| Cutthroat Trout, Coastal, Sea-run 6.00 lbs | Carr Inlet, Pierce County | Bud Johnson May 1, 1943 |
| Cutthroat Trout, Lahontan 18.04 lbs | Omak Lake, Okanogan County | Dan Beardslee Jul 1, 1993 |
| Cutthroat Trout, Westslope 4.71 lbs | Abernathy Lake, Okanogan County | Angus Kerr Oct 8, 2006 |
| Dolly Varden 10.94 lbs | White Chuck River, Snohomish County | Leroy Thompson Aug 5, 1999 |
| Eastern Brook Trout 9.00 lbs | Wobbly Lake, Lewis County | George G. Weekes May 7, 1998 |
| Golden Trout 4.17 lbs | Gunn Lake, Snohomish County | Arthur Jackson Oct 2, 2020 |
| Kokanee 6.25 lbs | Lake Roosevelt, Grant County | Clarence F. Rief Jun 26, 2003 |
| Lake Trout (Mackinaw) 35.63 lbs | Lake Chelan, Chelan County | Phil Colyar Feb 4, 2013 |
| Pink Salmon 15.40 lbs | Stillaguamish River, Snohomish County | Adam Stewart Oct 11, 2007 |
| Rainbow Trout, Beardslee 16.31 lbs | Lake Crescent, Clallam County | Richard L. Bates Sep 7, 1989 |
| Rainbow Trout, Resident 29.60 lbs | Rufus Woods Lake, Okanogan County | Norm Butler Nov 11, 2002 |
| Sockeye Salmon 10.63 lbs | Lake Washington, King County | Gary Krasselt Jul 20, 1982 |
| Steelhead, Summer-run 35.06 lbs | Snake River, Whitman County | Gilbert Pierson Nov 23, 1973 |
| Steelhead, Winter-run 32.75 lbs | EF Lewis River, Clark County | Gene Maygra Apr 14, 1980 |
| Tiger trout 27.42 lbs | Loon Lake, Stevens County | Cathy Clegg Aug 7, 2022 |
| SHAD | ||
| American Shad 3.85 lbs | Columbia River, Clark County | Tom Magnuson Jun 21, 2005 |
| SUCKERS | ||
| Bridgelip Sucker 3.06 lbs | Palmer Lake, Okanogan County | John E. Moore May 27, 1999 |
| Largescale Sucker 7.87 lbs | Lake Rufus Woods, Okanogan County | Tom Cossalter Jan 20, 2019 |
| SUNFISH | ||
| Bluegill 2.33 lbs | Tampico Park Pond, Yakima County | Ron Hinote Jun 10, 1984 |
| Green Sunfish 0.79 lbs | Bailey Lake, Spokane County | Mickey Hough May 29, 1994 |
| Pumpkinseed 1.09 lbs | Lake Terrell, Whatcom County | Barbie Hathawayn Jul 2, 2007 |
| Rock Bass 1.38 lbs | Steilacoom Lake, Pierce County | William Jackson Jun 26, 1981 |
| Warmouth 0.53 lbs | Silver Lake, Cowlitz County | Linda Hatlelid May 27, 1996 |
| WALLEYE | ||
| Walleye 20.32 lbs | Lake Wallula, Benton County | John Grubenhoff Feb 28, 2014 |
| WHITEFISH | ||
| Lake Whitefish 7.86 lbs | Lake Roosevelt, Grant County | Gavin Boggs Feb 11, 2023 |
| Mountain Whitefish 5.13 lbs | Columbia River, Benton County | Steven Becken Nov 30, 1983 |
Saltwater Fishing
The following types of game fish were caught in saltwater, including in the Pacific Ocean, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.
