So of the four species listed what is the biggest one you've caught?
Also, what is the biggest fish you've caught of any species?

Walleye - 19" (nothing special except it was my first walleye ever caught, last May)
Smallie - 21" best fight yet
Pike - 26" (I hooked a few 35"+ but got off next to the canoe)
Lake Trout - N/A (I hope that change this soon)

Largest fish was Bottle Nose Gar in Arkansas it was over 6 feet (closer to 7 feet but I couldn't get a tape on him so I say 6 feet.)

ok ill play

walleye 32.5" I've got 2 this size

pike, 44"

smallie 21"

laker 38"

Plenty of room for upgrades on all of these. I really want a really big laker!

That's an impressive list Lotw! Especially the walleye.

Here's mine:

Walleye - 26"
Pike - 40"
Smallie - 19"
Lake Trout - NA (Hoping to change that next year)

Walleye: 31.5 inches
Northern: 42 inch
Smallie: 25 inch
Lake Trout: 35 inch

walleye: maybe like 24" :(
largemouth: 25
smallmouth: about 23ish
northern : didnt measure but pushing 40, we guesstimated 37"
laker: dont know the length but 15 plus lbs i suppose (only took a pic quick, on superior)

Walleye 22”
Pike 38”
Musky 46”
Smallmouth Bass 21”
Brook Trout 10” (need to work on these)

Walleye: 26? (this was the first "big" walleye I caught and I cant remember exact length but I do remember specifically it was over 5lbs)
Northern: 36" x2
Smallie: 21.5
Lake Trout: I had quite a few inches of one out of the water when...... snap

Walleye - 31 inch
Northern- 23 pounds
Lake Trout - 31 pounds
Smallmouth- 21 inch
Crappie- 18 inch
Sturgeon- 48 inch (ice fishing)
King Salmon - 38 pounds
The largest fish was a Halibut that was 57 pounds.

Hmmm.......I guess if you don't toot your own horn it won't get tooted. On the other hand this thread makes me feel a tad uncomfortable although I do like hearing about what others have caught.

But isn't a stringer of walleye off lake Erie between 7 and 9 lbs (i was young and dumb, yes I kept every one of them) different than what one can catch in an inland lake? Etc. etc. etc and big Walleye at Eriou Ontario (Canadian side of Erie) are rather common.

Fish I am most proud of was a 40" pike caught on a perch colored j-11 original Rapala on 4lb trilene XT in a very hidden marsh off the St Clair river. A 29" walleye caught in an inland Michigan lake 2 weeks after ice out and the same aforementioned combo. One of the best fighting fish I have ever caught......... A pike caught off a cement pier many decades ago at Isle Royale probably around 17lbs again caught on 4lb XT and a rapala.

These may not be the biggest freshwater fish I have caught but they are certainly the fish I am most proud of having landed.

On the salt water side I have some nice catches but a few stand out. A 48lb Kingfish (I know the weight because it won the boats Jackpot) was nice. A black grouper over 30lbs caught on 30lb line was an exceptional catch due to the light line. A black grouper over 60lbs caught on 150lb power pro was impressive (I never took the rod out of the rod holder but rather "winched" the fish in ;-) And a very nice mutton snapper of 18lbs caught on 20lb line........a nice catch for fish which routinely break 50lb with no problem.

Walleye 7 and 3/4 pounds 27 and 3/4 inches
Smallmouth 5 lb 20 and a 1/2 inches
Northern several in the 38 inch range
Lakers mainly 20-inch stuff . One 18lbr south arm knife. 1 1/2 inch green white daredevil. That Lakers was my biggest fish

Pike: Don't really know as I've kept the big ones in the water, but I did bring one out that probably went 43". You've all seen the photo, where it's tight to my body (no arm extending magnification) and I'm 5'11".
Walleye: 26"
Smallmouth: 21"
Musky: Same as pike. I keep them in the water, but I did measure a 46". I caught another fine musky off an island where I only managed to get the head out of the water, resting on a rock, where I unhooked it and released it. It was big and I didn't want to hurt it or me by dragging it all the way out of the water. I hooked it in a spot where I've landed a dozen or so muskies, but it was big enough to have me lead it to where the water was shallower and I could partly beach it. I loved touching that fish and was shaking afterward. I was alone, so no photo.
Lake trout: I've only caught about 50 in my entire life and never measured a single one.

