MassWildlife’s Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program recognizes anglers who catch exceptional freshwater fish from Massachusetts waters that are open to the public. Anglers who catch fish that meet a minimum weight or length can submit proof of their catch and receive a bronze pin. Gold pins are awarded to anglers who catch the largest fish in each species category.
Massachusetts anglers now have even more opportunities to test their fishing skills. MassWildlife is expanding the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program to include a new category and two new fish species.
New Opportunities
A Youth Catch and Release category will be added to the Program so that anglers under 18 will have their own set of minimum lengths. “Young people are already participating in the program,” says Program coordinator and Fisheries Biologist Steven Mattocks. “Over the last four years, we’ve seen a growing number of catch and release entries from youth anglers.” The Program already has a popular youth category for those who keep their fish.
Anglers of all ages can now be recognized for catching fallfish and white suckers. Minimum requirements for these new species have been added to each category. White suckers are common in many Massachusetts waterbodies. Along with carp, white suckers are one of two species that may be taken with a spear or bow and arrow. Fallfish are the largest cyprinid (minnow) species native to eastern North America and can be found in medium and large-sized rivers and near inlets and outlets of some lakes in the Commonwealth. “Fallfish and white suckers are common, but often overlooked by anglers,” says Mattocks. “Both are known to strike lures or bait.” This addition to the program will offer anglers a new challenge, particularly for anglers seeking to catch all the species recognized by the Sportfishing Awards Program.
Congratulations to the 2022 winners
Angler of the Year awards are given to the person who catches the most species that meet the minimum weight or length requirements in a given category.
- Matthew Power of Auburn is the 2022 Catch and Keep Adult Angler of the Year. He caught four of the 22 eligible species.
- There was a three-way tie for Catch and Keep Youth Angler of the Year; the winners were: Carter Flagg of Gill, Logan Middlebrook of Pittsfield, and Gabriel Christman of Pittsfield. Each angler caught nine of the 22 eligible species.
- Andrew Langley of Peabody is the Catch and Release Angler of the Year. He caught 19 of the 22 eligible species.
Additionally, four catch and release state records were broken in Massachusetts in 2022! Enter your catch and join the fun! There is plenty of time to get involved in 2023. Learn more about the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program and submit your catch at mass.gov/dfw/sportfishing-awards.
