Fishing Awards and Records
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Fishing Awards and Records
Colorado Parks and Wildlife recognizes licensed anglers who catch exceptionally large fish through three separate programs, Record by Weight, Record by Length (released only) and Master Angler.
Old Length Records
Prior to January 2020, the fish that were considered for the Records by Length program came through our Master Angler program. To view state records that existed before January 2020, please see the Heritage Master Angler Length Awards below.
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Fish Records by Length
In this program, records are by length (inches). To qualify for a fish length record, anglers must release the fish. This program requires anglers to follow specific steps for record submission and acceptance.
The angler will fill out and return the application form (PDF), provide a picture of the fish on a measuring device, and have a witness sign the application. This will be mailed to the Assistant Chief of Hatcheries in Denver.
To accurately measure a fish for a length record:
- You MUST place the fish directly on the measuring device (ruler, tape measure, etc.). As pictured above, the measuring device shall be behind or under the fish and not following the curvature of the fish.
- You MUST align the fish at a clearly marked area of the measuring device. In the image above, the 1-inch mark is used to clearly and accurately indicate the starting point for measurement.
- You MUST place fish on its side with the jaw closed.
- You MUST squeeze the tail fin together to obtain the maximum overall length.
- You MUST measure a straight line from the tip of the snout to the extreme tip of the tail fin.
IMPORTANT: When applying for a state record by length, the fish must be greater than the length of the current record fish, or if there is no current record, the fish must be greater than the qualifying length, both of which are listed in the table below.
Applications can be sent to:
Record Fish Program
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Attention: Assistant Chief of Hatcheries
6060 Broadway, Denver CO 80216
NOTE: Northern pike and smallmouth bass caught in waters west of the Continental Divide will only be recognized for the State Record by Weight category.
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Fish Records by Weight
For each of 49 different species of fish, this program tracks the heaviest fish ever caught in the state of Colorado. If an angler catches a large fish that they believe may have broken the weight record in its species, there is a series of steps that must be taken to have the fish certified as a new state record. Verified state record applicants will receive a lapel pin.
This is the oldest of Colorado's fishing recognition programs.
The angler will fill out and return the application form (PDF) and meet the weight record requirements below. This will be mailed to the Assistant Chief of Hatcheries in Denver. To weigh your fish, please visit any state-certified scale at any of the four Colorado Parks and Wildlife regional offices.
To apply for a weight record:
- Potential record holders must have a valid Colorado fishing license, or be under the age of 18.
- The catch must be made in Colorado in compliance with all state fishing rules and regulations.
- The fish in question must be weighed on a state-certified scale (lbs and oz), and there must be either a weight receipt or picture of the fish on the scale with the weight visible, signed by a person who witnessed the weighing.
- The fish may not be frozen, gutted, or altered in any way.
- The fish must be examined and identified, and the application signed by a CPW employee before an application is submitted.
- * The employee must fill out and return the application form to the Assistant Chief of Hatcheries in Denver with a picture of the fish on the scale showing the weight, weight receipt of fish when possible, and a picture of the fish on a length-measuring device.
Applications can be sent to:
Record Fish Program
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Attention: Assistant Chief of Hatcheries
6060 Broadway, Denver CO 80216
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Master Angler Awards
Anglers who catch a qualifying-length fish will receive a Master Angler certificate and patch. There are 43 categories of species recognized in this program, and there can be more than one master angler award given in each category every year. Master Angler recognizes anglers for success in their sport, as well as to promote the conservation of fishery resources and quality trophy sized sport fish.
Anglers who wish to receive a Master Angler Award must submit an application detailing the catch. Only one patch per angler will be awarded each year. However, anglers who submit more than one entry will receive a certificate for each accepted additional entry.
- Paper forms will not be accepted.
- Fish must be hooked, played and landed on sport tackle by the entrant. Fish that are snagged, speared or shot with a bow are not eligible.
