First 4 Masters of the Year!!

[hanson]

Its pouring rain outside and I got to thinking about how well this year has gone for me "fishing-wise". Its been incredible, that is the amount of rain coming down tonight! Yikes!

1 - Started off the open water season with this Lake Sturgeon up on Lake of the Woods/Rainy River. It was 58" in length & weighed 54 pounds! (Master Angler qualifying Lake Sturgeon is 54", 21lbs 10oz)

2 - Second trophy fish of the year was one of many Channel Cats I caught up on the Red River over Memorial Weekend. This one happened to be a 34" length weighing 21 pounds! (Master Angler qualifying Channel Cat is 30", 11lbs 15 ounces)

3 - Third trophy class fish of the year was this walleye. Yep. I said walleye! I may be a cat guy/bottom feeder fisherman but sometimes I get lucky. This nice 'eye went 28" & weighed 8lbs. (Master Angler qualifying 'eye is 26", 6lbs 5oz)

And last but not least...

4 - My personal best Flathead Catfish from last Friday. This big girl tipped the scales at 48lbs and measured 44" length x 29" girth. (Master Angler qualifying flathead catfish is 33" and 16lbs, 6oz)

Good Lord! What a year! And it isn't even mid-summer yet!

All fish were released to be caught again!

Good luck everyone!

BTW- These were all river fish. No jet-skis, no pleasure boats, no motor yachts. Just peace and quiet on the river. Hmmm...

[Ray Esboldt]

Some people might say you're on a role. Let me know when you're ready to go bass fishing. That should put you to the test.

[DEADhead]

nice job Hanson! You're making the rest of us look inadequate!

Keep up the good work.

[fiskyknut]

Chris, curious as to who's 'masters' are those figures/measurements refering to? They are'nt In-fishermans, and they're the ones I think of when I hear 'masters'. States maybe?

Second question.....Do you pack a Horseshoe or a Rabbits foot? lol!

fiskyknut

[Dan Thiem]

Way to go Bud!

[hanson]

Fisky- Good Question.

I pulled those numbers from the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame Master Angler program.

I don't think its a horseshoe or rabbits foot, just dumb luck I guess.

In-Fisherman Master Angler Awards progam

For Region 1, Pounds are for a kept fish, Length is for a released fish.

1 - Lake Sturgeon: not recognized

2 - Channel Cat: 18lbs, 30" min

3 - Flathead Cat: 40lbs, 40" min

4 - Walleye: 10lbs, 30" min

So I'm 2 for 4 there.

[ocf]

I havent caught a trophy in my whole entire life, tryin and tryin though, i know it will happen someday

[DTro]

no jet skiis????

[Northlander]

Good job Hanson those are some nice fish. I personally would like to see the masters program become a bit harder to qualify for. Many of the fish catigories are way to easy to qualify for. Just a example is a 26" walleye. I would like to see it at about 30". Make it a real trophy.

Nothing against your fish Hans. Those are some nice cats. I had a Masters size Laker (15-20#) on last night but as the rest of my big fish season has gone it came off at the back of the boat. Oh well thats fishin.