Lake trout, rainbow trout among nine new Minnesota state record fish

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources certified nine new state record fish this spring, including lake trout and rainbow trout, sturgeon, and several other species.

Of the nine state records certified this spring, two were set in the weight category, which requires anglers to harvest the fish and have it weighed on a certified scale. The remaining seven records were set in the catch-and-release category, which requires anglers to submit photographs documenting the fish’s length and species. To qualify, the fish must also be released in good condition, showing no significant bleeding and able to swim away on its own.

“It’s fantastic to see these great fish and really shows what amazing fishing opportunities we have in Minnesota,” said Mandy Erickson, DNR fisheries program consultant. “We’re thrilled that so many people have participated in the state record fish program. This is a fun way to recognize anglers and highlight some of the impressive fish being caught throughout the state.”

A list of the nine state records is below:

Lake sturgeon

Travis Keating of Fargo, North Dakota, caught and released a lake sturgeon that was 80 inches long on April 18 from the Rainy River in Lake of the Woods County. The fish added 2 inches to the record length.

Lake trout (two records)

Two anglers caught and released record lake trout this spring, both from Lake Superior in Lake County. The first angler was Matthew Hammer of White Bear Township, who caught a lake trout that was 44 inches long on April 13. The fish eked out a new record by .75 inches over the previous record-holder.

Matthew Hammer with his 44 inch lake trout

Then, Joe Bouta of Benson caught and released a lake trout that was 45.5 inches long on May 9. The fish bested Hammer’s record by 1.5 inches.

Joe Bouta with his 45.5 inch lake trout

Rainbow trout

Sadie Spatafore of Maple Grove caught and released a steelhead rainbow trout that was 30 inches long on May 10 from the Stewart River in Lake County. Sadie improved upon the previous record, which was set by her older sister, Lucy, by 1.5 inches.

Bigmouth buffalo

Ryan Bauman of Golden Valley caught and released a bigmouth buffalo that was 36.25 inches long from Sweeney Lake in Hennepin County on April 14. The fish topped the previous record by more than 2 inches.

Black crappie

David Selle of Lino Lakes harvested a black crappie that weighed 4 pounds, 1 ounce on May 3 from Cedar Lake in Rice County. Selle’s catch bested the previous record by a little more than an ounce.

Blue sucker

Joe Busch of Cottage Grove caught and released a blue sucker that was 31.25 inches long on May 16 from the Mississippi River in Dakota County. This was the first blue sucker reported that has met the minimum length requirement since the species’ addition to the record fish program in 2024.

Bluegill sunfish

Chris Mulcahey of Waterville harvested a bluegill sunfish that weighed 2 pounds on May 29 from Big Stone Lake in Big Stone County. Mulcahey’s fish was 3 ounces heavier than the previous record holder.

Shortnose gar

Isaac Richart of Northfield caught and released a shortnose gar that was 30.5 inches long from the Minnesota River in Scott County on June 6. This is the first shortnose gar reported that has met the minimum length requirement since the DNR added the species to the record fish program in 2024.

“It’s exciting that some records continue to be broken, like the lake trout, black crappie and bigmouth buffalo, which have been broken several times over the past year,” Erickson said. “Anglers are getting outside, making memories on the water or ice, and sharing their stories with others.”

The record fish program has been managed by the DNR and its predecessor fisheries management agencies for about 100 years. In 2024, the DNR expanded the record fish program by allowing anglers to earn catch-and-release records for 18 species, up from the four species that had been recognized in a previous version of the catch-and-release record program. The DNR said the change was made in response to the increasing popularity of catch-and-release fishing and to raise the profile of native rough fish.

Also in 2024, the Minnesota DNR refreshed some categories for weight records by keeping a separate list of records for fish established before 1980 based on weights not documented on state-certified scales.

Kalli Hawkins June 17, 2026