The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has recently certified nine new state-record fish, showcasing the enthusiasm of anglers in documenting their impressive catches. Since March, the DNR has seen steady participation in the revamped record fish program.
Mandy Erickson, a fisheries program consultant, expressed excitement over the new records, stating, “Seeing all these new records is fantastic, and we’re really pleased with how anglers have participated in the program so far.” She anticipates more records will be set as awareness of the program grows.
In March, the DNR expanded the catch-and-release record category to include additional species and created a separate category for records established before a certified scale was required. This change has allowed for more records to be recognized.
Here are the newly certified state record fish since March 1:
**Certified Weight Category:**
– Coho salmon: 12 pounds, 5 ounces, caught on June 1 in Lake Superior, St. Louis County by Austin Stoltenburg of Iron.
– Black crappie: 3 pounds, 9 ounces, caught on May 9 in Cedar Lake, Rice County by Nolan Sprengeler of Plymouth.
– Mooneye: 2 pounds, 1 ounce, caught on May 11 in Wabasha Creek, Redwood County by Robert Tufts II of Franklin.
– Yellow bass: 1 pound, 3 ounces, caught on May 11 in Clear Lake, Jackson County by Dennis Dagel of Lakefield.
**Catch-and-Release Category:**
– Brown trout: 30 inches, caught on April 15 in Lake Superior, St. Louis County by Dan Zeleznikar of Duluth.
– Lake trout: 42.5 inches, caught on April 21 in Lake Superior, St. Louis County by Kelsey Vanderheyden of Stanchfield.
– Shovelnose sturgeon: 34.25 inches, caught on March 8 in the Mississippi River, Goodhue County by Tyler Young of Lakeville.
– Shovelnose sturgeon: 35 inches, caught on March 12 in the Minnesota River, Scott County by Elliott Feldman of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
– Smallmouth bass: 22.75 inches, caught on June 25 in Basswood Lake, Lake County by Xavier Bradley-Rael of Omaha, Nebraska.