Freshwater Record Fish
If your record is not listed here, please inland fishery contact us. For more information about Connecticut's angler recognition program, please visit our Trophy Fish Award Program webpage.
Harvest Category (Weight) | Catch and Release (Length)
The harvest category recognizes the heaviest fish for each species. The fish must be weighed on a certified scale.
American Eel
- 10 pounds 3 ounces
- 1991 from Shetucket River, Norwich
- Charles J. Lobacz
American Shad
- 9 pounds 4 ounces
- 1981 from Connecticut River, Windsor
- Edward Cypus
Bluegill
- 2 pounds 4 ounces
- 1996 from Private Pond, Madison
- Daniel Gesner
Bowfin at Hartford
- 9 pounds 11 ounces
- 2022 from Connecticut River, Hartford
- Fejzo Akaratovic
Brook Trout
- 9 pounds 3 ounces
- 1998 from Blackwells Brook, Brooklyn
- David Andes
Brown Bullhead
- 5 pounds 7 ounces
- 2025 from Hamburg Cove, Lyme
- Rowan Lytle
Brown Trout at Hartford
- 19 pounds 0 ounces
- 2014 from West Hill Pond, New Hartford
- James M. Lucas II
Brown Trout (Sea-run)
- 10 pounds 8 ounces
- 2006 from Saugatuck River, Westport
- Ronald J. Merly
Anglers may catch trout in tidal portions of rivers but not all may be a "sea-run" fish. To determine if a fish has spent significant time in saltwater, analysis of scales and/or the earbone is necessary.
Calico Bass
- 4 pounds 0 ounces
- 1974 from Pattagansett Lake, East Lyme
- James M. Boos
Chain Pickerel
- 8 pounds 9 ounces
- 2005 from West Twin Lake, Salisbury
- Alden L. Foss
Channel Catfish
- 29 pounds 6 ounces
- 2004 from Mashapaug Lake, Union
- Appleton Barrows
Common Carp
- 58 pounds 0 ounces
- 2025 from Lake Zoar, Monroe
- Norbert Samok
Fallfish simsbury
- 2 pounds 4 ounces
- 2012 from Farmington River, Simsbury
- Chad Tessman
Kokanee
- 2 pounds 14 ounces
- 2011 from East Twin Lake, Salisbury
- Tom Pasko Tom Pasko Kokanee
- 2 pounds 14 ounces
- 2018 from West Hill Pond, Barkhamsted
- Seth Harris Seth Harris Kokanee
Lake Trout Salisbury
- 29 pounds 13 ounces
- 1918 from Wononscopmuc Lake, Salisbury
- Dr. Thompson
Largemouth Bass
- 12 pounds 14 ounces
- 1961 from Mashapaug Lake, Union
- Frank Domurat
Northern Pike
- 29 pounds 0 ounces
- 2020 from West Branch Reservoir, Colebrook-Hartland
- Leslie Slater Leslie Slater Northern Pike
- 29 pounds 0 ounces
- 1980 from Lake Lillinonah, Brookfield
- Joseph Nett Joseph Nett Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
- 1 pounds 3 ounces
- 1973 from Lake Marie, Windham
- Robyn Rogers
Rainbow Trout
- 16 pounds 7 ounces
- 2026 from West Branch Farmington River, Barkhamsted
- Rich Courtright
Rock Bass
- 1 pounds 3 ounces
- 1989 from Colebrook Reservoir, Colebrook
- Ernie Gonsalves Rock Bass
- 1 pounds 3 ounces
- 1980 from Shenipsit Lake, Tolland
- James Bonan
Smallmouth Bass
- 7 pounds 12 ounces
- 1995 from Shenipsit Lake, Tolland
- Joseph Mankauskas, Jr.
Tiger Trout
- 7 pounds 14 ounces
- 2011 from Quassapaug Lake, Woodbury-Middlebury
- Jerry Barth
Walleye voluntown
- 15 pounds 4 ounces
- 2015 from Beach Pond, Voluntown
- Vincent Deledda
White Catfish
- 12 pounds 12 ounces
- 1999 from Connecticut River, Middletown
- John L. Shatas
White Perch Ellington
- 3 pounds 1 ounce
- 2018 from Crystal Lake, Ellington
- Jacob Niemczyk
White Sucker ellington
- 5 pounds 4 ounces
- 2021 from Crystal Lake, Ellington
- Zach Stoltenberg
Yellow Perch
- 2 pounds 13 ounces
- 1973 from Black Pond, Woodstock
- Miller B. Bassett
Catch and Release Category (Length)
The Catch and Release category recognizes the largest fish of each species by length caught in Connecticut and immediately released.
