State Record, Whopper and Catch & Release Clubs
State Record Requirements
- All recognized fish must be harvested by legal methods for Recreational Fishing and come from North Dakota waters that are open for public fishing.
- All new state record fish must be weighed on a scale used commercially and subject to
certification by the North Dakota Public Service Commission.
- All weights must be rounded to the nearest ounce. - The fish must be visually verified by an employee of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
- Angler must thoroughly complete and submit to the Department a Whopper card application or a hand-written or typed note with all similar information.
- A recognizable photo of the fish must be furnished to the Department.
- A fin sample may be required/collected for some species for genetic analysis.
Whopper Club
Only species listed and meeting minimum weight requirements will qualify for a patch and
certificate. Only one application may be made for each species in a lifetime. Anglers receive a
patch for the first whopper of a species, an Expert patch for a whopper of another species, and a
Master patch for a whopper of a third species. After that only certificates will be awarded for
whoppers of additional species.
An application card must be filled out, giving weight and length of fish, date and where caught, signature of applicant, and signature of person weighing the fish.
All fish entered must have been harvested by legal methods as described in the North Dakota fishing guide and come from North Dakota waters open to public fishing. Entries must be weighed on a scale used in trade.
Catch and Release Club
Nineteen species of fish qualify for the Catch and Release Club. Entries must meet
minimum length requirements and be released unharmed back to the water. Another angler must witness
and verify the measurement and release.
Anglers will receive an official membership certificate and a choice of jacket patch or boat decal. A maximum of five entries per year per species will be recognized.
State Record, Catch and Release Club, and Whopper Club forms are available below to print, fill out, and mail to the Department.
They can not be completed on line because they require signatures. Note: To view documents marked with 
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Download
applications for State Records, Whopper Club, Catch & Release Club (24Kb PDF)
Requirements
for submitting a fish for state record or to enter a fish in the Whopper Club
or Catch-and-Release Club
View on-line database of Whopper Club and Catch and Release Club entries, including state record fish.
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