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
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)
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
The cutthroat trout is named for the red color on the underside of the lower jaw.
- Weight: 31 pounds, 8 ounces
- Length: Unavailable
- Location: Lake Tahoe
- Angler: William Pomin
- Date: January 1, 1911
8. Orangemouth Corvina
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 are also known as Mackinaw.
- Weight: 37 pounds, 6 ounces
- Length: Unavailable
- Location: Lake Tahoe
- Angler: Robert Aronsen
- Date: June 21, 1974
6. Carp
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
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 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
The flathead catfish is also known as the shovelhead.
- Weight: 72 pounds, 14 ounces
- Length: 53.5 inches
- Location: Colorado River
- Angler: Billy Joe Potter
- Date: April 22, 2003
2. Chinook Salmon
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
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 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
Bigeye tuna can sometimes be found in deep water since they can see well in low-light conditions.
- Weight: 240 pounds, 0 ounces
- Length: Unavailable
- Location: Butterfly Bank
- Angler: Steve Hutchinson
- Date: August 1, 1987
11. Blue Shark
The blue shark is named for the distinctive blue coloration on its back.
- Weight: 258 pounds, 8 ounces
- Length: Unavailable
- Location: Channel Islands
- Angler: Josh Ware Bollinger
- Date: August 29, 2008
10. Yellowfin Tuna
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
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
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
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
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
Swordfish can be found off the entire U.S. west coast.
- 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
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 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
Blue marlins are known for their acrobatic leaps after they are hooked.
- Weight: 692 pounds, 0 ounces
- Length: Unavailable
- Location: Balboa
- Angler: A. Hamann
- Date: August 18, 1931
1. Shortfin Mako Shark
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.
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