Walleye - 32.5" released, seagull(made replica)
SMB - 22" released, ogish
Northern - 41" , caught crappie fishing, released
Lake trout - 27", released lake superior, casting spoon at French river

Walleye-29 3/4" couldnt get another 1/4 inch out!
Pike-not sure probably mid 30inches. Ive only ever seen 1 big pike and it was on eddy lake. Ive seen some 40lb muskies and this thing looked like one
Smallie-22"
Laker-42"

Laker was probably the biggest fish ive caught.

All but the walleye were in the bwca. And the walleye was only a few miles from.

Ild like to get a big pike someday!

Smally 22” rapala #9 tail dancer
Walleye 30” rapala #9 tail dancer
Northern Pike 42” red eye spoon
Lake Trout 38” Rapala DT 16

All in the Quetico, different lakes. The walleye and smally were caught on the Same lure on the same trip. That was a fun trip.

T

Walleye: N/A
SMB: 18.5 " (popper, fly fishing)
N Pike: 30" (bucktail streamer, fly fishing)
Lake Trout: N/A

As a newbie BWCA/Quetico fisherman (just one 6 days solo trip) guess I still don't have any bragging rights. Hope to set the bar a little higher next June, in a 13 days trip.
I have relatively easy access to peacock bass fishing, so far my personal best is a 15 pounder.

walleye 26"
SM 22"
Northern 39"
Laker working on this one
LM 25"

Walleye. 31 1/2 inches Chapleau Ontario
Small mouth. 22 inches BW
Pike. 41 inches Michigan
Lake trout. 30 lbs Michigan
Have never caught a really big fish, but I can dream.

Wallleye--28.5 Had one that was AT LEAST 33 in and out of the net 3 times before it swam free. Still think about that one frequently.
Smallie--23.
Pike--43
Laker--not sure. I've only caught a couple on Lake Michigan but I'd guess biggest at 26. This is a species I've never targeted but am looking to do a LT trip some time soon.

Mother Nature is an evil, evil woman. How do I know? TGO caught the biggest smallie.

Not surprisingly almost all my biggest fish have been caught on a BWCA trip

Walleye: 29" (Kawishiwi River)
Small mouth: 21" (Dahlgren River)
Northern: 36" (Gabbro)
Lake Trout: unfortunately I have yet to hook one

Other "biggest" I've hooked in the BWCA:
Yellow Perch: 12" (Gabbro)
Sauger: 14" (Lake Agnes)
Crappie: 14" (Boulder River)

I don't have a picture of my biggest lake trout, but it wasn't much more than 8 pounds.

heres an awesome pic of my biggest muskie, it's 53" My son was the photographer and net man , he was about 8 at the time.


and here's one of my bigger pike

Any idea what damaged your huge musky? I once fished with a guy who caught three 50+ inch fish in a week. He cast lures that would break down my shoulders and back in a hour.

Your pike is massive too.

I sure wish I could catch a 22" or 23" smallmouth like so many of you have done. I do catch some thick fish, but much shorter. These are just 19-inchish fish, which relatively speaking, are about a mile shorter than a 22" fish. Sigh.

missmolly: "Any idea what damaged your huge musky? I once fished with a guy who caught three 50+ inch fish in a week. He cast lures that would break down my shoulders and back in a hour.

Your pike is massive too."

I'm fairly certain that's spawning damage.

My son got this one last summer.... this is most likely from a gillnet


edit*** the damage to the fish is from a gillnet.... he caught the fish hook and line lol

The Great Outdoors: "Walleye: 31.5 inches
Northern: 42 inch
Smallie: 25 inch
Lake Trout: 35 inch
"

That's either a typo or a all out lie. The world record smallmouth was 27". That would also be longer than the Minnesota record Largemouth which was 23 1/2". If you put that into a weight calculator it would be about 10 lbs.

https://www.minnesotafunfacts.com/minnesota-lists/biggest-fish-caught-in-minnesota-by-species/

Walleye- 30 inch released
Crappie- 17 inch released
Bluegill- 12 inch released
Pike- 33 inch pickled
Laker - 30 inch smoked
Bowfin- 29 inch released
Brookie-20 inch cooked on the fire grate
Splake- 18 inch cooked on the fire grate
Rainbow- 18 inch cooked on the fire grate
Coho- 20 inch released
Smallie- 20 inch released
Largemouth- 20 inch released

Impressive numbers. Mine:
SMB - 21+ inches
Pike - 3 39 inchers, can't break 40 inches
Walleye - 28 inches, Rainy River, not BWCA
Laker - have never measured one, not caught that many anyway

TGO, I think I remember your story about at 25 in smallie. You should tell it again. That is an incredible fish and a bit ironic.

