Anglers recently caught two shovelnose sturgeon that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recognized in quick succession as state records in the catch-and-release category based on length of the fish.
Tyler Young of Lakeville caught and released a 34 1/4 inch shovelnose sturgeon March 8 on the Mississippi River. Young’s new record stood for only a few days before being broken after Elliott Feldman of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., caught and released a 35-inch shovelnose sturgeon March 12 on the Minnesota River.
The Minnesota DNR expanded the catch-and-release record category this year to allow records for 18 species beyond the four species previously recognized, a change made in response to the increasing popularity of catch-and-release fishing and to raise the profile of native rough fish. Additionally, records established prior to requiring weight to be documented on a certified scale are now recognized as historical records.
The record fish program has been managed by the state’s fisheries resource agency in various forms for nearly 100 years. For record fish lists and application requirements, visit the Minnesota DNR record fish webpage.