Minnesota DNR certifies 9 new fishing records

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Coho salmon – 12 pounds, 5 ounces; June 1, Lake Superior, St. Louis County; caught by Austin Stoltenburg of Iron (Minnesota DNR)

From: Supplied

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced this week it has certified nine new fishing records set by anglers since March.

The new records were set in both certified weight and catch-and-release categories.

The new records include two new ones for catch-and-release shovelnose sturgeon. It appears Tyler Young of Lakeville set the record on March 8 with a 34.25-inch fish, only to have it broken days later by Elliott Feldman – fittingly of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Feldman caught his 35-inch sturgeon in the Minnesota River on March 12.

For note, the Minnesota DNR expanded its catch-and-release category in March and created a separate category for records established before a certified scale was recorded for a fish's weight.

"Seeing all these new records is fantastic and we’re really pleased with how anglers have participated in the program so far," said Mandy Erickson, fisheries program consultant. "We expect to keep posting more records as more anglers hear about how to certify a record and as more time passes."       

The full list of new records include:

Certified weight category

  • Coho salmon – 12 pounds, 5 ounces; June 1, Lake Superior, St. Louis County; caught by Austin Stoltenburg of Iron
  • Black crappie – 3 pounds, 9 ounces; May 9, Cedar Lake, Rice County; caught by Nolan Sprengeler of Plymouth
  • Mooneye – 2 pounds, 1 ounce; May 11, Wabasha Creek, Redwood County; caught by Robert Tufts II of Franklin
  • Yellow bass – 1 pound, 3 ounces; May 11, Clear Lake, Jackson County; caught by Dennis Dagel of Lakefield

Catch-and-release category

  • Brown trout – 30 inches; April 15, Lake Superior, St. Louis County; caught by Dan Zeleznikar of Duluth
  • Lake trout – 42 1/2 inches; April 21, Lake Superior, St. Louis County; caught by Kelsey Vanderheyden of Stanchfield
  • Shovelnose sturgeon – 34 1/4 inches; March 8, Mississippi River, Goodhue County; caught by Tyler Young of Lakeville
  • Shovelnose sturgeon – 35 inches; March 12, Minnesota River, Scott County; caught by Elliott Feldman of Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
  • Smallmouth bass – 22 3/4 inches; June 25, Basswood Lake, Lake County; caught by Xavier Bradley-Rael of Omaha, Neb.