Nine record fish caught in Minnesota this spring

The Minnesota DNR announced on Monday that the agency has certified nine new state record fish this spring. 

Two of those records have been in the weight category, which requires the angler to harvest the fish and have it weighed on a certified scale. Seven of the records have been in the catch-and-release category, which requires the angler to provide photos of the fish, with clear length measurements and species identification, and ensure that the fish was released in good condition by making sure it’s not bleeding heavily and can swim away on its own.

“It’s fantastic to see these great fish and really shows what amazing fishing opportunities we have in Minnesota,” said Mandy Erickson, DNR fisheries program consultant. “We’re thrilled that so many people have participated in the state record fish program. This is a fun way to recognize anglers and highlight some of the impressive fish being caught throughout the state.”

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Here’s a look at the new records.

Black crappie (certified weight category)

David Selle of Lino Lakes harvested a black crappie that weighed 4 pounds, 1 ounce on May 3 from Cedar Lake in Rice County. Selle’s catch bested the previous record by a little more than an ounce.

Bluegill sunfish (certified weight category)

Chris Mulcahey of Waterville harvested a bluegill sunfish that weighed 2 pounds on May 29 from Big Stone Lake in Big Stone County. Mulcahey’s fish was 3 ounces heavier than the previous record holder.

Bigmouth buffalo

Ryan Bauman of Golden Valley caught and released a bigmouth buffalo that was 36.25 inches long from Sweeney Lake in Hennepin County on April 14. The fish topped the previous record by more than 2 inches.

Blue sucker 

Joe Busch of Cottage Grove caught and released a blue sucker that was 31.25 inches long on May 16 from the Mississippi River in Dakota County. This was the first blue sucker reported that has met the minimum length requirement since the species’ addition to the record fish program in 2024.

Lake sturgeon

Travis Keating of Fargo, North Dakota, caught and released a lake sturgeon that was 80 inches long on April 18 from the Rainy River in Lake of the Woods County. The fish added 2 inches to the record length.

Lake trout (two records)

Two anglers caught and released record lake trout this spring, both from Lake Superior in Lake County.

The first angler was Matthew Hammer of White Bear Township, who caught a lake trout that was 44 inches long on April 13 (see image below). The fish eked out a new record by .75 inches over the previous record-holder.

Then, Joe Bouta of Benson caught and released a lake trout that was 45.5 inches long on May 9.

The fish bested Hammer’s record by 1.5 inches.

Rainbow trout

Sadie Spatafore of Maple Grove caught and released a steelhead rainbow trout that was 30 inches long on May 10 from the Stewart River in Lake County. Sadie improved upon the previous record, which was set by her older sister, Lucy, by 1.5 inches.

Shortnose gar

Isaac Richart of Northfield caught and released a shortnose gar that was 30.5 inches long from the Minnesota River in Scott County on June 6. This is the first shortnose gar reported that has met the minimum length requirement since the DNR added the species to the record fish program in 2024.

“It’s exciting that some records continue to be broken, like the lake trout, black crappie and bigmouth buffalo, which have been broken several times over the past year,” Erickson said. “Anglers are getting outside, making memories on the water or ice, and sharing their stories with others.”

More information

The record fish program has been managed by the Minnesota DNR, and its predecessor fisheries management agencies, for around 100 years.

In 2024, the Minnesota DNR expanded the record fish program by allowing anglers to earn catch-and-release records for 18 species, up from the four species that had been recognized in a previous version of the catch-and-release record program. The DNR said the change was made in response to the increasing popularity of catch-and-release fishing and to raise the profile of native rough fish.

Also in 2024, the Minnesota DNR refreshed some categories for weight records, by keeping a separate list of records for fish established before 1980 based on weights not documented on state-certified scales.

Requirements for getting a fish certified as a record, minimum length requirements, application forms and lists of current record fish are available on the Minnesota DNR website.