In salt water, I've caught a 130 lb halibut and a 60 lb ling cod in AK.

siusaluki23: "

The Great Outdoors: "Walleye: 31.5 inches
Northern: 42 inch
Smallie: 25 inch
Lake Trout: 35 inch
"

That's either a typo or a all out lie. The world record smallmouth was 27". That would also be longer than the Minnesota record Largemouth which was 23 1/2". If you put that into a weight calculator it would be about 10 lbs.


https://www.minnesotafunfacts.com/minnesota-lists/biggest-fish-caught-in-minnesota-by-species/"

Tgo has caught a lot of fish believe it.

missmolly: "

siusaluki23: "

The Great Outdoors: "Walleye: 31.5 inches
Northern: 42 inch
Smallie: 25 inch
Lake Trout: 35 inch
"

That's either a typo or a all out lie. The world record smallmouth was 27". That would also be longer than the Minnesota record Largemouth which was 23 1/2". If you put that into a weight calculator it would be about 10 lbs.



https://www.minnesotafunfacts.com/minnesota-lists/biggest-fish-caught-in-minnesota-by-species/"

Tgo has caught a lot of fish believe it."

I am sure he has. But none of them were a true 25" smallmouth....

siusaluki23: "

missmolly: "

siusaluki23: "

The Great Outdoors: "Walleye: 31.5 inches
Northern: 42 inch
Smallie: 25 inch
Lake Trout: 35 inch
"

That's either a typo or a all out lie. The world record smallmouth was 27". That would also be longer than the Minnesota record Largemouth which was 23 1/2". If you put that into a weight calculator it would be about 10 lbs.



https://www.minnesotafunfacts.com/minnesota-lists/biggest-fish-caught-in-minnesota-by-species/"

Tgo has caught a lot of fish believe it."

I am sure he has. But none of them were a true 25" smallmouth...."

How would you know what he's caught and hasn't caught? Nobody even knows what state it was caught in or river vs. lake. I don't know him or you personally, but calling people a liar is BS.

TGO has no motive to lie: He doesn't even like smallmouth. As I remember, he caught the giant in deep water in fall, the perfect place and time to hook Moby Dick.

Siusaluki23,,, not nice to call someone you don't know a liar.over such a trivial matter......... tks tks tks. I'm sure Burntside produces some trophy fish........

Here's a smallmouth almost 25" long caught in Michigan two years ago, setting a record that was just broken by a guy still fishing behind his cottage.

Here's the new record, almost an inch and a half shorter, but heavier. You can see how fat it is in the second photo.

Thanks for sharing folks. I’ve enjoyed hearing folks catches. I hope to increase mine with time.

missmolly: "I sure wish I could catch a 22" or 23" smallmouth like so many of you have done. I do catch some thick fish, but much shorter. These are just 19-inchish fish, which relatively speaking, are about a mile shorter than a 22" fish. Sigh.

Try Chequamegon Bay or Sturgeon Bay. Big, big smallies. They are not quite as thick for their length as fish from northern inland waters but they put on length more quickly.

Once, while musky fishing the west arm of Eagle Lake ON I had what I initially thought was a small musky follow, it turned out to be a ginormous smallie. I don't know how long it was but it was over 25" no doubt. Monster smallies exist in many northern waters so there's no reason to doubt TGO's claim.

Walleye 28.5 inches
Lake trout 29 inches
Small Mouth 19.5 inches
Northern—-nothing notable. I cant stand them!! Lol slimy b$&@!es!

My lake trout was biggest. Coolest adrenaline kick I have ever gotten pulling me around in my solo canoe!!

WIMike: "

missmolly: "I sure wish I could catch a 22" or 23" smallmouth like so many of you have done. I do catch some thick fish, but much shorter. These are just 19-inchish fish, which relatively speaking, are about a mile shorter than a 22" fish. Sigh.

Try Chequamegon Bay or Sturgeon Bay. Big, big smallies. They are not quite as thick for their length as fish from northern inland waters but they put on length more quickly.


Once, while musky fishing the west arm of Eagle Lake ON I had what I initially thought was a small musky follow, it turned out to be a ginormous smallie. I don't know how long it was but it was over 25" no doubt. Monster smallies exist in many northern waters so there's no reason to doubt TGO's claim. "

I've fished both Chequamegon Bay and Sturgeon Bay. I caught nice fish, but no 22" bass. I'll keep casting.

