Updated: July 2024
The following table lists the current Wisconsin sport fishing records in a simplified format.
If you think you caught a fish large enough to add to the official record, be sure to check out the resources linked at the bottom of this article.
Wisconsin Fishing Records
| Alewife 0 lbs, 3.2 oz | Lake Michigan, Milwaukee County | May 12, 2023 |
| Bass, Largemouth 11 lbs, 3 oz | Lake Ripley, Jefferson County | Oct 12, 1940 |
| Bass, Smallmouth 9 lbs, 1 oz | Indian Lake, Oneida County | Jun 21, 1950 |
| Bass, Rock 2 lbs, 15 oz | Shadow Lake, Waupaca County | Jun 2, 1990 |
| Bass, Hybrid Striped 13 lbs, 14.2 oz | Lake Columbia, Columbia County | Mar 16, 2002 |
| Rudd, European 1 lb, 3 oz | Fox River, Kenosha County | May 24, 1996 |
| Bass, White 5 lbs, 3.8 oz | Mississippi River, Vernon County | May 5, 2019 |
| Bass, Yellow 2 lbs, 12 oz | Lake Waubesa, Dane County | Feb 13, 2013 |
| Bowfin 13 lbs, 1 oz | Willow Flowage, Oneida County | Jul 19, 1980 |
| Buffalo, Bigmouth 76 lbs, 8 oz | Petenwell Flowage, Adams County | Jun 21, 2013 |
| Buffalo, Smallmouth 20 lbs, 0 oz | Milwaukee River, Washington County | Dec 3, 1999 |
| Burbot 18 lbs, 2oz | Lake Superior, Bayfield County | Feb 2, 2002 |
| Carp, Bighead 67 lbs, 3.2 oz | Wisconsin River, Sauk County | Apr 29, 2022 |
| Carp, Common 57 lbs, 2 oz | Lake Wisconsin, Columbia County | Aug 28, 1966 |
| Carpsucker, Quillback 13 lbs, 8.8 oz | Wolf River, Waupaca County | Apr 23, 2022 |
| Catfish, Black Bullhead 5 lbs. 8 oz | Big Falls Flowage, Rusk County | Sep 2, 1989 |
| Catfish, Brown Bullhead 4 lbs, 2 oz | Little Green Lake, Green Lake County | Jul 7, 2006 |
| Catfish, Channel 44 lbs, 0 oz | Wisconsin River, Columbia County | 1962 |
| Catfish, Flathead 74 lbs, 5.1 oz | Mississippi River, Vernon County | Mar 30, 2001 |
| Catfish, Yellow Bullhead 4 lbs, 5 oz | White Mound Park Lake, Sauk County | Aug 6, 2021 |
| Chub, Creek 0 lbs, 12.0 oz | Amnicon Lake, Douglas County | Jan 7, 2018 |
| Chub, Hornyhead 0 lbs, 7.3 oz | Little Platte River, Grant County | Apr 11, 2024 |
| Cisco 4 lbs, 12.8 oz | Chain O’ Lakes, Waupaca County | 03/28/2023 |
| Crappie, Black 4 lbs, 8 oz | Gile Flowage, Iron County | Aug 12, 1967 |
| Crappie, White 3 lbs, 13.1 oz | Cranberry Marsh, Monroe County | May 4, 2003 |
| Darter, Johnny 0 lbs, 0.16 oz | Menomonee River, Waukesha County | Aug 29, 2020 |
| Drum, Sheepshead 35 lbs, 4 oz | Mississippi River, Crawford County | Aug 29, 1992 |
| Eel, American 3 lbs, 6 oz | Lake Superior, Ashland County | Jul 9, 1997 |
| Gar, Longnose 21 lbs, 4 oz | Wisconsin River, Richland County | Jun 14, 1990 |
| Gar, Shortnose 4 lbs, 5.4 oz | Fox River, Outagamie County | Aug 22, 2015 |
| Goby, Round 0 lbs, 5.3 oz | Lake Michigan, Manitowoc County | May 11, 2008 |
| Logperch 0 lbs, 0.80 oz | Lake Winnebago Fond du lac County | Sep 9, 2023 |
| Minnow, Bluntnose 0 lbs, 0.4 oz | Mukwonago River, Waukesha County | Aug 1, 2019 |
| Mooneye 2 lbs, 6.6 oz | Mississippi River, La Crosse County | May 11, 2014 |
| Muskellunge 69 lbs, 11 oz | Chippewa Flowage, Sawyer County | Oct 20, 1949 |
| Muskellunge, Tiger 51 lbs, 3 oz | Lac Vieux Desert, Vilas County | Jul 16, 1919 |
| Perch, White 1 lb, 9.6 oz | Green Bay, Door County | Nov 1, 2023 |
| Perch, Yellow 3 lbs, 4 oz | Lake Winnebago, Winnebago County | 1954 |
| Pike, Northern 38 lbs, 0 oz | Lake Puckaway, Green Lake County | Aug 6, 1952 |
| Redhorse, Golden 5 lbs, 2.2 oz | Mississippi River, La Crosse County | Apr 21, 2022 |
| Redhorse, Greater 10 lbs, 10.4 oz | Yellow River, Burnett County | May 16, 2024 |
| Redhorse, Shorthead 4 lbs, 4.1 oz | Peshtigo River, Marinette County | May 15, 2023 |
| Redhorse, Silver 11 lbs, 7 oz | Plum Creek, Vilas County | May 29, 1985 |
