28 Largest Fish Ever Caught in California

Special Report

striped marlin — Jackiemora01 / Wikimedia Commons

Published: January 13, 2024 11:05 am

California is the third largest state in the U.S. in terms of total area, trailing only Alaska and Texas. The Golden State spans 163,695 square miles. Close to five percent of the state’s area is covered by water, and much of that water teems with fish. There are over 3,000 named lakes and reservoirs in California. The state also boasts 84 major rivers, along with countless creeks and streams. California’s 840-mile coastline provides easy access to the Pacific Ocean. It’s no wonder that California is one of the top-rated states for fishing in the nation. Here’s a look at the largest freshwater and saltwater fish ever caught in California. (Four of the largest freshwater catches are catfish. Here are the eight largest catfish ever caught in the U.S.)

Official State and World Record Keepers

24/7 Wall St. compiled this list through information provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). As the official holder of all California state fishing records, CDFW was the sole source of information for all of the record-setting fish listed below. World records were verified by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the official keeper of world fishing records.

The following list contains every official California freshwater fishing record over 20 pounds and every saltwater record over 200 pounds.

Freshwater

North Fork of the Smith River near Hiouchi, California by PGHolbrook — The Smith River flows from the Klamath Mountains to the Pacific in northwestern California,

California is blessed with countless freshwater fishing locations. Here are the biggest freshwater fish ever caught in the Golden State.

16. Chinook Salmon (inland)

Close-Up of a Chinook Salmon During Spawning — Salmon are anadromous, meaning they can live in freshwater and saltwater.

Weight: 20 pounds, 15 ounces
Length: 35.25 inches
Location: Trinity Lake
Angler: Sally Nachreiner
Date: July 16, 2013

15. Largemouth Bass

Big Bass Largemouth - Fishing — The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater sport fish in North America.

Weight: 21 pounds, 12 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Castaic Lake
Angler: Michael Arujo
Date: March 5, 1991

13. (tie) Coho Salmon

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) — Male coho salmon develop a sharply hooked snout during spawning.

Weight: 22 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: 38.5 inches
Location: Paper Mill Creek
Angler: Milton Hain
Date: January 3, 1959

13. (tie) White Catfish

White Catfish or White Bullhead (Ameiurus catus) by Smithsonian Environmental Research Center — The white catfish is also known as the white bullhead.

Weight: 22 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Land Park pond
Angler: James Robinson
Date: March 21, 1994

This white catfish is larger than the official world record which, incidentally, was also caught in California. According to IGFA, the world record white catfish weighed 19 pounds, 5 ounces, and was caught in 2005. However, the California record outweighs the world record by more than two and a half pounds.

Sometimes IGFA disqualifies a fish due to a violation of its stringent rules. Other times, anglers simply choose not to navigate the organization’s lengthy process to verify a record.

12. Brown Trout

Brown trout jumping — Brown trout are native to Europe, West Asia, and parts of North Africa. They were introduced to the U.S. in the 1860s.

Weight: 26 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Twin Lakes
Angler: Danny Stearman
Date: April 30, 1987

11. Steelhead Rainbow Trout

Steelhead trout by Fungus Guy — Steelheads are simply rainbow trout that spend their adult lives in saltwater.

Weight: 27 pounds, 4 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Smith River
Angler: Robert Halley
Date: December 22, 1976

10. Rainbow Trout

Area trout fishing. Caught rainbow trout fish in water on hook — The rainbow trout’s body is heavily speckled and there is a pink/red stripe along its sides.

Weight: 28 pounds, 5 ounces
Length: 33.5 inches
Location: Private Lake
Angler: James Harrold
Date: January 3, 2006

9. Cutthroat Trout

Weight: 31 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Lake Tahoe
Angler: William Pomin
Date: January 1, 1911

8. Orangemouth Corvina

Salton Sea in southern California — The California state record orangemouth corvina was caught in the Salton Sea. It is a saline lake, but fishing records from the Salton Sea are officially recorded as freshwater records.

Weight: 37 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Salton Sea
Angler: Dick Van Dam
Date: July 15, 1988

7. Lake Trout

Lake trout caught and released while fly fishing on a summer afternoon in Alberta — Lake trout are also known as Mackinaw.

Weight: 37 pounds, 6 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Lake Tahoe
Angler: Robert Aronsen
Date: June 21, 1974

6. Carp

Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) by Dezidor — Carp are among the most widespread invasive fish in the U.S.

Weight: 52 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Lake Nacimiento
Angler: Bryant Lee
Date: April 1, 1968

5. Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) — The channel catfish is the most widespread catfish species in North America.

Weight: 53 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: 46.5 inches
Location: San Joaquin River
Angler: Randall Gilgert Jr.
Date: September 22, 2008

4. Striped Bass

Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) by Lake Mead NRA Public Affairs — Striped bass can thrive in saltwater and freshwater environments.

Weight: 67 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: O’Neill Forebay
Angler: Hank Ferguson
Date: May 7, 1992

3. Flathead Catfish

Weight: 72 pounds, 14 ounces
Length: 53.5 inches
Location: Colorado River
Angler: Billy Joe Potter
Date: April 22, 2003

2. Chinook Salmon

King Salmon fishing in the pristine wilderness of the Yukon in Canada — Chinook salmon are also known as king salmon because of their prodigious size.

Weight: 88 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Sacramento River
Angler: O. Lindberg
Date: November 21, 1979

1. Blue Catfish

Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) by Thomsonmg2000 — The blue catfish is the largest catfish species in North America.

