Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program

1. All legally licensed anglers are eligible for the Massachusetts Freshwater Sportfishing Awards.
2. Anglers aged 17 or under are eligible for Youth Sportfishing Awards. Anglers aged 15-17 must have a license to fish.
3. Fish must be taken from Massachusetts waters (or interstate pond) that are open to the public at all times. Fish taken from private ponds or fish and game club ponds are NOT eligible for awards. This rule does not apply to the Wachusett or Quabbin Reservoirs or other public bodies of water which are closed on a seasonal basis.
4. Fish must be caught on hook and line, except carp, which may also be taken with spears or bow and arrow.
5. For the catch-and-keep category, fish must be weighed on a scale certified by the Massachusetts Division of Standards or a town official (no personal scales allowed), and the weighing must be witnessed by a second party. Scales must be certified the year of catch. Proof of certification must be provided to MassWildlife. Click here to find a place to weigh your catch.
6. A clear, side view, close-up photograph of the fish against a flat, clearly labeled measuring device must be included with all affidavits. Affidavits for catfish and bullheads must also include a photograph of the top view of the fish (see example below).
7. Any potential catch-and-keep state record fish must be presented in its entirety (whole) to Fisheries staff at MassWildlife Field Headquarters or at any of the five district offices.
8. Transportation of live fish is prohibited without a permit. Any fish submitted for weighing must be dead.
9. Completed affidavits and all required photos must be submitted within 30 days of the date of catch. Note: December affidavits must be submitted no later than January 10th of the following year. We encourage online submissions for faster processing.
10. All photos must be original and unedited. Photos that have been altered in any way or imported into a photo-editing software or otherwise changed from their original form will not be accepted.
11. All photos or images associated with the program, including those submitted by anglers or taken by MassWildlife staff, become property of MassWildlife. Names of anglers and images may be used in agency publications, promotional materials, or for other non-commercial use.
12. MassWildlife reserves the right to change or modify the program rules at any time. All decisions by MassWildlife are final.

Below are the minimum weights for fish submitted for both the adult and youth categories of the Freshwater Sportfish Awards Program. Anglers submitting fish that meet these weights will receive a bronze pin for their catch.

*Includes bluegill, pumpkinseed, redbreast sunfish, green sunfish, and rock bass

1. All legally licensed anglers are eligible for the Massachusetts Freshwater Sportfishing Awards.
2. Anglers aged 17 or under are eligible for Youth Sportfishing Awards. Anglers aged 15-17 must have a license to fish.
3. Fish must be taken from Massachusetts waters (or interstate pond) that are open to the public at all times. Fish taken from private ponds or fish and game club ponds are NOT eligible for awards. This rule does not apply to the Wachusett or Quabbin Reservoirs or other public bodies of water which are closed on a seasonal basis.
4. Fish must be caught on hook and line.
5. For the catch-and-release category, fish must be measured at the site of capture, photographed against a standard measuring device, then immediately released. Transportation of live fish is prohibited without a permit.
6. A clear, side-view, close-up photograph of the fish against a flat, clearly labeled measuring device must be included with all affidavits. The photo must include the entire fish and the measurement must be clearly discernible. Affidavits for catfish and bullheads must also include a photograph of the top view of the fish (see example below).
7. A total length measurement will be used (see diagram below). All fish measurements will be rounded up to the nearest ¼ inch.
8. Completed affidavits and all required photos must be submitted within 30 days of the date of catch. Note: December affidavits must be submitted no later than January 10th of the following year. We encourage online submissions for faster processing.
9. All photos must be original and unedited. Photos that have been altered in any way or imported into a photo-editing software or otherwise changed from their original form will not be accepted.
10. All photos or images associated with the program, including those submitted by anglers or taken by MassWildlife staff, become property of MassWildlife. Names of anglers and images may be used in agency publications, promotional materials, or for other non-commercial use.
11. MassWildlife reserves the right to change or modify the program rules at any time. All decisions by MassWildlife are final.

                                           Minimum Lengths (Inches) by Species

* Includes bluegill, pumpkinseed, redbreast sunfish, green sunfish and rock bass

View a list of Massachusetts freshwater fish records.

If you think your trophy fish may have broken a state record, it  needs to be weighed by a MassWildlife Fisheries Biologist. Please email Steven.Mattocks@mass.gov to make an appointment to bring your fish into one of our office locations. The fish must be presented in its entirety (whole). In keeping with MassWildlife regulations prohibiting the transportation of live fish without a permit, any fish submitted for weighing must be dead.

View last year's Gold Pin winners.

View last year's Angler of the Year winners and previous winner.

If you're 15 or older, you need a fishing license. Fees vary depending on your age, whether you're a state resident, and whether you have a disability.

The easiest way to enter your catch in the Sportfish Awards Program is by using an online form (catch-and-keep affidavit or catch-and-release affidavit).

If you prefer to print and mail a form use one of the links below: