"State Record Fish"

[Shack]

I see the DNR gives a good run down in this years regs on what to do if you catch a state record. I wonder if they where lurking in this forum last summer???? The new regs are out and I am seeing a lot fo new stuff. I would take a look on-line. I can not recall this much info about a state record in past years booklets.

Page 73

State Record Fish

If you catch a fish that you think could be a record, follow these steps:

• Weigh the fish on a state-certified scale (found at most bait shops and butcher shops), witnessed

by two observers.

• Take the fish to a DNR fisheries office for positive identification

and a state record fish application.

• Complete the application

and send it along with a clear, full-length photo of your fish to the address listed on the form.

The following is a complete list of Minnesota’s state record fish and where they were caught. Weights given are in pounds and ounces (

example: 55–5 is 55 pounds, 5 ounces). Counties are in parentheses.

Bass, Largemouth: 8–15, Auburn Lake (Carver). Bass, Rock: 2–0, Osakis Lake (Todd); and 2–0, Lake Winnibigoshish (Cass). Bass, Smallmouth: 8–0, West Battle Lake (Otter Tail). Bass, White: 4-2.4, Mississippi River Pool 5 (Wabasha). Bluegill: 2–13, Alice Lake (Hubbard). Bowfin: 10–15, Mary Lake (Douglas); and 10–15, French Lake (Rice). Buffalo, Bigmouth: 41–11, Mississippi River (Goodhue). Buffalo, Black: 20–0, Minnesota River (Nicollet). Buffalo, Smallmouth: 20-0, Big Sandy (Aitkin). Bullhead, Black: 3–13, Reno Lake (Pope). Bullhead, Brown: 7–1, Shallow Lake (Itasca). Bullhead, Yellow: 3–10, Osakis Lake (Todd). Burbot: 19–3, Lake of the Woods (Lake of the Woods). Carp: 55–5, Clearwater Lake (Wright). Carpsucker, River: 3–15, Mississippi River (Ramsey). Catfish, Channel: 38–0, Mississippi River (Hennepin). Catfish, Flathead: 70–0, St. Croix River (Washington). Crappie, Black: 5–0, Vermilion River (Dakota). Crappie, White: 3–15, Lake Constance (Wright). Drum, Freshwater: 35–3, Mississippi River (Winona). Eel, American: 6–9, St. Croix River (Washington). Gar, Longnose: 16–12, St. Croix River (Washington). Shortnose: 4–10, Mississippi River (Hennepin). Goldeye: 2–13, Root River (Houston). Hogsucker, Northern: 1–15, Sunrise River (Chisago). Mooneye: 1–15, Minnesota River (Redwood). Muskellunge: 54–0, Lake Winnibigoshish (Itasca). Muskellunge, Tiger: 34–12, Lake Elmo (Washington). Perch, Yellow: 3–4, Lake Plantaganette (Hubbard). Pike, Northern: 45–12, Basswood Lake (Lake). Pumpkinseed: 1–6, Leech Lake (Cass). Quillback: 6–14, Mississippi River (Ramsey). newRedhorse, Golden: 3-15.5, Root River (Fillmore). Redhorse, Greater: 12–11, Sauk River (Stearns). Redhorse, River: 12-10, Kettle River (Pine). Redhorse, Shorthead: 7-15, Rum River (Anoka). Redhorse, Silver: 9-15, Bigfork River (Koochiching). Salmon, Atlantic: 12–13, Baptism River (Lake). Salmon, Chinook: 33–4, Poplar River (Cook); and 33–4, Lake Superior (St. Louis). Salmon, Coho: 10–7, Lake Superior (Lake). Salmon, Kokanee: 2–15, Caribou Lake (Itasca). Salmon, Pink: 4–8, Cascade River (Cook). Sauger: 6–3, Mississippi River (Goodhue). Splake: 13–6, Larson Lake (Itasca). Sturgeon, Lake: 94–4, Kettle River (Pine). Sturgeon Shovelnose: 5-9,new Mississippi River (Goodhue). Sucker, Blue: 14–3, Mississippi River (Wabasha). Sucker, Longnose: 3–11, Brule River (Cook). Sucker, White: 9–1, Big Fish Lake (Stearns). Sunfish, Green: 1–5, North Arbor Lake (Hennepin). Sunfish, Hybrid: 1–12, Zumbro River (Olmsted). Trout, Brook: 6–5, Pigeon River (Cook). Trout, Brown: 16–12, Lake Superior (St. Louis). Trout, Lake: 43–8, Lake Superior (Cook). Trout, Rainbow (Steelhead): 16-6, Devil Track

River (Cook). Trout, Tiger: 2–9, Mill Creek (Olmsted). Tullibee (Cisco): 5–12, Little Long (St. Louis). Walleye: 17–8, Seagull River (Cook). Walleye-Sauger Hybrid: 9–13, Mississippi River (Goodhue). newWarmouth: 0-6.2, Airport Lake (Winona). Whitefish, Lake: 12–5, Leech Lake (Cass). Whitefish, Menominee: 2–8, Lake Superior (Cook).

