New Fishing Record Program Changes for MN

Here are the details released today:

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/news/2024/02/29/minnesota-dnr-makes-changes-record-fish-program

Fantastic, thanks for the link.

Just so everyone is aware, should you decide to enter a fish for the new C & R length category, the form has a spot for the lake/river you caught it on, which is required. This information will be made public. So if its a smaller sized lake, you might want to think twice about entering it because its probably going to receive increased pressure as a result.

On a more sizable lake, it probably won’t matter.

Just something to think about.

I’ve never heard of Yellow bass before, and now that I went and looked it up because of the new records available, I’m thinking I might have caught them before. Or they were white bass.

gimruis wrote:

Fantastic, thanks for the link.

Just so everyone is aware, should you decide to enter a fish for the new C & R length category, the form has a spot for the lake/river you caught it on, which is required. This information will be made public. So if its a smaller sized lake, you might want to think twice about entering it because its probably going to receive increased pressure as a result.

On a more sizable lake, it probably won’t matter.

Just something to think about.

fishermen lie…….just sayin…. i.ve had fish weighed before at places, they ask where..its usually a lake 20 miles away!!! mind you there not records but wouldnt matter..i’d do the same!!!!

So are you saying you’d enter a new state record and have a witness sign their name with information that wasn’t true?

That’s really no different than the recent guy in Kansas who was busted for stuffing bearings in a crappie that he recently entered as a state record there.

Historical records before 1980 are being relabeled as such. There was no proof required. These newer ones require certification with photos and witnesses. I expect that those are true and accurate. The older ones that predate 1980, not so much.

I mean it’s a little different.

Ripjiggen wrote:

I mean it’s a little different.

big difference.

I’m not to worried, I don’t figure on catching any record fish anyway

Life’s too short to sweat the small stuff. I can’t tell you how much grief I got with my current record. Haters crawled out of the woodwork, but by far the positives have outweighed the negatives. Enter your record, celebrate your catch, enjoy life.

I would be willing to bet most of the state records have been broken a few times by people that just dont care.

I would love the bowfin record, but I think the days of giant bowfin in Platte/Sullivan are now in the past. Bow fishing has gotten too popular in this area and the big ones are more likely to get an arrow through their back.

3Rivers wrote:

Life’s too short to sweat the small stuff. I can’t tell you how much grief I got with my current record. Haters crawled out of the woodwork, but by far the positives have outweighed the negatives. Enter your record, celebrate your catch, enjoy life.

That was a hell of a fish. You must of cheated, because I can’t catch one that big

Bass Pundit wrote:

I would love the bowfin record, but I think the days of giant bowfin in Platte/Sullivan are now in the past. Bow fishing has gotten too popular in this area and the big ones are more likely to get an arrow through their back.

The lake our cabin is on has some GIANT Bowfin. I wish this was in place a few years ago as both my bro-in-law and myself have probably come within a pound of the weight record for bowfin but released the fish. Better yet, I think both our biggest have come on 4lb test and panfish rods while fishing spring crappie.

The one in my profile pic is big – that guy hit a topwater frog, but have caught a couple fish that were a few inches bigger in there. Will start paying attention to length now.

3rivers……….
I’m dying here. What ya got?

Bass P. back in the 70’s I hooked a dog on Sullivan, freakin monster. Battled it for 10 minutes before it straightened out my hook. I was a kid back then but i’m pretty sure it was 3′ long.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

3rivers……….
I’m dying here. What ya got?

Look up mn lake sturgeon. Darren holds the record.

Look up mn lake sturgeon. Darren holds the record.

Here’s a video I just did kind of explaining the new record system:

Nice video. Didn’t realize I was in the presence of a minor celebrity.

32 pound minimum weight for northern pike? Not a chance on that one. Bar is set way to high. Even a 20 pounder is like finding bigfoot.

Great video.