ReelTourney

California State Record Fish

As published by wildlife.ca.gov, checked Sep 29, 2026. 109 records. California fishing tournaments

California state fish: Golden trout (freshwater), Garibaldi (saltwater). Records kept by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (agency website ↗).

Freshwater Records

SpeciesRecordYearWaterCountySource
American Shad 7 lb 5 oz#8 of 22 states 1985 West Branch Feather River Butte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Arctic Grayling 1 lb 12 oz#4 of 7 states 1974 Lobdell Lake Mono wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Black Crappie 4 lb 5 oz#14 of 34 states 2021 Clear Lake Lake wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Blue Catfish 113 lb 5 oz#12 of 25 states 2008 San Vicente Reservoir San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Bluegill 3 lb 14 oz#4 of 40 states 2008 Rancho Murieta Reservoir Sacramento wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Brook Trout 9 lb 12 oz#3 of 33 states 1932 Silver Lake Mono wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Brown Bullhead 4 lb 8 oz#15 of 30 states 1993 Trinity Lake Trinity wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Brown Trout 26 lb 8 oz#13 of 36 states 1987 Twin Lakes Mono wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Bull Trout 9 lb 11 oz 1968 Lake McCloud Shasta wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Carp 52 lbs#18 of 36 states 1968 Lake Nacimiento San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Channel Catfish 53 lb 8 oz#2 of 40 states 2008 San Joaquin River Stanislaus wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Chinook Salmon (inland) 20 lb 15 oz 2013 Trinity Lake Trinity wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Chinook Salmon (river) 88 lbs#2 of 16 states as Chinook Salmon 1979 Sacramento River Shasta wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Coho Salmon 22 lbs#6 of 16 states 1959 Paper Mill Creek Marin wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Coho Salmon (inland) 8 lb 15 oz 2015 Oroville Diversion Pool Butte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Cutthroat Trout 31 lb 8 oz#1 of 14 states 1911 Lake Tahoe Placer wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Flathead Catfish 72 lb 14 oz#21 of 31 states 2003 Colorado River Riverside wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Golden Trout 9 lb 8 oz#4 of 8 states 1952 Virginia Lake Fresno wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Hybrid Sunfish 1 lb 4 oz#10 of 11 states 2015 Rancho Seco Lake Sacramento wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Kokanee Salmon 5 lb 2 oz#6 of 12 states as Kokanee 2013 Lake Tahoe Placer wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Lake Trout 37 lb 6 oz#14 of 25 states 1974 Lake Tahoe Placer wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Largemouth Bass 21 lb 12 oz#2 of 43 states 1991 Castaic Lake Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Mountain Whitefish 3 lb 1 oz#5 of 5 states 2004 Lake Tahoe Placer wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Orangemouth Corvina 37 lbs 1988 Salton Sea Imperial wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Pink Salmon 8 lb 11 oz#2 of 8 states 2001 Sacramento River Shasta wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Pumpkinseed 1 lb#15 of 22 states 1998 Mountain Meadows Reservoir Lassen wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Rainbow Trout 27 lbs 2005 Lake Natoma Sacramento wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Rainbow Trout (domestic) 28 lb 5 oz#6 of 39 states as Rainbow Trout 2006 Private Lake Butte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Redear Sunfish 5 lb 13 oz#1 of 25 states 2014 Lake Havasu San Bernardino wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Sacramento Perch 3 lb 10 oz#2 of 5 states 1979 Crowley Lake Mono wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Sacramento Pikeminnow 13 lb 13 oz 2014 Pardee Reservoir Amador wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Sargo (inland) 4 lb 1 oz 1972 Salton Sea Imperial wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Smallmouth Bass 9 lb 13 oz#6 of 40 states 2007 Pardee Reservoir Amador wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Spotted Bass 11 lb 5 oz#1 of 22 states 2022 New Bullards Bar Reservoir Yuba wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Steelhead 27 lb 4 oz 1976 Smith River Del Norte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Striped Bass 67 lb 8 oz#6 of 35 states 1992 O'Neill Forebay Merced wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Tilapia 6 lbs 2007 Palo Verde Lagoon Imperial wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Warmouth 15 oz#19 of 20 states 2004 Hensley Lake Madera wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
White Bass 5 lb 5 oz#10 of 31 states 1972 Ferguson Lake Riverside wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
White Catfish 22 lbs#1 of 18 states 1994 Land Park Pond Sacramento wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
White Crappie 4 lb 8 oz#9 of 28 states 1971 Clear Lake Lake wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
White Sturgeon 468 lbs 1983 San Pablo Bay Contra Costa wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026

