The Largest Walleye Ever Caught in Oregon

Oregon is no stranger to supersized fish. With the Columbia River running along the northernmost border of this state, as well as the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon offers a variety of different habitats to catch fish of all sizes. However, with so many record-breaking fish caught in the state, you may wonder about the largest walleye ever caught in Oregon.

To learn more about the biggest walleye catch in Oregon and this interesting species of fish as a whole, continue reading below!

Largest Walleye Ever Caught in Oregon

The Columbia River is one of the most common rivers in the Pacific Northwest to catch large fish in. In 2020, this river produced another state-record-breaking walleye catch—only this catch happened on the Washington side of the river, not the Oregon side.

In order to learn about the largest walleye ever caught in Oregon, you’ll have to look further into the past, several decades before Washington’s current record-holder. The largest walleye ever caught in Oregon was caught in 1990. This supersized fish weighed 19 pounds, 15 ounces, a record that has not been broken in decades. The angler behind this terrific catch was Arnold Berg.

Believe it or not, Berg’s 1990 walleye isn’t the oldest record for a large fish in Oregon. In fact, the oldest record for the largest fish, a Chinook salmon, dates back to 1910!

Species Profile: Walleye

The walleye (Sander vitreus) is also known as the yellow pike or the yellow pikeperch. It is a freshwater fish native to the northern region of North America. This includes the northern United States and Canada. Sometimes, especially in Canada, this fish may be known as the pickerel, especially the yellow pickerel. However, it is not a member of the pickerel family, nor is it closely related to any species of true pickerel.

Walleyes are known to grow up to around 31 inches in length. They can weigh as much as 20 pounds. However, the largest walleye ever recorded measured 42 inches in length, weighing 29 pounds.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Harlan Schwartz/Shutterstock.com