GirlonaRock, I've had pike and musky pull my solo canoe too. Have you ever heard of a Nantucket Sleigh Ride? Well, being pulled by a trout or esox is a North Woods Sleigh Ride.

As far as rarity would be Walllee-s 18 inch crappie and TGO 25 inch smallmouth. Walllee was that a Minnesota Crappie?

Walleye 26”
Smallmouth 19”
Laker 28”
Northern 32”
All of those are in the Quetico, three on the same lake. I think the Laker is probably the best of them though the other three were very fun. Love seeing big walleye. I was so fired up when I caught a glimpse of her near the boat.
Biggest are a 28” steelhead (Manistee rainbow) here in Cleveland and a big (didn’t measure) channel catty in the Susquehanna in NE PA. That was a big, heavy fish. As long as my torso, I’m 6’1”.
Fun thread. Great time to dream about upping the numbers in the grand slam.

Pinetree: "As far as rarity would be Walllee-s 18 inch crappie and TGO 25 inch smallmouth. Walllee was that a Minnesota Crappie?"

Yes, it was caught in Lake Vermilion in the Fall 10 years ago out in Niles Bay. In those days there would be many boats out there on that spot all Fall . Now days you seldom see anybody out there. There just isn’t many crappie there anymore. I was fishing with my uncle. There was a older man from Chicago fishing in the boat next to us that just couldn’t catch them. He said he had been on the lake all week and caught only a couple small Rock Bass. He was disappointed because he really wanted to have a fish fry and take some fish back home. He was a great old man, and we had a great time talking to him, and he just couldn’t believe how easy we made it look. We decided to give him our limit of crappies . The 18 incher was one of the fish in that limit. He was thrilled!!

Pinetree: "As far as rarity would be Walllee-s 18 inch crappie and TGO 25 inch smallmouth. Walllee was that a Minnesota Crappie?"

Yes, it was caught in Lake Vermilion in the Fall 10 years ago out in Niles Bay. In those days there would be many boats out there on that spot all Fall . Now days you seldom see anybody out there. There just isn’t many crappie there anymore. I was fishing with my uncle. There was a older man from Chicago fishing in the boat next to us that just couldn’t catch them. He said he had been on the lake all week and caught only a couple small Rock Bass. He was disappointed because he really wanted to have a fish fry and take some fish back home. He was a great old man, and we had a great time talking to him, and he just couldn’t believe how easy we made it look. We decided to give him our limit of crappies . The 18 incher was one of the fish in that limit. He was thrilled!!

Bdubguy: "Impressive numbers. Mine:
SMB - 21+ inches
Pike - 3 39 inchers, can't break 40 inches
Walleye - 28 inches, Rainy River, not BWCA
Laker - have never measured one, not caught that many anyway
TGO, I think I remember your story about at 25 in smallie. You should tell it again. That is an incredible fish and a bit ironic.
"

Here you go. I had seen what I thought was a Bass bed in about 18 FOW on a reef I fish frequently in Burntside Lake.
I asked the DNR if they had ever seen a bed that deep, and they replied "yes, but only very large Bass will make them that far down!"
In mid September of that year, I was trolling the reef with a plain hook, small split shot, & tipped with about a 4" Sucker.
While trolling very slowly, the fish hit, went straight down, came back up and cleared water. I knew it was huge when it jumped, and it took several minutes to land.
Never quite realized how truly large it was until in the boat, put the ruler on it, and it was 25 inches.
I am no fan of Bass by any means, but may have considered mounting one this large.
However, one thing stood in my way: This was the first day, and first year that you could not keep Smallmouth caught on or after September 13th (???) so I tossed it back.
Never regretted doing so, but it would have been a fantastic conversation piece if mounted. Of course, feeling about Bass the way I do, would have had a fake nose, mustache, and glasses put on it so no one would know what it really was!! :)

Since taxidermists paint all fish, you could have simply had your guy paint it like a perch. At a glance, it would have been even more impressive.

