By Louie Stout
The Indiana DNR recently announced the 2024 Fish of the Year winners and several of the top fish were taken from northern Indiana.
The program is based upon length of fish and all gamefish and other species are eligible. State records, on the other hand, are determined by weight.
Not all of the fish reported last year were of eye-popping size since entries tend to run relatively low, but several were noteworthy. Those who do enter and win receive a certificate and a colorful jacket patch.
There were state records, too. Rex Remington’s 23-inch smallmouth taken from Lake Monroe was not only a fish of the year, but also state record by weight at 8.36 pounds.
Other state records set last year include a 16.75-inch yellow perch from Lake Michigan by Blass Lara, which weighed 3 pounds, 2 ounces; a 37.25-inch burbot caught from Lake Michigan by Anthony Burke that weighed 14.36 pounds and a spotted gar by Kyle Hammond from River Lake in Noble County that weighed 9 pounds, 11 ounces. Oddly enough, Hammond’s gar did not win fish of the year because a longer one was caught from the same body of water (36 inches).
The longest largemouth bass caught came from southern Indiana and only measured 20.25 inches. That’s still a nice bass, but one has to wonder if more were caught longer than that.
The longest rock bass was 10.5 inches caught from Lake Maxinkuckee by Ron Anderson, Other Michiana winners include the biggest warmouth was 10 inches caught by Luke Thompson at Clear Lake (Steuben); pumpkinseed, 9.5 inches by John Laker at Clear Lake (Steuben); northern pike, 41.5 inches, by Keith Prentice at Clear Lake and white bass, 16.25 inches, caught by Kyle Shoemaker from Waubee Lake (Kosciusko). The longest walleye measured 29.5 inches and was caught from a private pond in Porter County by Logan Grieger.
Popular gamefish winners that were caught in southern Indiana include bluegill, 11.5 inches; flathead catfish 46 inches; hybrid striped bass, 20.5 inches; and channel catfish 41.5 inches.
Of course, Lake Michigan and its tributaries dominated the trout and salmon category. Winners include Chinook salmon, 25 inches, Eric Alegre; coho salmon, 25 inches, Tom Berg; brown trout, 30.5 inches, Bryan Odom; lake trout, 38.5 inches, Bryan Odom and whitefish, 22 inches, Hogir Saeed.
Remarkably, there were no entries for the black crappie or steelhead!
To enter a fish, you must provide a good photo of the fish on its side and a measuring board or measuring tape that clearly shows the measurement. A witness, who is not a relative, must be provided. Obviously, the fish must be caught in Indiana waters and by a licensed angler and material must be submitted on a form.
Here’s the link for the form and more info: www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/fishing/indiana-record-fish-program/#Fish_of_the_Year_Rules___Form.