Welcome into the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame!

A big fish is a big fish (this just writes itself...), but when a big fish is big enough to be able to earn the one who caught it a place in the state's own Hall of Fame...? Now, that is a big fish.

Back on May 5th of this year, I went out to a local creek with a good friend and fishing buddy of mine named Yuhon. Our goal was to catch a good-sized fish. We didn't care all too much about the species, but we wanted a good fight and a big fish to show for a camera.

Now, at this creek, most people fish the mouth of the creek, which is where the creek meets the mighty Mississippi River. Yuhon and I took this into consideration and so we traveled up the creek to find fish swimming in small pools above the river.

After a bit of searching, we stumbled upon a shoal of suckers and a few large carp. Also fishing for these suckers and carp was a kid named Owen. I've only ever seen Owen once before, but this was down at the mouth of the creek about a year earlier. (Do you guys remember my story of the time I caught my first ever Freshwater Drum?... Well, yeah! Owen was there for that!) Owen and I caught each other up on our previous year's successes while we fished with a small circle hook below a split shot weight, drifting a nightcrawler in the creek for one of these big suckers or carp.

After several failed attempts at hooking into one, I finally got one. The fish pulled drag on my light weight rod and reel setup and I nearly slipped into the creek more than once. After I secured the fish in my hands (I needed a net badly...), the fish slipped out from my hands... INTO THE CREEK!

Owen, being the absolute hero that he is, caught the fish before the fish swam off and he handed me the fish to be measured on the bump board. Yuhon took a photo of me holding the behemoth and even saw the fish's tail pass right at the mark of 20 inches in length.

"That's a master angler," I thought to myself.

I released the Redhorse and the fish swam off strong. I was in disbelief that I may be able to secure my first ever master angler award. When I got home, I filled out the form to apply for the award and got the eye-witness's information as well. Thank you, Yuhon!

...

It wasn't until a week later that I got an email from the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame that my 20-inch Silver Redhorse catch was approved as a master angler sized fish. I was ecstatic over getting my first ever award for fishing and now...

Now I've got a new goal...

...

To become a Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame... GRAND MASTER ANGLER!

Grand Master: Open to any legal angler who has released or harvested five trophy fish. Each fish must be a different species and must be caught in the same year.

Someday... I'll achieve that goal...