David Burruss, owner of Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport, California, just broke the state record crappie when he reeled in 4.33-pound black crappie out of the Northern California’s fishing crown jewel, Clear Lake.
The Lake Country Record-Bee reported that David was bass fishing with a 4-inch soft plastic swimbait when the record-setting crappie swiped his lure.
Clear lake receives an incredible amount of fishing pressure and notoriety for the trophy bass that calls these waters home. There is no doubt that Clear Lake is a tremendous bass fishery, but it’s also filled with gargantuan crappie.

California State Record Fish
Species | Weight | Angler | Waterway |
Bass, Largemouth | 21lbs, 12 ounces | Mike Arujo | Castaic Lake |
Bass, Smallmouth | 9lbs, 13 ounces | Harold Hardin | Pardee Reservoir |
Bass, Spotted | 10lbs, 4 ounces | Brian Shishido | Pine Flat Lake |
Bass, Striped | 67lbs, 8 ounces | Hank Ferguson | O’Neill Forebay |
Bass, White | 5lbs, 5 ounces | Milton Mize | Ferguson Lake |
Bluegill | 3lbs, 14 ounces | Michael Holoubek | Rancho Murieta Reservoir |
Catfish, Blue | 113lbs, 5 ounces | Steve Oudomsouk | San Vicente Reservoir |
Catfish, Bullhead, Brown | 4lbs, 8 ounces | Gary Dittenbir | Trinity Lake |
Catfish, Channel | 53lbs, 8 ounces | Randall Gilgert Jr. | San Joaquin River |
Catfish, Flathead | 72lbs, 14 ounces | Billy Joe Potter | Colorado River |
Catfish, White | 22lbs | James Robinson | Land Park pond |
Crappie, Black | 4lbs, 1 ounce | Wilma Honey | New Hogan Lake |
Minnow, Carp | 52lbs | Lee Bryant | Lake Nacimiento |
Pumpkinseed | 1lb | Dave Smith | Mountain Meadows Reservoir |
Salmon, Chinook | 88lbs | O. Lindberg | Sacramento River |
Salmon, Chinook – Inland | 20lbs, 15 ounces | Sally Nachreiner | Trinity Lake |
Salmon, Coho | 22lbs | Milton Hain | Paper Mill Creek |
Salmon, Coho – Inland | 8lbs, 1 ounce | Hoshua Giordano | Lake Oroville |
Salmon, Kokanee | 5 pounds, 2 ounces | William Brush | Lake Tahoe |
Salmon, Pink | 8lbs, 11 ounces | Mike Daily | Sacramento River |
Sturgeon, White | 468lbs | Joey Pallotta | San Pablo Bay |
Sunfish, Redear | 5lbs, 3 ounces | Anthony White | Folsom South Canal |
Sunfish, Warmouth | 15 ounces | Russell Jacobs | Hensley Lake |
Tilapia | 6lbs | Gary Horton | Palo Verde Lagoon |
Trout, Brook | 9lbs, 12 ounces | Texas Haynes | Silver Lake |
Trout, Brown | 26lbs, 8 ounces | Danny Stearman | Twin Lakes |
Trout, Bull | 9lbs, 11 ounces | James McCloud | Lake McCloud |
Trout, Cutthroat – Wild | 31lbs, 8 ounces | William Pomin | Lake Tahoe |
Trout, Golden | 9lbs, 8 ounces | O. Benefield | Virginia Lake |
Trout, Lake | 37lbs, 6 ounces | Robert Aronsen | Lake Tahoe |
Trout, Rainbow | 27lbs | Frank Palmer | Lake Natoma |
Trout, Steelhead | 27lbs, 4 ounces | Robert Halley | Smith River |
Whitefish, Mountain | 3lbs, 1 ounce | Gregg Harris | Lake Tahoe |