- Only fish caught in Colorado are eligible for entry and must be submitted within 60 days of the catch.
- The catch must be made in Colorado in compliance with all state fishing regulations and be submitted within 60 days of being caught.
- How to measure: Close fish’s mouth and measure from the tip of jaw to the tip of the tail with measuring device behind the fish and not following the curvature of the fish. This is the total length.
Qualifying Lengths
| SPECIES |
LENGTH (inches) |
| TROUT |
|
| Arctic Char |
18 |
| Brook |
16 |
| Brown |
22 |
| Cutbow |
22 |
| Golden |
16 |
| Grayling |
15 |
| Lake |
32 |
| Native Cutthroat |
20 |
| Snake River Cutthroat |
20 |
| Splake |
20 |
| Rainbow |
24 |
| Tiger |
18 |
| SALMON & WHITEFISH |
|
| Chinook |
28 |
| Kokanee (angling only) |
20 |
| Mountain Whitefish |
15 |
| CATFISH |
|
| Blue |
30 |
| Black Bullhead |
14 |
| Brown Bullhead |
14 |
| Channel |
30 |
| Flathead |
30 |
| PIKE | |
| Northern |
36 |
| Tiger Muskie |
40 |
| PERCH |
|
| Sacramento |
12 |
| Sauger |
16 |
| Saugeye |
26 |
| Yellow |
12 |
| Walleye |
26 |
| BASS |
|
| Hybrid Striped (Wiper) |
25 |
| Largemouth |
18 |
| Smallmouth |
17 |
| Spotted |
18 |
| Striped |
28 |
| Rock |
10 |
| White |
17 |
| CARP & SUCKERS |
|
| Common Carp |
30 |
| Grass Carp |
30 |
| Longnose Sucker |
18 |
| White Sucker |
22 |
| Tench |
18 |
| DRUM |
|
| Freshwater Drum |
20 |
| SUNFISH |
|
| Bluegill |
10 |
| Green Sunfish |
10 |
| Hybrid Sunfish |
10 |
| Redear Sunfish |
12 |
| CRAPPIE |
|
| Black |
14 |
| White |
14 |
Current and Historical Record Holders
Current Fishing Records by Length
When applying for a state record by length, the fish must be greater than the length of the current record fish, or if there is no current record, the fish must be greater than the qualifying length, both of which are listed in the table below.
|
22.00 |
2024 |
Lake Dillon |
Eric Allee |
|
|
14.19 |
2022 |
James M Robb CO River State Park (CO River Section) |
Marc Melnick |
|
|
18.25 |
2023 |
McKay Lake |
Eric Allee |
|
|
30.00 |
n/a |
None |
No current record holder. |
|
|
11.00 |
2024 |
Big Thompson Outfitter Lake |
Joseph Yang |
|
|
17.00 |
2021 |
Antero Reservoir |
Kyle Schelhaas |
|
|
14.00 |
n/a |
None |
No current record holder. |
|
|
25.75 |
2024 |
Lake Dillon |
Travis Divis |
|
|
39.50 |
2021 |
Pueblo Reservoir |
Colten Smith |
|
|
28.00 |
n/a |
None |
No current record holder. |
|
|
35.50 |
2024 |
Chatfield Reservoir |
Gunnar Nitzkorski |
|
|
27.00 |
2024 |
Spinney Mountain Reservoir |
James T Nicols II |
Current Fishing Records by Weight
|
3.06 |
1996 |
Flagler Reservoir (Kit Carson County) |
Juergen Kernel |
|
|
7.48 |
2023 |
Dillon Res., Summit |
Pete McDonnell |
|
|
5.06 |
1993 |
Farm Pond (Delta County) |
Uldene Kuretich |
|
|
3.48 |
2017 |
Frank State Wildlife Area |
Fesstus Stalder |
|
|
33.53 |
2023 |
Pueblo Reservoir (Pueblo County) |
Coy Bowyer |
|
|
2.59 |
2019 |
Totten Res., Montezuma |
Gregory Wallace |
|
|
8.56 |
2022 |
Waterdog Lake |
Matt Smiley |
|
|
30.50 |
1988 |
Roaring Judy Ponds (Gunnison County) |
Alan Schneider |
|
|
43.38 |
2010 |
Aurora Reservoir |
Jessica Walton |
|
|
11.00 |
1989 |
Williams Fork Reservoir (Grand County) |
Helen Eaton |
|
|
35.31 |
2001 |
Glenmere Park (Weld County) |
Adam Wickam |
|
|
18.50 |
2007 |
Antero Reservoir (Park County) |
Frank Stack |
The Heritage Master Angler Length Awards are a culmination of the largest fish of each species that was submitted through our Master Angler program from its inception through 2019.