State Record Fish

[Lowblazah]

did you just retype all that?

[Shack]

Um ya!

No, copy and paste.

[crazyice]

I still think that is stinks that they expect you to kill a state record fish though if you want to be recognized. I wish that they would allow you to transport them alive, although I realize that this would be a hard task with a 70+ lb flathead.

[DTro]

This topic comes up quite a bit, and I honestly can't say what I would do if I caught a record Flatty.

If the time ever comes, I'll cross that bridge then.

[DARK30]

I can tell ya right now what I would do. "click n sploosh"...well I might have to give er a little lick too. I don't think you'd be missing out a new lund or anything by letting it go after a few detailed measurements and photos/video.

[Shack]

I agree with Dark30.

If it ever happened to me, I would not kill the fish. Pictures and video, then let it go.

Who knows though.

I figured this would stur up some thoughts and postive stuff for you guys. We got a couple more weeks and KOTC starts. If I am not up on ML this weekend, I will be down at my channel spot with the pound of frozen sucker from last year and a couple dozen crawlers.

Is Dark30 in this year?

[hanson]

The muskie dudes are leading by example IMO. Year after year, you hear about the "almost" state record. Whether its the Vermilion fish or the couple Mille Lacs fish now. Photo, measurements, release...

It takes something special inside to let a big girl go like that.

Once your name is in the record books, you'll always be known as the guy who killed the biggest hook & line caught flathead in the state.

Editorial Comment... This is strictly my opinion. The law allows you to harvest this fish, its just not my choice.

[crazyice]

I would definately have a hard time deciding what to do if I ever caught one.

[new_kid]

I would not think you would have to kill the fish as we have a cat fishing tournament around home here and we bring them in live and the dnr weighs the fish puts them in a tank for people to see and then release them we have gone so far as to fill a large old chest freezer with water to keep the fish alive for a 15 mile drive to the weigh in spot. It worked well but the biggest i have done that with was 52 lbs.

[hanson]

Those "contests" are permitted to allow off site weigh-ins.

However outside the contest parameters, its illegal to transport a live game fish anywhere. Heck... its getting pretty darn tricky to transport bait anywhere nowadays as well.

[crazyice]

I wonder what the consequences (sp) are for transporting a fish alive? If it isn't too steep I would probably just cough up a fine and try to keep it alive if I caught it. Get it weighed, verified and all that needs to be done, then go release it back in the waters I caught it from. I don't know, just thinking outloud I guess. I am sure it will never happen to me anyway.

Hey another question for you guys, again thinking outloud, if you had an out of state liscense for Wisconsin, do you think that we could use bluegills for bait on the mississippi and st. croix?

[DTro]

 Originally Posted By: crazyice

Hey another question for you guys, again thinking outloud, if you had an out of state liscense for Wisconsin, do you think that we could use bluegills for bait on the mississippi and st. croix?

This has been discussed quite a bit throughout the Catfishing community. The best answer is “nobody knows”. Different CO’s will give you different answers.

Steve D received a pretty good reply recently from a CO basically saying that there is an imaginary boundary line in the middle of the river. If you are on the WI side, you follow their rules and vice versa. It is still unknown if a MN CO can enforce regs on the WI side.

I actually think there is a case going through the system right now to try to clarify this.

Also if this is true, then you can’t have the best of both worlds, if you decided to follow the WI regs because you are fishing in WI waters then you have to stick to that.

Honestly, it’s a major mess, and the two states really need to come together on an agreement for these border waters, where one set of regs is the standard.

The best answer for now is to follow the state regs that you reside in.

[SteveD]

 Originally Posted By: crazyice

Hey another question for you guys, again thinking outloud, if you had an out of state liscense for Wisconsin, do you think that we could use bluegills for bait on the mississippi and st. croix?

Even if you had a Wisconsin non-resident fishing license you are not authorized to follow Wisconsin's more liberal fishing privileges.

Reference Page 42, 2008 Minnesota Fishing Regulations:

BORDER WATERS - When Minnesota's fishing regulations differ from a bordering state's regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota non-resident license must comply with Minnesota regulations and may not exercise more liberal fishing privileges in the waters of the bordering state.