The following records include salmon landed in saltwater.
| CHIMAERAS | ||
| Spotted Ratfish 3.90 lbs | Hein Bank | William J. Denning Jul 19, 1996 |
| CODFISHES | ||
| Pacific Cod 19.63 lbs | Ediz Hook, Clallam County | Ralph Bay, Mar 6, 1984 |
| DOLPHINFISHES | ||
| Dolphinfish 21.00 lbs | Pacific Ocean, Pacific County | Wade La Fontaine, Aug 25, 2023 |
| FLOUNDERS (Lefteye) | ||
| Pacific Sanddab 1.22 lbs | Jefferson Head, King County | Bob Everitt, Jul 1, 2017 |
| FLOUNDERS (Righteye) | ||
| Arrowtooth Flounder 6.65 lbs. | Marine Area 4, Clallam County | Richard Hale Aug 15, 2022 |
| Pacific Halibut 288.00 lbs | Swiftsure Bank | Vic Stevens Sep 9, 1989 |
| Petrale Sole 7.57 lbs | Jefferson Head | John Stone Jun 11, 1980 |
| Rock Sole 4.19 lbs | Hein Bank | Alan Schram Jul 9, 1989 |
| Sand sole 2.59 lbs | San Juan Islands, San Juan County | Shannon Reiss Mar 31, 2019 |
| Starry Flounder 9.50 lbs | Pillar Point, Clallam County | Robert Walton Sep 25, 2009 |
| GREENLINGS | ||
| Kelp Greenling 4.42 lbs | Sucia Island, San Juan County | Danita Rixen Sep 19, 1999 |
| Kelp Greenling (Speargun) 3.88 lbs | Agate Pass, Kitsap County | Jim Briggs Jun 5, 1983 |
| Lingcod 61.00 lbs | San Juan Islands, San Juan County | Tom Nelson Jul 30, 1986 |
| Lingcod (Speargun) 30.19 lbs | Neah Bay, Clallam County | Cameron Jutila Jun 24, 2023 |
| Whitespotted Greenling 0.69 lbs | Camano Island, Island County | Justin Fussell Oct 12, 2023 |
| HAKES | ||
| Pacific Hake 4.06 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Samir Haj Jul 30, 2013 |
| JACKS | ||
| Jack Mackerel 4.99 lbs | Sekiu, Clallam County | Dee Duttrey Sep 22, 2005 |
| Yellowtail Jack 20.50 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Jason MacKenzie Aug 27, 2011 |
| MARLIN | ||
| Striped Marlin 134.00 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Phil Wolff Sep 2, 2005 |
| OPAHS | ||
| Opah 113.40 lbs | Pacific Ocean, Pacific County | Kyle Tapio Sep 7, 2018 |
| ROCKFISH | ||
| Black Rockfish 10.72 lbs | Ilwaco, Pacific County | Steven Charles Orr May 15, 2016 |
| Blue Rockfish 4.84 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Chris McMillin Jul 2, 2011 |
| Bocaccio 23.63 lbs | Swiftsure Bank | Carson Kendall Aug 8, 1987 |
| Brown Rockfish (Speargun) 1.27 lbs | Agate Pass, Kitsap County | Richard Bethke Jul 21, 2003 |
| Canary Rockfish 10.57 lbs | Neah Bay, Clallam County | Ben Phillips Aug 30, 1986 |
| China Rockfish 4.19 lbs | Duncan Rock, Clallam County | Steven Ripley Jul 11, 1989 |
| Copper Rockfish 10.00 lbs | Point Roberts Reef, Whatcom County | David Northington Aug 6, 1989 |
| Greenstripe Rockfish 1.63 lbs | Possession Bar | David Wedeking Jan 19, 1985 |
| Quillback Rockfish 7.19 lbs | Middle Bank | Bror Hultgren Oct 29, 1987 |
| Redbanded Rockfish 17.85 lbs | LaPush, Clallam County | Darryl Roberts May 2, 2019 |
| Silvergray Rockfish 6.91 lbs | Marine Area 4, Clallam County | Hudson Terry Aug 6, 2022 |