The Great Outdoors: "

Bdubguy: "Impressive numbers. Mine:
SMB - 21+ inches
Pike - 3 39 inchers, can't break 40 inches
Walleye - 28 inches, Rainy River, not BWCA
Laker - have never measured one, not caught that many anyway
TGO, I think I remember your story about at 25 in smallie. You should tell it again. That is an incredible fish and a bit ironic.
"

Here you go. I had seen what I thought was a Bass bed in about 18 FOW on a reef I fish frequently in Burntside Lake.
I asked the DNR if they had ever seen a bed that deep, and they replied "yes, but only very large Bass will make them that far down!"
In mid September of that year, I was trolling the reef with a plain hook, small split shot, & tipped with about a 4" Sucker.
While trolling very slowly, the fish hit, went straight down, came back up and cleared water. I knew it was huge when it jumped, and it took several minutes to land.
Never quite realized how truly large it was until in the boat, put the ruler on it, and it was 25 inches.
I am no fan of Bass by any means, but may have considered mounting one this large.
However, one thing stood in my way: This was the first day, and first year that you could not keep Smallmouth caught on or after September 13th (???) so I tossed it back.
Never regretted doing so, but it would have been a fantastic conversation piece if mounted. Of course, feeling about Bass the way I do, would have had a fake nose, mustache, and glasses put on it so no one would know what it really was!! :)"

Where's the picture at? Even Zues takes pictures of big smallmouth ;)

In 2011 I won a guided fishing canoe trip. It is the only time I have fished.

Walleye 24"
Pike 30"
Bass 19"
Didn't try for Lakers
trip report

missmolly: "Since taxidermists paint all fish, you could have simply had your guy paint it like a perch. At a glance, it would have been even more impressive. "

If that happened, I would have had it painted like a far more desirable fish than a Bass, possibly an Eelpout! :)

The Great Outdoors: "

missmolly: "Since taxidermists paint all fish, you could have simply had your guy paint it like a perch. At a glance, it would have been even more impressive. "

If that happened, I would have had it painted like a far more desirable fish than a Bass, possibly an Eelpout! :)"

If taxidermy didn't take so darn long and cost so much, it would be cool to paint one species to look like another, just for laughs.

Musky 44"
Pike 40"
lake trout #9
walleye #8-10
largemouth #5-12
smally 21"
brook trout 19 1/2"

Musky 55”
Pike 42”
Lake trout 38”
Smallmouth 23 1/2”
Walleye 29”

Brook Trout-22.8
Lake Trout-35.5
Walleye-33.5
Northern Pike-43.5
Creek Chub-6.5

Carp - over 24" my measuring device only went to 24", it was probably close to 30" and over 20 lbs.
Smallmouth bass - 2 @ 4.5 lbs. Knife Lake
Northern Pike - 11.5 lbs. Basswood
Walleye - 6.5 lbs. Kawnipi
Crappie - 15.25" & lbs., Sugema Lake, Iowa
Sting Ray - 20 lbs. plus, Padre Beach
Largemouth bass - 4 lbs. pond at family farm

Carp - over 24" my measuring device only went to 24", it was probably close to 30" and over 20 lbs.
Smallmouth bass - 2 @ 4.5 lbs. Knife Lake
Northern Pike - 11.5 lbs. Basswood
Walleye - 6.5 lbs. Kawnipi
Crappie - 15.25" & lbs., Sugema Lake, Iowa
Sting Ray - 20 lbs. plus, Padre Beach
Largemouth bass - 4 lbs. pond at family farm

dang 2X post

Mnpat: "Musky 55”
Pike 42”
Lake trout 38”
Smallmouth 23 1/2”
Walleye 29”



"

55" musky? Wow! Please, oh, please, share the pic! I'd love to see that smallmouth pic too.

Here is the musky
My buddy has the picture of the smallmouth. Surprisingly not from Mille lacs.

Mnpat: "Here is the musky
My buddy has the picture of the smallmouth. Surprisingly not from Mille lacs. "

Wow! Green Bay?

Mnpat: "Here is the musky
My buddy has the picture of the smallmouth. Surprisingly not from Mille lacs. "

Thank you. When you released it, you were entitled to say this.

Fun thread.

No monsters here, but I've been adding more quality fish to my trips since switching over to Quetico from the BWCA.

Walleye - 28" on a lake deep in the Q. Ironically, I caught two 22 and 23" fish on this same lake an hour or so earlier, which fought much harder than the big guy.
Smallmouth - 20.75" - couldn't quite break 21"! A buddy caught a legit 22" around North Bay. Couldn't believe how long that fish was. Moderately thick, but really, really long.
Pike - Didn't measure it, but looked to be in the 33-34" range roughly. I had one break me off in North Bay once that was likely slightly larger than this one.
Lake Trout - Not sure I've ever measured a Lake Trout. Some of my better ones were in the 25-27" range. Hard to imagine one over 30"! I've only started catching lakers in the last few years. Such a good fight.

Nothing huge here:

Walleye 27 3/4
Northern: 9 lbs.
SMB: not sure but several in the 5 lb range.
Crappie: 14 "

Hammerhead: 8 ft :)