You would be wasting your money - you still have to follow the regulations of the state in which you reside. I've looked at about every way possible to use the Wisconsin fishing regulations. About your only options is to become a "Cheese Head".

[DTro]

Thanks Steve, I knew you had some info, and I wasn't clear about it.

[Shack]

 Originally Posted By: crazyice

I wonder what the consequences (sp) are for transporting a fish alive? If it isn't too steep I would probably just cough up a fine and try to keep it alive if I caught it. Get it weighed, verified and all that needs to be done, then go release it back in the waters I caught it from. I don't know, just thinking outloud I guess. I am sure it will never happen to me anyway.

I have thought about that also. Just pay the fine. For me, catching a state record, documenting it and releasing the fish would be worth upwards of around a $1000.00

The one thing I question though, is after all the work you put forth into doing this, come to find out doing the illegal transport constitutes a disqualification for the state record and you still have to pay the fine. That would suck.

Hanson put it into prospective with his post; you would be some what known for killing the states record, but in the end it comes down to what “you” want. I am almost 99.99% sure if I was (once again lucky enough, but I think I will win this weekends Power ball, before pulling a state record out of the river) able to catch a state record, it would be a catch, photo, measure/weigh, release and head home to show you guys what I caught. I think in my book, that would mean more to me and I would feel better.

Now on the other side of the coin, look at how many flats we do catch and release. With all the hard dedication we put into these fish, keeping one does not seem or should not be classified as murder.

Thanks to some good info from Dtro, I do carry a large Navy issue laundry bag in my boat .

Ah I wish it was mid May.

[Farmboy1]

I classify this similar to the muskie guys. A lot of them say the world record muskie record will NEVER be broken. The reason being anyone serious enough to put the time into catch a muckie of that size would release it.

The way any of these records will fall IMHO is an "accidental" catch. Someone fishing walleye for the first time hooks into a monster dormant mid winter flat and gets their name in the paper.

I guess to me, I don't really care if my name is in a book or not. Great big woopie do, I don't care. To me the satisfaction is knowing that I outsmarted a large fish or any species.

And think, you get a trophy fish, bring more pressure to the lake/river you fish. More people on the water, more people trying to fish your spots following you around. Give me a quiet night on the river any day.

[crazyice]

 Originally Posted By: SteveD

About your only options is to become a "Cheese Head".

Don't think that will happen!! Thanks for the clarification on this guys. It was just an idea tha I had thought about last night laying in bed thinking of the upcoming season. Pretty bad when you have a lovely wife next to you and you are thinking about catfishing....

[Shack]

Dude! Crazy,

This is almost to weird to explain. After the post about trying to get a state record and paying the fine, this is too weird. Last night I wanted to post about my theory of getting a record and then paying the fines thing, but hesitated on doing so. I posted about doing this last summer, so I figured I would let it go. I get to work today and you posted about doing it, almost to the “T” as same as I posted it last summer. I said to my self “hey a dude that thinks on the same level”. I posted my post I did and went on.

BUT!! I am not B.S,ing you, I was up until three thinking of cats last night and even signed on around 2 to look in the cat forum. I do think of other species of fish at night, but cats have been on my mind until about 1:00am in bed for the last week in a half. This has been much later than I usually stay awake.

I wonder if it is our minds getting ready for the late nights. I functioned at work normally today, with less sleep.

I guess we have to get our selves ready for this regiment.

[Larry FlatCaster]

 Originally Posted By: crazyice

 Originally Posted By: SteveD

About your only options is to become a "Cheese Head".

Don't think that will happen!! Thanks for the clarification on this guys. It was just an idea tha I had thought about last night laying in bed thinking of the upcoming season. Pretty bad when you have a lovely wife next to you and you are thinking about catfishing....

What the Ell is wrong with that!!!! She's sleeping anyways..... Right........ Now if your thinking about the Putty in the river while she's working you over....... Then I would say thats pretty bad. LOL

[DARK30]

Ok, lets have some Wife photos.

[hugonian1]

Nice!!!

I like the beer holder

[Shack]

O.K.!

I removed it. LOL. I knew I would get some B.S…

My wife came to me seriously and I was laughing still, now I am in deep water because I was laughing at Dark30 post while I was supposed to be listing to her.

I knew you troll this forum more than one thinks. Cool……

[Shack]

Dark30,

At this point I do not think twice about that being your wife.

You are the master .

It does look like the MN river background.

[crazyice]

Wowzer!! Hat's off to ya! The beer holder is a nice touch.