Five new state-record fish officially recognized
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will officially recognize five new state record fish in an awards ceremony at the Northwest Sports Show in Minneapolis March 8.
New records were set this year for yellow bullhead (3 pounds, 10.5 ounces), white crappie (3 pounds, 6 ounces set Jan. 23, 2002), white crappie (3 pounds, 15 ounces set July 28, 2002), silver redhorse (8 pounds, 4 ounces) and tullibee (5 pounds, 11.8 ounces).  State record holders will receive a plaque and certificate acknowledging their accomplishment from DNR Commissioner Gene Merriam at the awards ceremony.

Jenifer Matthees, aquatic education coordinator for the DNR Fisheries, said, "Catching a big fish is so exciting and usually requires exceptional fishing skill. This is our way of recognizing the anglers who break a state record."  The DNR has been maintaining a list of state-record fish since 1980.

To qualify for a state record, anglers must have their fish weighed on a certified scale witnessed by two observers, have the fish positively identified at a DNR Fisheries office and complete a notarized application with a photo of the fish.

TWO FISH REMOVED FROM STATE RECORDS
Two state record fish - a blue catfish caught last year and a rainbow trout (steelhead) caught in 1974 - have been removed from state records.  

The blue catfish, reportedly caught in the Minnesota River last summer, was removed after conservation officers learned the fish had actually been caught in South Dakota.
The angler who reported the catch - a 52-pound, 8-ounce fish -received citations for possession of wild animals in the state that have been unlawfully taken and for knowingly signing a false affidavit.  Because the existence of blue catfish hasn't been confirmed in Minnesota, there is no longer an official record.

The state-record rainbow trout (steelhead), a 17-pound, 6-ounce fish caught near the Knife River in 1974, was removed at the request of the angler. In a signed affidavit, the angler said the application was entered with incorrect information and asked that the record be removed.  The angler also asked that he not be contacted regarding the fish. No citations were issued.  The state record for rainbow trout will revert to the previous
record, a 15-pound, 7-ounce steelhead caught near Two Harbors in 1970, Matthees said.
A complete list of Minnesota's state record fish can be found on pages 72-73 of the 2003 Minnesota Fishing Regulations book.

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