American Eel
- 41 inches
- 2011 from Lake Terramuggus, Marlborough
- Daniel E.S. Kornegay III
Bluegill
- 10.5 inches
- 2026 from Woodridge Lake, West Hartford
- Connor Valentine
- 10.5 inches
- 2026 from Alexander Lake, Killingly
- Dale Chandler
- 10.5 inches
- 2026 from Alexander Lake, Killingly
- George Smith
- 10.5 inches
- 2023 from Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding
- Jude Lundbye
- 10.5 inches
- 2015 from Andover Lake, Andover
- Gregory Doane
- 10.5 inches
- 2018 Private Pond, Killingworth
- Evan Kamoen
Bowfin at Glastonbury
- 29 inches
- 2026 from Keeney Cove, Glastonbury
- Brandon Powers
Brook Trout*
- 21.25 inches
- 2010 from Natchaug River, Chaplin
- Nicholas Burnore
Brown Bullhead
- 17.5 inches
- 2016 from Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding
- Keith Bonenfant
Brown Trout at Redding*
- 30 inches
- 2023 from Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding
- Liam Sikora
Calico Bass
- 19 inches
- 2016 from Candlewood Lake, Danbury
- Evan Kamoen
Chain Pickerel
- 33 inches
- 2013 from West Hill Pond, Barkhamsted
- Mark R. Popolizio
Channel Catfish
- 36 inches
- 2020 from Game Club Pond, Chaplin
- Colby Kerttula
Common Carp
- 44.8 inches
- 2025 from Lake Zoar, Monroe
- Norbert Samok
Fallfish Lake Zoar
- 17.5 inches
- 2025 from Lake Zoar
- Alexander Daignault
Hybrid Sunfish
- 11 inches
- 2023 from Private Pond, Brooklyn
- Ryan Szarkowicz
Kokanee Salmon
- 20 inches
- 2010 from East Twin Lake, Salisbury
- Timothy E. Kilbride
Lake Trout coventry
- 32 inches
- 2023 from Coventry Lake, Coventry
- Christopher Rinaldi
- 32 inches
- 2023 from Crystal Lake, Ellington
- Michael Pio
Largemouth Bass
- 25.25 inches
- 2008 from Lake Pocotopaug, East Hampton
- Daniel E.S. Kornegay III
Northern Pike
- 44.75 inches
- 2009 from Housatonic River, Falls Village
- David L. Jones
Pumpkinseed
- 10 inches
- 2012 from Lake McDonough, Barkhamsted
- Ellie Fiorentino
- 10 inches
- 2014 from Lake McDonough, Barkhamsted
- Joey Takeman
Rainbow Trout*
- 30 inches
- 2010 from Scoville Reservoir, Wolcott
- Michael Thureson
Redbreast Sunfish
- 10.75 inches
- 2022 from Andover Lake, Andover
- Brandon Powers
Rock Bass
- 12.75 inches
- 2008 from Housatonic River, Kent
- Daniel E.S. Kornegay III
Smallmouth Bass
- 24.25 inches
- 2018 from Farmington River, Windsor
- Jacob Long
Tiger Trout*
- 24 inches
- 2026 from Day Pond, Colchester
- Anton Mayer
Walleye southbury
- 30 inches
- 2022 from Lake Zoar, Southbury
- Alexander Daignault
- 30 inches
- 2010 from Lake Pocotopaug, East Hampton
- Daniel E.S. Kornegay III
White Catfish
- 25.5 inches
- 2012 from Salmon River, East Haddam
- Shawn Sims
White Perch Fairfield
- 15.5 inches
- 2024 from Mill River, Fairfield
- Ryan Mozelack
White Sucker sherman
- 22.5 inches
- 2024 from Squantz Pond, Sherman
- Thomas Dorman
Yellow Perch
- 16.25 inches
- 2011 from Lake McDonough, New Hartford
- Ron Barbour
Anglers may catch trout in tidal portions of rivers, but not all may be a "sea-run" fish. To determine if a fish has spent significant time in saltwater, analysis of scales and/or the earbone is necessary. As such, the Fisheries Division will not recognize records for "sea-run" within the catch and release category.
Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions.
Phone: 860-424-3474
E-mail: deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov
Content last updated November 2026