| Rudd, European 1 lb, 3 oz | North Lake, Waukesha County | Mar 10, 1991 |
| Salmon, Atlantic 23 lbs, 15 oz. | Lake Michigan, Milwaukee County | Jul 18, 1980 |
| Salmon, Coho 26 lbs, 1.9 oz | Lake Michigan, Milwaukee County | Aug 21, 1999 |
| Salmon, Chinook 44 lbs, 15 oz | Lake Michigan, Door County | Jul 19, 1994 |
| Salmon, Kokanee 2 lbs, 8.2 oz | Upper Bass Lake, Menominee County | Sep 1, 2007 |
| Salmon, Pink 6 lbs, 1.9 oz | Lake Michigan, Kewaunee County | Aug 10, 1999 |
| Salmon, Pinook (chinook x pink) 12 lbs, 7.4 oz | Lake Michigan, Kewaunee County | Aug 14, 2022 |
| Sauger 6 lbs, 6.7 oz | Mississippi River, Pierce County | Mar 19, 2009 |
| Saugeye 8 lbs, 14.7 oz | Wisconsin River, Columbia County | Oct 14, 2009 |
| Sculpin, Mottled 0 lbs, 1.1 oz | Rush River, St. Croix County | Sep 12, 2022 |
| Sculpin, Slimy 0 lbs, 0.8 oz | Kinnickinnic River, St. Croix County | May 21, 2016 |
| Shad, Gizzard 4 lbs, 7 oz | Lake Michigan, Ozaukee County | Feb 10, 1982 |
| Shiner, Common 0 lbs, 4.0 oz | Mukwonago, Waukesha County | Apr 23, 2017 |
| Shiner, Golden 0 lbs, 9.1 oz | Lake Mendota, Dane County | Mar 29, 2021 |
| Shiner, Spottail 0 lbs, 0.80 oz | Sugar Creek, Door County | May 20, 2024 |
| Smelt, Rainbow 0 lbs, 5.5 oz | Green Bay, Door County | Feb 3, 2022 |
| Stonecat 0 lbs,5.4 oz | Prairie River, Lincoln County | Jul 4, 2017 |
| Sturgeon, Lake 170 lbs, 10 oz | Yellow Lake, Burnett County | Sep 22, 1979 |
| Sturgeon, Shovelnose 7 lbs, 13.1 oz | Mississippi River, Vernon County | May 28, 2017 |
| Sucker, Northern Hog 1 lbs, 13 oz | Fox River, Green Lake County | Mar 17, 2004 |
| Sucker, Spotted 4 lbs, 10.2 oz | Lake Onalaska, La Crosse County | Feb 22, 2018 |
| Sucker, White 6 lbs, 2 oz | Miller Flowage, Taylor County | Aug 27, 1997 |
| Sunfish, Bluegill 2 lbs, 9.8 oz | Green Bay, Brown County | Aug 2, 1995 |
| Sunfish, Green 1 lb, 9 oz | Wind Lake, Racine County | Aug 23, 1967 |
| Sunfish, Orangespotted 0 lbs, 0.48 oz | Crawfish River Dodge County | Jun 15, 2024 |
| Sunfish, Pumpkinseed 1 lb, 3.4 oz | Silver Lake, Washington County | May 31, 2020 |
| Topminnow, Blackstripe 0 lbs, 0.32 oz | Mukwonago River, Waukesha County | Aug 1, 2019 |
| Trout, Brook (inland) 9 lbs, 15 oz | Prairie River, Lincoln County | Sep 2, 1944 |
| Trout, Brook (outlying) 10 lbs, 1 oz | Lake Michigan, Ozaukee County | Jun 8, 1999 |
| Trout, Brown (inland) 18 lbs, 6 oz | Lake Geneva, Walworth County | May 7, 1984 |
| Trout, Brown (outlying) 41 lbs, 8 oz | Lake Michigan, Racine County | Jul 16, 2010 |
| Trout, Lake (inland) 35 lbs, 4 oz | Big Green Lake, Green Lake County | Jun 1, 1957 |
| Trout, Lake (outlying) 47 lbs, 0 oz | Lake Superior, Bayfield County | Sep 9, 1946 |
| Trout, Rainbow (outlying) 27 lbs, 2 oz | Lake Michigan, Kewaunee County | Jul 26, 1997 |
| Trout, Rainbow (inland) 12 lbs, 3 oz | Elbow Lake, Marinette County | Jun 15, 2006 |
| Trout, Splake (Lk x Bk) 17 lbs, 14.5 oz | Green Bay, Marinette County | Jul 6, 2002 |
| Trout, Tiger (Bk x Br, outlying) 20 lbs, 13 oz | Lake Michigan, Sheboygan County | Aug 12, 1978 |
| Trout, Tiger (Bk x Br, inland) 2 lbs, 1 oz | Private pond, Racine County | Apr 9, 2018 |
| Walleye 18 lbs, 0 oz | High Lake, Vilas County | Sep 16, 1933 |
| Warmouth 1 lbs, 1 oz | Eagle Lake, Racine County | May 26, 2001 |
| Whitefish, Lake 12 lbs, 6.4 oz | Lake Michigan, Sheboygan County | Jul 9, 2013 |
Setting a Wisconsin State Fishing Record
So, you think the fish you just caught will eclipse one of the records above? Maybe it’s a blackstripe topminnow weighing just over a third of an ounce or a lake sturgeon weighing in at 171 pounds?
If so, be sure to carefully read the Wisconsin Record Fish Application, which includes the rules you must follow to certify your historic catch.