Weight: 113 pounds, 5 ounces
Length: 39 inches
Location: San Vicente Reservoir
Angler: Steve Oudomsouk
Date: July 24, 2008

A blue catfish caught in 2008 is the largest catch of a freshwater fish ever recorded in California. This behemoth weighed over 113 pounds!

Blue catfish are the largest of the “Big Three” catfish species in the U.S. The other two members of this group are the channel catfish and the flathead catfish. Blue catfish are sometimes mistaken for channel catfish, but blues grow far larger than channel cats. The world record channel catfish weighed 58 pounds, while the world record blue catfish tipped the scales at 143 pounds!

Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Rio Grande river basins, but they have been introduced in nearly 20 additional states (including California) for sport fishing.

These catfish are not picky eaters. Blue catfish are opportunistic feeders that prey on freshwater mussels, clams, crawfish, crabs, insects, worms, frogs, and fish.

Saltwater

Carlsbad coast — Carlsbad residents have a lovely view of the Pacific.

California offers anglers easy access to the Pacific. Here are the 12 largest saltwater fish ever recorded in the Golden State.

12. Bigeye Tuna

Weight: 240 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Butterfly Bank
Angler: Steve Hutchinson
Date: August 1, 1987

11. Blue Shark

Weight: 258 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Channel Islands
Angler: Josh Ware Bollinger
Date: August 29, 2008

10. Yellowfin Tuna

Fisherman holding yellowfin tuna by Finleybailis — Yellowfin tuna are found all around the world in tropical and subtropical waters.

Weight: 265 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Oceanside
Angler: Bo Scanlon
Date: September 26, 2017

9. Sevengill Shark

broadnose seven gill shark. by Aaron Scheiner — The sevengill shark is named for its seven gill slits. Most sharks only have five.

Weight: 275 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Humboldt Bay
Angler: Cliff Brewer
Date: October 17, 1996

Here is another discrepancy between official record holders. California lists the state’s largest-ever catch of a sevengill shark at 275 pounds. However, IGFA documents the world-record sevengill shark, which was also caught in California, at 342 pounds. Again, there are any number of reasons why one organization may accept a record while it is rejected by another.

8. Striped Marlin

striped marlin by Jackiemora01 — The striped marlin has distinctive blue stripes.

Weight: 339 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Catalina Island
Angler: Gary Jasper
Date: July 4, 1985

7. Bluefin Tuna

Pacific bluefin tuna by OpenCage — The Pacific blue tuna has the largest geographic range of all tunas.

Weight: 395 pounds, 6 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Tanner Bank
Angler: Floyd Sparks
Date: September 11, 2021

6. White Sturgeon

4803 white sturgeon swart odfw (4455050144) by Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife — The white sturgeon is anadromous, but it is listed as a saltwater record in California.

Weight: 468 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: San Pablo Bay
Angler: Joey Pallotta
Date: July 9, 1983

This white sturgeon caught in 1983 is also the current world record. (And yes, in this instance, CDFW and IGFA finally agree!)

5. Swordfish

Weight: 520 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: 135.5 inches
Location: Nine Mile Bank
Angler: Mason S. Karafa
Date: October 27, 2023

4. Giant Sea Bass

giant sea bass by Donald Davesne — Despite its common name, the giant sea bass isn’t a bass. It is a wreckfish.

Weight: 563 pounds, 8 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Anacapa Island
Angler: James D. McAdams Jr.
Date: August 20, 1968

This giant sea bass caught in 1968 is also the current world record. The giant sea bass is a critically endangered species and there are fishing prohibitions in place, so this record will stand for the foreseeable future.

3. Thresher Shark

Thresher sharks are carnivorous and primarily feed on small fish and squid. They use their tails to herd their prey and then strike them with their jaws. — Thresher sharks often use their long tails to herd or stun their prey.

Weight: 575 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Carlsbad Canyon
Angler: Daniel D. Lara
Date: May 26, 2007

2. Blue Marlin

Weight: 692 pounds, 0 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Balboa
Angler: A. Hamann
Date: August 18, 1931

1. Shortfin Mako Shark

Short fin mako shark swimming just under the surface, offshore, about 50 kilometres past Western Cape in South Africa. This picture was taken during a blue water baited shark dive. — The shortfin mako is also known as the blue pointer and the bonito shark.

Weight: 1,098 pounds, 12 ounces
Length: Unavailable
Location: Anacapa Island
Angler: Sean Gizatullin
Date: July 24, 2010

The shortfin mako shark is a large and highly migratory shark that is found in all temperate and tropical oceans. However, the numbers of this shark have plummeted due to overfishing. The shark is highly valued for its fins and meat. The shortfin mako shark is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

With a top speed of 45 mph, the shortfin mako is the world’s fastest shark. The mako shark also has an extraordinarily powerful bite. In 2020, scientists in New Zealand measured the bite force of a mako shark at 3,000 pounds of pressure (13,000 newtons). It was the most powerful bite force ever measured in any shark species. It also ranked as the second most powerful bite force of any animal on the planet. The saltwater crocodile has a bite force of 3,822 pounds of pressure (17,000 newtons).

With its blazing speed and super powerful bite, the mako shark is a highly efficient predator. Its prey includes squid, octopus, mackerel, bonito, tuna, porpoises, sea turtles, sea birds, and other sharks.