Saltwater Records

SpeciesRecordYearWaterCountySource
Albacore Tuna 90 lbs#1 of 9 states 1997 Santa Cruz Santa Cruz wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Barred Sand Bass 13 lb 3 oz 1988 Huntington Flats Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Barred Surfperch 4 lb 2 oz — Morro Bay / Oxnard (tie) — wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Bat Ray 181 lbs 1978 Huntington Beach Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Bigeye Tuna 240 lbs#7 of 12 states 1987 Butterfly Bank San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Black Perch 2 lb 9 oz 2011 Pacific Grove Monterey wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Black Rockfish 9 lb 2 oz 1988 S.F. Light Station San Francisco wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Blue Marlin 692 lbs#13 of 15 states 1931 Balboa Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Blue Rockfish 3 lb 14 oz 1993 San Carpoforo Creek San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Blue Shark 258 lb 8 oz#9 of 9 states 2008 Channel Islands Santa Barbara wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Bluefin Tuna 395 lb 6 oz#16 of 16 states 2021 Tanner Bank Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Bocaccio Rockfish 17 lb 8 oz 1987 Point St. Georges Reef Del Norte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Bronzespotted Rockfish 14 lb 8 oz 1997 Cherry Bank Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Brown Rockfish 7 lbs., 6 oz. 2023 Sister's Rock Del Norte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 29, 2026
Cabezon 23 lb 4 oz 1958 Los Angeles Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Calico Surfperch 2 lb 4 oz 2023 Santa Cruz Santa Cruz wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
California Barracuda 15 lb 15 oz 1957 San Onofre San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
California Corbina 7 lb 1 oz 2005 Newport Harbor Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
California Halibut 67 lb 4 oz 2011 Santa Rosa Island Santa Barbara wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
California Scorpionfish 3 lb 10 oz 2024 San Diego San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
California Sheephead 30 lb 8 oz 2009 Newport Beach Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Canary Rockfish 10 lbs., 4 oz. 2025 Albion Mendocino wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 29, 2026
China Rockfish 4 lb 1 oz 2021 Point Saint George Del Norte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Chinook Salmon (ocean) 65 lb 4 oz 2002 Crescent City Del Norte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Copper Rockfish 8 lb 5 oz 1985 Pigeon Point Monterey wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Cowcod Rockfish 21 lb 14 oz 1998 Hidden Reef Ventura wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Dolphinfish (Mahi Mahi) 66 lbs 1990 209 Spot Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Fantail Sole 8 lb 8 oz 2001 San Clemente Island Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Giant Sea Bass 563 lb 8 oz 1968 Anacapa Island Ventura wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Grass Rockfish 6 lb 7 oz 2012 Bean Hollow State Beach San Mateo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Greenspotted Rockfish 3 lbs., 5 oz. 2024 9 Mile Bank San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 29, 2026
Jack Mackerel 5 lb 8 oz 1988 Huntington Beach Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Jacksmelt 1 lb 8 oz 1998 San Nicholas Island Ventura wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Kelp Bass 14 lb 7 oz 1958 San Clemente Island Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Kelp Greenling 3 lb 4 oz 2014 Carmel Monterey wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Leopard Shark 47 lb 1 oz 2007 Palos Verdes Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Lingcod 56 lbs 1992 Crescent City Del Norte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Monkeyface Prickleback 7 lb 8 oz 2019 Pescadero San Mateo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Ocean Whitefish 13 lb 12 oz — Cortez Bank / San Nicholas (tie) — wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Olive Rockfish 7 lb 4 oz 2014 Morro Bay San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Opah 163 lbs 1998 Port San Luis San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Opaleye 6 lb 4 oz 1956 Los Flores Creek — wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Pacific Bonito 21 lb 5 oz 2003 181 Spot San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Pacific Mackerel 2 lb 8 oz — Horseshoe Kelp / Mission Beach (tie) — wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Pile Perch 2 lb 14 oz 2025 Monterey Monterey wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Redtail Surfperch 3 lb 7 oz 2012 Kellogg Beach Del Norte wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Rubberlip Seaperch 5 lbs 2009 Monterey Bay Monterey wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Sargo 5 lb 15 oz 2023 Belmont Pier Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Sevengill Shark 276 lbs 1996 Humboldt Bay Humboldt wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Shortfin Mako Shark 1,098 lb 12 oz#3 of 17 states 2010 Anacapa Island Ventura wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Skipjack Tuna 26 lbs#8 of 9 states 1970 San Diego San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Soupfin Shark 38 lb 4 oz 2017 Torrey Pines San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Spotfin Croaker 14 lbs 1951 Playa del Rey Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Spotted Sand Bass 6 lb 12 oz 1994 Newport Bay Orange wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Starry Flounder 11 lb 4 oz 1993 San Simeon San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Striped Marlin 339 lbs 1985 Catalina Island Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Striped Seaperch 2 lbs., 14 oz. 2025 Trinidad Humboldt wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 29, 2026
Swordfish 663 lb 12 oz#1 of 15 states 2024 Nine Mile Bank San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Thresher Shark 575 lbs#6 of 12 states 2007 Carlsbad Canyon San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Treefish Rockfish 4 lb 3 oz 2003 Malibu Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Vermilion Rockfish 14 lb 9 oz 1996 Morro Bay San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
White Seabass 79 lbs., 0 oz. 2011 Pajaro River Mouth Santa Cruz wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 29, 2026
Yelloweye Rockfish 18 lb 3 oz 1994 Piedras Blancas San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Yellowfin Croaker 3 lb 14 oz 2000 Santa Monica Beach Los Angeles wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Yellowfin Tuna 265 lbs#2 of 13 states 2017 Oceanside San Diego wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Yellowtail 63 lb 1 oz 2000 Santa Barbara Island Santa Barbara wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026
Yellowtail Rockfish 6 lbs., 8 oz. 2020 Morro Bay San Luis Obispo wildlife.ca.gov ↗Checked Sep 29, 2026

Weights and lengths are shown as each list gives them, with units spelled out. Record holders' names are on the linked lists. Where one list shows the same fish under two names, it appears once with both names. Waters that have a page in this directory are linked. A rank such as "#3 of 46 states" places a record among the states' records for that species by weight; it is shown only where the record matches the national ranking exactly.

Compare With Other States