What is the world record king salmon?

97 pounds 4 ounces, caught by Les Anderson on the Kenai River, Alaska, on 17 May 1985. IGFA lists it as the All-Tackle world record for chinook salmon at 44.11 kg, status approved. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game records the same fish and the same weight.

Has anyone beaten the 1985 king salmon record?

No. It has stood for four decades. Alaska Department of Fish and Game still refers to it as the world sport fishing record, and IGFA's database still lists Anderson's fish as the approved All-Tackle record.

Where was the record king salmon caught?

The Kenai River on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, in the lower river. Anderson was a 68-year-old automobile dealer from Soldotna, fishing with Bud Lofstedt during the early-season king run.

Why did he rush the fish to be weighed?

Because a fish begins losing weight as soon as it is out of the water, and record claims are decided on small margins. Anderson and Lofstedt took it straight to town rather than risk it drying out. It is the practical reason any potential record fish should reach certified scales quickly.

When is the best time to fish the Kenai for kings?

Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that significant chinook returns to Southcentral rivers begin around Memorial Day weekend, with runs building through June and peaking in the Kenai River and upper Susitna drainages in early to mid-July. Anderson's fish came earlier than that, on 17 May.

The World Record King Salmon

On 17 May 1985 a 68-year-old car dealer from Soldotna landed a 97 lb 4 oz chinook on the Kenai River. Four decades later it is still the IGFA All-Tackle record. The detail worth keeping is why he rushed it to the scales — a record fish starts losing weight the moment it leaves the water.

Published August 31, 2026

97 pounds 4 ounces. Les Anderson caught it on the Kenai River on 17 May 1985, and four decades later nobody has beaten it.

IGFA lists it as the All-Tackle world record for chinook salmon — 44.11 kg, status approved. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game records the same fish independently, describing the world sport fishing record as "97 pounds 4 ounces, was hauled from the Kenai River in 1985."

The record, from both authorities

	IGFA All-Tackle	Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game
Weight	44.11 kg — 97 lb 4 oz	97 pounds 4 ounces
Water	Kenai River, Alaska, USA	Kenai River
Date	17 May 1985	1985
Angler	Les Anderson	Les Anderson, a 68-year-old Soldotna automobile dealer
Status	Approved	World sport fishing record

IGFA database read 31 August 2026.

Worth noting: secondary coverage of this fish sometimes rounds it to "97 pounds." Both the record authority and the state agency say 97 pounds 4 ounces. On a record, the four ounces are the point.

The part that is actually useful

Anderson and his fishing partner Bud Lofstedt did not photograph the fish and drive home. They rushed it into town to be weighed, specifically because they were afraid it would dry out and lose weight before it reached the scale. By the time they arrived, word had spread and people were already waiting.

That instinct is the single most transferable thing in this story.

A fish starts shedding weight the moment it leaves the water, and record claims are settled on margins so fine that the loss matters. IGFA's own rulebook requires a replacement record under 25 pounds to beat the standing mark by at least two ounces — a threshold that exists precisely because scales and evaporation introduce error. Manabu Kurita's Lake Biwa bass failed to take the largemouth record by roughly one ounce.

So: if you ever land something that might be a record, the clock is running. Certified scales, quickly, with witnesses.

What he was fishing

According to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, Anderson was fishing a Spin-N-Glo and salmon eggs during the early-season king run. He brought the fish alongside the boat three times and could not land it — it was simply too big — and finally beat it by leading it to shore.

He was 68 years old.

The river is still there, and still fishes

This is not a story about a vanished fishery. The Kenai remains one of Alaska's premier salmon rivers, and our Kenai River spot page covers what it actually offers now: king salmon, sockeye in enormous numbers, coho, and trophy rainbow trout in autumn.

On timing, ADF&G is specific. Significant chinook returns to Southcentral rivers begin around Memorial Day weekend, runs build through June, and peak in the Kenai and upper Susitna drainages in early to mid-July.

Anderson's fish came on 17 May — ahead of the main run. Big early fish are a real pattern, not a fluke.

Before you plan a trip around this

King salmon runs are managed year to year, and the Kenai's chinook fishery in particular has been subject to restrictions and closures in recent seasons depending on run strength. Emergency orders can change the rules mid-season.

Check ADF&G's current regulations and any in-season emergency orders for the specific section of river before you travel. A record is a story; the regulations are what you actually have to fish under, and they are set by the agency, not by an article.

Kenai River — the fishery that produced the record
When do salmon spawn in Alaska? — run timing by species
Pacific salmon — identification, range and diet
The world record largemouth bass — where two ounces decided everything

Sources

IGFA World Record database — Salmon, chinook — Les Anderson, 44.11 kg (97 lb 4 oz), Kenai River, Alaska, 17 May 1985, Approved. Read 31 August 2026.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game — The Chinook Tradition — the 97 lb 4 oz Kenai River record, Anderson's description, and Southcentral run timing.
Alaska Sports Hall of Fame — Les Anderson's King Salmon — the 17 May 1985 date, Bud Lofstedt, the Spin-N-Glo and salmon eggs, and the race to the scales.
IGFA International Angling Rules — the two-ounce margin required to replace a record under 25 pounds.

Frequently asked questions

What is the world record king salmon?: 97 pounds 4 ounces, caught by Les Anderson on the Kenai River, Alaska, on 17 May 1985. IGFA lists it as the All-Tackle world record for chinook salmon at 44.11 kg, status approved. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game records the same fish and the same weight.
Has anyone beaten the 1985 king salmon record?: No. It has stood for four decades. Alaska Department of Fish and Game still refers to it as the world sport fishing record, and IGFA's database still lists Anderson's fish as the approved All-Tackle record.
Where was the record king salmon caught?: The Kenai River on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, in the lower river. Anderson was a 68-year-old automobile dealer from Soldotna, fishing with Bud Lofstedt during the early-season king run.
What did he catch it on?: A Spin-N-Glo and salmon eggs, according to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. He brought the fish alongside the boat three times without being able to land it, and finally subdued it by leading it to shore.
Why did he rush the fish to be weighed?: Because a fish begins losing weight as soon as it is out of the water, and record claims are decided on small margins. Anderson and Lofstedt took it straight to town rather than risk it drying out. It is the practical reason any potential record fish should reach certified scales quickly.
When is the best time to fish the Kenai for kings?: Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that significant chinook returns to Southcentral rivers begin around Memorial Day weekend, with runs building through June and peaking in the Kenai River and upper Susitna drainages in early to mid-July. Anderson's fish came earlier than that, on 17 May.