Record fish caught in California
Canva
Record fish caught in California
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 California 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.
David Vogt // Shutterstock
Albacore Tuna
– Weight: 90 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Santa Cruz
– Record set by Don Giberson in 1997
Biswaphotograhy // Shutterstock
American Shad
– Weight: 7 lbs 5 oz
– Location: Feather River
– Record set by Craig Stillwell in 1985
Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock
Arctic Grayling
– Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
– Location: Lobdell Lake
– Record set by Don Acton Jr. in 1974
Alienaire // Shutterstock
Bigeye Tuna
– Weight: 240 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Butterfly Bank
– Record set by Steve Hutchinson in 1997
Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock
Black Crappie
– Weight: 4 lbs 1 oz
– Location: New Hogan Lake
– Record set by Wilma L. Honey in 1975
M Huston // Shutterstock
Blue Catfish
– Weight: 113 lbs 5 oz
– Length: 57″
– Location: San Vicente Reservoir
– Record set by Steve Oudomsouk in 2008
Colin MacDonald // Shutterstock
Blue Marlin
– Weight: 692 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Balboa
– Record set by A. Hamann in 1931
jurgal photographer // Shutterstock
Bluefin Tuna
– Weight: 243 lbs 11 oz
– Location: 277 Spot
– Record set by Karl E. Schmidbauer in 1990
dcwcreations // Shutterstock
Bluegill Sunfish
– Weight: 3 lbs 14 oz
– Length: 14.3″
– Location: Rancho Murieta Reservoir
– Record set by Michael Holoubek in 2008
slowmotiongli // Shutterstock
Brook Trout
– Weight: 9 lbs 12 oz
– Location: Silver Lake
– Record set by Texas Haynes in 1932
Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock
Brown Trout
– Weight: 26 lbs 8 oz
– Location: Upper Twin Lake
– Record set by Danny Stearman in 1987
Streamside Adventures // Shutterstock
Bull Trout
– Weight: 9 lbs 11 oz
– Location: McCloud Lake
– Record set by James S. McCloud in 1968
WH_Pics // Shutterstock
Bullhead
– Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
– Location: Trinity Lakes
– Record set by Gary Dittenbir in 1993
Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock
Carp
– Weight: 52 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Nacimiento Lake
– Record set by Lee Bryant in 1968
Aleron Val // Shutterstock
Channel Catfish
– Weight: 53 lbs 8 oz
– Length: 46.5″
– Location: San Joaquin River
– Record set by Randall Gilgert Jr. in 2008
Kevin Cass // Shutterstock
Chinook (King) Salmon
– Weight: 88 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Sacramento River
– Record set by O.H. Lindberg in 1979
Troutnut // Shutterstock
Coho Salmon
– Weight: 22 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Paper Mill Creek
– Record set by Milton T. Hain in 1959
CSNafzger // Shutterstock
Cutthroat Trout
– Weight: 31 lbs 8 oz
– Location: Lake Tahoe
– Record set by William Pomin in 1911
M Huston // Shutterstock
Flathead Catfish
– Weight: 72 lbs 14 oz
– Length: 53.5″
– Location: Colorado River
– Record set by Billy Potter in 2003
CSNafzger // Shutterstock
Golden Trout
– Weight: 9 lbs 8 oz
– Location: Virginia Lake
– Record set by O.A. Benefield in 1952
M Huston // Shutterstock
Green Sunfish
– Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
– Location: private pond near Bella Vista
– Record set by unknown in 1978
Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock
Kokanee Salmon
– Weight: 4 lbs 13 oz
– Location: Lake Tahoe
– Record set by Dick Bournique in 1973
Pi-Lens // Shutterstock
Lake Trout
– Weight: 37 lbs 3 oz
– Location: Lake Tahoe
– Record set by Robert G. Aronsen in 1974
Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock
Largemouth Bass
– Weight: 21 lbs 12 oz
– Location: Lake Castaic
– Record set by Michael Arujo in 1991
MPH Photos // Shutterstock
Ling Cod
– Weight: 56 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Crescent City
– Record set by Carey Mitchell in 1992
Cannon Colegrove // Shutterstock
Mountain Whitefish
– Weight: 3 lbs 1 oz
– Length: 20″
– Location: Lake Tahoe
– Record set by Gregg Harris in 2004
Glass and Nature // Shutterstock
Pumpkinseed Sunfish
– Weight: 1 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Mt. Meadows Reservoir
– Record set by Dave Smith in 1996
Canva
Rainbow Trout
– Weight: 27 lbs 0 oz
– Length: 37.5″
– Location: Lake Natoma
– Record set by Frank Palmer in 2005
Canva
Rainbow Trout
– Weight: 23 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Lake Natoma
– Record set by Jeremy Brucklacher in 2000
Clint H // Shutterstock
Redear Sunfish
– Weight: 5 lbs 3 oz
– Location: Folsom So. Canal
– Record set by Anthony White in 1994
H.L. Todd // Wikimedia Commons
Sacramento Perch
– Weight: 3 lbs 10 oz
– Location: Crowley Lake
– Record set by Jack Johnson in 1979
enciktat // Shutterstock
Skipjack Tuna
– Weight: 26 lbs 0 oz
– Location: San Diego
– Record set by William Hall in 1970
CSNafzger // Shutterstock
Smallmouth Bass
– Weight: 9 lbs 13 oz
– Length: 24.75″
– Location: Pardee Reservoir
– Record set by Harold Hardin in 2007
Sean McVey // Shutterstock
Spotted Bass
– Weight: 10 lbs 4 oz
– Location: Pine Flat Reservoir
– Record set by Brian Shishido in 2001
slowmotiongli // Shutterstock
Striped Bass
– Weight: 67 lbs 8 oz
– Location: ONeill Forebay
– Record set by Hank Ferguson in 1992
Canva
Sturgeon
– Weight: 468 lbs 0 oz
– Location: San Pablo Bay
– Record set by Joey Pallotta in 1983
Vasehaus // Shutterstock
Tilapia
– Weight: 6 lbs 0 oz
– Length: 20″
– Location: Palo Verde Lagoon
– Record set by Gary Horton in 2007
Bclegg77 // Wikimedia Commons
Warmouth
– Weight: 0 lbs 15 oz
– Length: 9″
– Location: Hensley Lake
– Record set by Russell Jacobs in 2004
Apostrophe // Shutterstock
White Bass
– Weight: 5 lbs 5 oz
– Location: Ferguson Lake
– Record set by Milton Mize in 1972
M Huston // Shutterstock
White Catfish
– Weight: 22 lbs 0 oz
– Location: William Land Park Pond
– Record set by James Robinson in 1994
Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock
White Crappie
– Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
– Location: Clear Lake
– Record set by Carol Carlton in 1971
Shane Gross // Shutterstock
Yellowfin Tuna
– Weight: 239 lbs 0 oz
– Location: Catalina Island
– Record set by Ronald B. Howarth in 1984
