Wyoming Game and Fish are searching for Master Anglers

The Wyoming Game and Fish have awarded 900 master anglers, 25 trophy anglers and two ultimate anglers since the inception of the Master Anglers program approximately a year ago.

According to a press release, those anglers showed the Wyoming Game and Fish Department their impressive catches through the Master Anglers program and were awarded as Master Anglers, a designation to honor those who catch trophy-sized game fish in Wyoming waters.

Catching one trophy-sized fish earns the title of master angler, a species-specific decal sticker and recognition on the Game and Fish website. 

Five different trophy-length species designates someone as a Trophy Angler, carrying the same prizes as a Master Angler and a commemorative medallion. Those who catch 10 different trophy species get the title of Ultimate Angler and earn the Trophy Angler prizes as well as a special prize package.

Participating in the program is easy, even if catching a trophy is challenging. An angler who lands a fish that meets or exceeds the minimum qualifying length from snout to the tip of a pinched tail must take and submit a side-view photograph of the fish. 

Include an object in the photograph, such as a ruler or a coin, to validate the length. Submit the photo, angler information and details about the species and where it was caught onto the Game and Fish website. 

Trophy fish represent the largest fish in the state—  the top 5% — of the 24 eligible species. Some fisheries in Wyoming are managed for trophy sizes while others are for high catch rates and species diversity. Anglers can use information from the Master Angler webpage to see which waters have yielded trophy fish.

“We have received eligible fish from tiny creeks and ponds to our largest rivers and reservoirs and have awarded Master Angler entries for every species except shovelnose sturgeon,” Mark Smith, Game and Fish assistant fisheries management coordinator said. 

The Master Angler program has been wildly popular amongst Wyoming anglers, Smith said. Fish must be legally caught in Wyoming after June 1, 2019, to be eligible for the Master Angler program.
To submit an entry or for measurement tips and a list of masters, visit wgfd.wyo.gov/Fishing-and-Boating/Master-Angler.