You're out on the lake, enjoying a nice day of fishing. You've been having some success most of the day, and then you feel it. Your rod bends in half, and the line starts running, but you've set the hook and now it's time to battle. When you finally wrangle this monster into your boat, you realize you might be looking at a possible record. One Minnesota man thought he had a record Northern, but was missing two important things!

If you think you've got a record fish, make sure you follow these steps when you are submitting your catch to the state. You don't want to miss out on a record due to a preventable issue.

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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources posted about a man who missed out on a possible record:

Check out this lunker of a northern pike! 

Jacob Skarloken of Merrifield, MN caught and released this incredible fish last week. Unfortunately, the fish couldn’t be recognized as a state record since photos of the measurements and release weren't taken. Regardless, an incredible memory was made! 

If you're sending in an application for a record fish, please don't forget to take photos of the measurements!
The Minnesota DNR has three different categories for state records: Certified Weight, Catch & Release, and Non-Certified Weight. You can head here to learn more about those categories, but what's important if you are submitting a possible record is to include all the photographs & measurements required by the state.
Here are the requirements for catch & release state records.
  • Fish may not be caught using any methods other than angling and may not be snagged.
  • Fish caught from any fish hatchery (private, club, or government) are not eligible to be considered for a state record.
  • Fish caught on a body of water without public access are not eligible to be considered for a state record.
  • Fish must be caught during the legal open season and hours in Minnesota waters, including those boundary waters where a Minnesota fishing license is valid, by a person licensed or otherwise legally entitled to angle in Minnesota.
  • The girth of the fish, measured around the thickest portion of the body, is desired but optional.
  • Applications must be submitted within 90 days of the date on which the fish was caught.
You can find the complete rules by visiting the MN DNR website, here. 

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