Dakota Fly Fishers Whopper Catch & Release Club
The Dakota Fly Fishers Whopper Catch & Release Club was the model for North Dakota’s Whopper Catch & Release Club with the exception that trout were not added to the list until 1990. We have not had this going for at least five years now but I think we should bring it back with a few minor changes to keep the coordinator from going insane trying to keep up with it.
The program was first started to encourage catch & release in a state where the only good fish was a dead fish. Within our club, catch & release became the norm with trout and selective release became the norm with other species. The program, however, also had another great side effect. It showed other members where and how bigger fish were being caught and what flies were hot. It was the latter part of this that was the greatest benefit to our members.
The first and biggest change to the program will be in the area from which fish will be eligible. To make it fair for all members no matter where they may live, this eligible area will include all of North Dakota and any state or Canadian Province that shares a border with the state of North Dakota. In other words, all of the states of Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana and the Canadian Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan would be included in the eligible area.
We will also be making changes to the minimum size on some species. The new sizes will be as follows:
|
Rainbow Trout: |
23 inches |
|
Brown Trout: |
23 inches |
|
Brook Trout: |
20 inches |
|
Cutthroat Trout |
23 inches |
|
Golden Trout |
20 inches |
|
Tiger Trout: |
23 inches |
|
Bull Trout |
25 inches |
|
Spar: |
23 inches |
|
Splake: |
25 inches |
|
Arctic Char |
23 Inches |
|
Lake Trout: |
30 Inches |
|
King Salmon |
28 inches |
|
Grayling |
21 Inches |
|
Northern Pike |
36 Inches |
|
Musky |
36 Inches |
|
Largemouth Bass |
18 Inches |
|
Smallmouth Bass |
16 Inches |
|
Walleye |
25 Inches |
|
Sauger |
21 Inches |
Release Optional for the following:
|
White Bass |
17 Inches |
|
White Crappie |
17 Inches |
|
Black Crappie |
17 Inches |
|
Bluegill |
12 Inches |
|
Yellow Perch |
15 Inches |
|
Rock Bass |
14 Inches |
This list includes most species of fish that you have a chance of encountering here and the bordering states/provinces. While catch & release is optional on the panfish species, I thought that it would be a nice touch to add them to our program. The increase in the size requirement is just to ease our record keeping. In 1996, for example, I had around 250 trout that would have qualified at 21 inches. By raising the size limit for many of the trout, it will ease the record keeping. I put it at 23 inches for rainbows and browns more for the benefit of people who fish mainly in the state. I would have otherwise set it at 25 inches.
The following information is required to register the fish:
1. Species of Fish
2. Anglers name
3. Body of water in which the fish was caught
4. State or province where caught
5. Length of the fish
6. The fly name
7. Size hook
8. Fly line Type (i.e. Uniform Sink 1)
9. Date the fish was caught
The program is run on the honor system but if you have a digital photo, we would like to get copy to put on the website. To register a fish, either email it to me, Bob Morenski at rmmorski@restel.net or to the Dakota Fly Fishers at dffclub@min.midco.net.
Alternatively, you can send it to my home address:
Bob Morenski,
PO Box 32,
Parshall, ND 58770
I will have forms available at our meetings.