The 5 Biggest Fish in Minnesota (including one that is 100 pounds!)

As the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Minnesota is known for its epic fishing. People go “Up North” to spend a week at the cabin for some relaxation and fishing. Some of the best fishing is carried out in Lake Superior, Lake Mille Lac, and along the Mississippi River. Fishing and camping in the Boundary Waters is also a popular (secluded) getaway.

What are the most common fish that anglers are after? What are some of the biggest? Let’s look at the 5 biggest fish in Minnesota.

5. Northern Pike

Northern pikes are long, skinny fish with a mouth full of sharp teeth. The average size of a northern pike is 16-22 inches long, but they can get much larger. These fish have upturned mouths that make them look mad all the time, which goes along with their aggressive personalities. They wait in the long grass near the lake bottoms for their prey and then attack with their sharp teeth, killing smaller fish, frogs, and even small waterfowl. If you get one on your line, you are in for a fight, which makes these a popular game fish.

Biggest Northern Pike caught in Minnesota

The record for the biggest northern pike in Minnesota was just recently broken on June 15, 2021, by Brecken Kobylecky. You can call it beginners luck (Brecken is only 15 years old) or the help of the fishing guide that helped locate the best fishing spot on Basswood lake, at least for that day. Basswood Lake is near Ely, MN which is in northern Minnesota about 20 miles south of the Canadian border. The record-breaking fish was 46 ¼ inches long, which is nearly 4 feet!

4. Common Carp

The common carp is a heavy-bodied fish with most around 12-24 inches long and weighing around 10 pounds. However larger ones have been documented with some getting to be 42 inches long and weighing 55 pounds! Carp are an invasive species and have spread to 48 states in the US. They cause a problem because they wreck the bottom of shallow lakes and ponds by uprooting the plants, which causes the water to get all muddy. Wrecking the plants also means there are fewer plants for other fish and waterfowl to eat.

Biggest Carp caught in Minnesota

The largest carp ever caught in Minnesota was a 47 ½-inch, 61.7-pound carp near Redwood Falls. Minnesota’s DNR official records only keep track of hook and line fish, but they examined this fish and determined it was the largest carp ever recorded. If you catch an invasive carp, you should report it to the DNR so they can track the locations and movements of these fish.

3. Muskie

Muskies, or their formal name “muskellunge,” are similar to pikes. Muskies are bigger than pikes and average 24-48 inches in length. These fish share the same shape as pikes but are lighter in color with dark spots. Their tail fin has pointed ends vs the rounded ends of pikes’.

Biggest Muskie ever caught in Minnesota

 It’s a tie! There are two state record holders for the largest muskie. Todd Kirby from Hudson, Wisconsin, caught a 57 ½ inches muskie on July 23, 2021, to tie the state record. The former record was held (and still is) by Corey Kitzmann of Davenport, Iowa. His 57 ¼ inch muskie was caught on Lake Vermilion on August 6, 2019. Ironically, Kirby caught his fish on the same lake!

2. Flathead Catfish

Flathead catfish are among the largest catfish in the US. The smaller channel catfish are also a popular fishing favorite. Flatheads range in size from 24-52 inches long and weigh up to 65 pounds, but some get quite a bit larger. They get their name from the cat-like whiskers on the side of their faces. Be sure you know what you are doing when you try to handle one of these fish because they have dangerous spines on their underside.

Biggest Flathead Catfish on record in Minnesota

The largest flathead ever caught in Minnesota was nearly five years ago, on August 2, 2017, by Mark Mosby. Fishing along the St. Croix River near Stillwater, MN, Mark caught a 52 ½-inch flathead catfish that weighed around 70-80 pounds. This one wasn’t going to end up in a Southern Fried Catfish Recipe (or should we say Northern Fried?) because it was a catch and release. Maybe by now, five years later, that fish is still out there, waiting for you to break the record!

1. Lake Sturgeon

Lake sturgeons are the largest freshwater fish in North America, and there are plenty in Minnesota. The Minnesota DNR recommends two of the best spots for lake sturgeons as the Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River. They report that the Rainy River has more than 100,000 lake sturgeons that are 40 inches or bigger. Lake sturgeons are sometimes called fossil fish because they have not changed much over time. They also have long life spans, with some reaching 150 years old. They have unique cartilage-like skeletons and scutes along their back that look like armored plates. Some can get to be more than 100 pounds! Sounds intimidating, but they are not dangerous because they do not have any teeth!

Biggest Lake Sturgeon (and longest fish) ever caught in Minnesota

For all those Ice Fishing fans, this story will keep you inspired! Caught by Darren Troseth on February 9, 2019, on the St. Croix River, the monster fish was 78 inches long and weighed 128 pounds! That is 6 ½ feet long and the weight of a large Rottweiler. If you think getting a hundred-pound fish is hard to reel into your boat, try pulling it up through one of your ice fishing holes, a chilly task. A bigger hole had to be drilled to get the biggest lake sturgeon out! The best part is that it’s all caught on video, and it is an amazing sight and a big one that didn’t get away!

Summary of the 5 Biggest Fish in Minnesota

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/FedBul