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