Heritage Master Angler Fish Awards
Species |
Length |
Location |
Angler |
|---|---|---|---|
|
26 7/8 inches |
Mount Massive Lakes |
Chuck Kubin |
|
|
13 1/2 inches |
Sawhill Ponds |
Johnathan Lambert |
|
|
35 inches |
Pueblo Reservoir |
Ben Tarver |
|
|
26 inches |
Gunnison River |
Mark Armstrong |
|
|
26 inches |
Crystal Lake |
Garrett McBride |
|
|
38 inches |
Colorado River |
Darrel Armstrong |
|
|
22 inches |
Chatfield Ponds |
Brian Koprowski |
|
|
42 inches |
Chatfield Reservoir |
John Fennell |
|
|
42 inches |
Denver Pond |
David Torri |
|
|
42 inches |
Chatfield Reservoir |
David Dashnaw |
|
|
Crappie |
19 1/2 inches |
Panama in Boulder Co. |
Ray Clusman |
|
33 1/2 inches |
Gunnison River |
Patrick Duke |
|
|
31 inches |
Taylor River |
Sean Surniak |
|
|
Cutthroat (Native) Trout |
30 inches |
South Park |
Jack Duerson |
|
36 inches |
Lake Windsor |
Michael Nelson |
|
|
32 inches |
Jumbo Reservoir |
Keith Thompson |
|
|
46 1/2 inches |
Rock Creek Ponds |
Rory Chinatti |
|
|
20 1/2 inches |
High Lake- Collegiate Peaks |
Chris Wylde |
|
|
11 7/8 inches |
Private Lake - Loveland |
Vincent Gigliotti |
|
|
28 inches |
South Platte River |
Richard Eppard |
|
|
46 7/8 inches |
Morrow Point Reservoir |
Ryan VanLanen |
|
|
28 inches |
Rocky Mt. Arsenal |
Derek Mitchell |
|
|
22 inches |
Arkansas River |
Steven Fieldman |
|
|
48 inches |
Navajo Lake |
Dennis Bruce |
|
|
10 3/4 inches |
Standley Lake |
Joey Slagle |
|
|
40 1/4 inches |
Taylor River |
Tony Felicilda |
|
|
29 inches |
Bear Creek Reservoir |
Jim Jannicke |
|
|
25 inches |
Private Lake - Weld County |
Sara Slagle |
|
|
32 inches |
Horsetooth Reservoir |
Matt Snider |
|
|
25 inches |
Private Pond in Longmont |
Forrest Carpenter |
|
|
58 inches |
Quincy Reservoir |
Tyler Snyder |
|
|
28 inches |
Bar 2X Ranch - Gunnison County |
Trevor Nazzaro |
|
|
17 inches |
North Poudre Reservoir |
Jeff Slatter |
|
|
38 inches |
Private Lake - Weld County |
Sara Slagle |
|
|
24 inches |
Welch Reservoir |
Neal Elmore |
|
|
21 1/2 inches |
Roaring Fork River |
Justin Edge |
|
|
22 1/2 inches |
Chatfield Reservoir |
Shaun Ross |
|
|
34 1/2 inches |
Bingham Lake |
John Fennell |