Record fish caught in Montana

Written by:
October 21, 2022
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Record fish caught in Montana

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.

compiled a list of record fish caught in Montana using data from . 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.

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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Arctic Grayling

- Weight: 3 lbs
- Length: 20"
- Location: Washtub Lake
- Record set by Glenn Owens in 2003
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Alus164 // Wikimedia Commons

Bigmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 57 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 40.7"
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Craig D. Grassel in 1994
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 2 lbs 9.6 oz
- Length: 14.37"
- Location: Flathead River
- Record set by Birrell in 2009
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 2.08 oz
- Length: 16.7"
- Location: Tongue River Reservoir
- Record set by Al Elser in 1973
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Spencer Neuharth / USFWS // Wikimedia Commons

Blue Sucker

- Weight: 11 lbs 7.36 oz
- Length: 29.75"
- Location: Yellowstone River - Miles City
- Record set by Doug Askin in 1989
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 10.24 oz
- Length: 11"
- Location: Petersons Stock Dam
- Record set by Brent Fladmo in 1983
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 0.96 oz
- Location: Lower Two Medicine Lake
- Record set by John R. Cook in 1940
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 29 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Wade Lake
- Record set by E.H. Peck Bacon in 1966
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Neon_TI // Shutterstock

Burbot

- Weight: 17 lbs 1.28 oz
- Length: 39"
- Location: Missouri River - Wolf Point
- Record set by Jeff E. Iwen in 1989
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 40 lbs 3.2 oz
- Length: 38"
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Jared S. Albus in 1998
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 37 lbs 9.6 oz
- Length: 37.6"
- Location: Castle Rock Lake
- Record set by Jessey Perry in 2009
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 31 lbs 2.08 oz
- Length: 38"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Carl L. Niles in 1991
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Michaela Holubova // Shutterstock

Cisco

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 17.25"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir - below powerhouse
- Record set by Curt Zimmerman in 1991
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Troutnut // Shutterstock

Coho Salmon

- Weight: 4 lbs 14.08 oz
- Length: 25.5"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir - face of dam
- Record set by Irven F. Stohl in 1973
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Cutthroat Trout

- Weight: 16 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Red Eagle Lake
- Record set by William D. Sands in 1955
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Dolly Varden Trout

- Weight: 25 lbs 10.08 oz
- Length: 37"
- Location: not available
- Record set by James Hyer in 1916
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Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 21 lbs
- Length: 29.5"
- Location: Fort Peck- Ghost Coulee
- Record set by Matt Washut in 2003
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Golden Trout

- Weight: 5 lbs 6.88 oz
- Length: 23.5"
- Location: Cave Lake
- Record set by Mike Malixi in 2000
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie // Wikimedia Commons

Goldeye

- Weight: 3 lbs 2.88 oz
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Don Nevrivy in 2000
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 13.44 oz
- Length: 9.0"
- Location: Castle Rock Lake
- Record set by Bette Schmieding in 2009
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Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock

Kokanee Salmon

- Weight: 7 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 26.8"
- Location: Hauser Lake
- Record set by John Bomar in 2003
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Pi-Lens // Shutterstock

Lake Trout

- Weight: 42 lbs 7 oz
- Length: 42.5"
- Location: Flathead Lake
- Record set by Ruth Barber in 2004
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Piotr Wawrzyniuk // Shutterstock

Lake Whitefish

- Weight: 10 lbs 7.36 oz
- Length: 27"
- Location: Flathead Lake
- Record set by Swan T. McDonald V in 2006
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 12.8 oz
- Length: 22.5"
- Location: Noxon Rapids Reservoir
- Record set by Darin Williams in 2009
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service // Wikimedia Commons

Longnose Sucker

- Weight: 3 lbs 4.32 oz
- Location: Marias River - Loma
- Record set by Ray Quigley in 1988
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Cannon Colegrove // Shutterstock

Mountain Whitefish

- Weight: 5 lbs 1.76 oz
- Length: 23"
- Location: Hauser Reservoir
- Record set by Walt Goodman in 2007
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 37 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Tongue River Reservoir
- Record set by Lance Moyer in 1972
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Saran Jantraurai // Shutterstock

Paddlefish

- Weight: 142 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 77"
- Location: Missouri River - near Kipp Park
- Record set by Larry Branstetter in 1973
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 15.36 oz
- Location: Upper Thompson Lake
- Record set by Nathan Bache in 2006
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 33 lbs 1.6 oz
- Length: 38.62"
- Location: Kootenai River - David Thompson Bridge
- Record set by Jack G. Housel Jr. in 1997
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Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

River Carpsucker

- Weight: 6 lbs 15.2 oz
- Length: 24"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Brady Miller in 2008
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Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 0 lbs 13.12 oz
- Length: 9.88"
- Location: Lower Crazy Head Springs Reservoir
- Record set by Lance Dennis in 2010
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 8 lbs 12.8 oz
- Length: 28.2"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Gene Moore in 1994
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

Saugeye

- Weight: 15 lbs 10.56 oz
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir - Squaw Creek
- Record set by Myron Kibler in 1995
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Smithsonian Environmental Research Center // Wikimedia Commons

Shorthead Redhorse

- Weight: 4 lbs 10.88 oz
- Length: 20.25"
- Location: Marias River - near Loma
- Record set by Ray Quigley in 1985
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GUNAWAN SIDIK // Shutterstock

Shortnose Gar

- Weight: 7 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 34"
- Location: Fort Peck Dredge Cuts
- Record set by Ron Gulbertson in 2003
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Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock

Shovelnose Sturgeon

- Weight: 14 lbs 2 oz
- Length: 39.75"
- Location: Missouri River
- Record set by Chad Buck in 2010
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 6.4 oz
- Length: 21.25"
- Location: Flathead River
- Record set by Ken Riska in 2000
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 6. oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Fort Peck Reservoir
- Record set by Mike Otten in 2002
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Ohio DNR // Wikimedia Commons

Smallmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 38 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 38"
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Brady Miller in 2007
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 31 lbs 4.8 oz
- Length: 49"
- Location: Deadman's Basin Reservoir
- Record set by Dan Weil in 2011
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Tiger Trout

- Weight: 4 lbs 0.64 oz
- Length: 20.6"
- Location: Bear Lake
- Record set by Joe Sobczak in 1997
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 17 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 35"
- Location: Tiber Reservoir
- Record set by Robert Bob Hart in 2007
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 2 lbs 12.8 oz
- Length: 17"
- Location: Missouri River - south of Bainville
- Record set by Vernon Pacovsky in 2007
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 10.88 oz
- Length: 18.5"
- Location: Tongue River
- Record set by Gene Bassett in 1996
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

White Sucker

- Weight: 5 lbs 5.28 oz
- Length: 21.625"
- Location: Nelson Reservoir
- Record set by Fred Perry in 1983
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jpreat // Shutterstock

Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 1 lbs 0.32 oz
- Length: 11.6"
- Location: Yellowstone River
- Record set by Samuel Shelton in 2012
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 6.24 oz
- Length: 14.375"
- Location: Ashley Lake
- Record set by Josh Emmert in 2006

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