(Provided by Michigan DNR)
More than 1,189 anglers from 25 states received Michigan Master Angler Awards for fish they caught last year.
That's an increase from the 1,105 fish recognized in 2011. Of the entries accepted, 346 were categorized as Catch and Keep and 843 were categorized as Catch and Release. The Catch and Keep category is based on fish that equal or exceed minimum weight requirements while the Catch and Release division is determined by minimum lengths.
The Master Angler program recognizes large fish caught by recreational anglers. Here is a breakdown of the most popular 2012 Master Angler entries by species:
- 119 freshwater drum
- 113 rock bass
- 108 bluegill
- 107 smallmouth bass
- 85 channel catfish
- 46 carp
- 43 largemouth bass
- 31 Great Lakes muskellunge
Master Angler entries for 2012 included four new state records, including black buffalo (37.4 pounds, captured on the Kalamazoo River by Bryan DeGoede of Kalamazoo), flathead catfish (49.8 pounds, caught on the St. Joseph River by Rodney Akey of Niles), Great Lakes muskellunge (58 pounds, caught on Lake Bellaire by Joseph Seeberger of Portage) and quillback carpsucker (8.12 pounds, captured on Hardy Dam Pond by Randy Bonter, Jr. of Grant).
Submissions are already being accepted for the 2013 Master Angler program. Visit www.michigan.gov for details.