| Tiger Rockfish 7.50 lbs | Middle Bank | James Wenban Nov 30, 1989 |
| Vermilion rockfish 8.98 lbs | Makah Bay, Clallam County | Brandon Clayton Apr 30, 2023 |
| Vermilion Rockfish (Speargun) 13.50 lbs | Neah Bay, Clallam County | Lester Dorris, Jr. Aug 22, 1998 |
| Yelloweye Rockfish 27.75 lbs | Dallas Bank | Jan Tavis Apr 15, 1989 |
| Yellowtail Rockfish 7.38 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Ken Culver Sep 15, 1992 |
| SABLEFISHES | ||
| Sablefish 30.00 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Jeff Rudolph Jun 28, 1994 |
| SALMON (Saltwater) | ||
| Chinook Salmon 70.50 lbs | Sekiu, Clallam County | Chet Gausta Sep 6, 1964 |
| Chum Salmon 25.26 lbs | Pacific Ocean, Grays Harbor County | Fred Dockendorf Aug 7, 2001 |
| Coho Salmon 25.34 lbs | Sekiu, Clallam County | Martin Cooper Sep 28, 2001 |
| Pink Salmon 11.56 lbs | Possession Point, Island County | Jeff Bergman Aug 25, 2001 |
| Sockeye Salmon 9.37 lbs | Sekiu, Clallam County | John Stebly Aug 14, 2004 |
| SCULPINS | ||
| Cabezon (Speargun) 25.20 | Hale Passage (Fox Island), Pierce County | Tony L. Rossberg May 22, 1992 |
| Cabezon 23.00 lbs | Straits-Dungeness, Clallam County | Wesley S. Hunter Aug 4, 1990 |
| Great Sculpin 4.60 lbs | Port Angeles Harbor, Clallam County | Mark Reynolds Jul 29, 1999 |
| Pacific Staghorn Sculpin 0.80 lbs | Point No Point, Kitsap County | Juan Valero Jul 22, 2016 |
| Red Irish Lord 3.19 lbs | Mid-Channel Bank | Ryan Dicks Jul 5, 1985 |
| SHARKS | ||
| Blue Shark 64.00 lbs | Pacific Ocean, Grays Harbor County | Marcus Totemeier Jul 27, 2018 |
| North Pacific Spiny Dogfish 20.25 lbs | Middle Bank, Island County | Roger Petersen May 22, 1998 |
| Sixgill Shark 220.00 lbs | Gedney Island (Hat Island), Snohomish County | Jim Haines Jan 30, 1991 |
| Tope Shark 41.00 lbs | Grays Harbor, Grays Harbor County | Isabella Tolen Jul 24, 2018 |
| SKATES | ||
| Big Skate 130.00 lbs | Double Bluff, Island County | Dan Cartwright May 18, 1986 |
| SURFPERCH | ||
| Pile Surfperch 3.57 lbs | Quartermaster Harbor, King County | Steve Urban Mar 14, 1981 |
| Redtail Surfperch 4.05 lbs | Kalaloch, Jefferson County | Chris Maynard Aug 4, 1996 |
| Striped Surfperch (seaperch) 2.27 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Chris Otte Jul 28, 2016 |
| TUNA | ||
| Albacore Tuna 52.00 lbs | Pacific Ocean, Grays Harbor County | Kurt Strickland Oct 1, 1997 |
| Pacific Bluefin Tuna 92.15 lbs | Pacific Ocean, Pacific County | Adam Speer Aug 12, 2019 |
| POMFRETS | ||
| Pacific Pomfret 0.68 lbs | Westport, Grays Harbor County | Andrew Kulinovsky Oct 3, 2020 |
More information
If you hope to submit a fish for consideration as a new state record, be sure to follow the procedures laid out by the WDFW. They can be found on this page.
Washington Resources
WDFW Fishing and Stocking Reports
WDFW Fishing Regulations
National Weather Service forecasts