12-15-2004, 02:27 AM
Date: 12/07/04
Contact: Geoffrey Schneider
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500
FIVE STATE RECORD FISH CAUGHT IN NEVADA DURING 2004
Nevada’s anglers apparently didn’t let the drought conditions that plagued the state this year affect them too much as they reeled in five fish that will likely go into the books as new state records, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
Mark Warren, NDOW staff biologist, said that in addition to the potential new state records, 10 fish were caught that set individual water records and more than 50 certificates were issued by the agency to anglers for catching “trophy” fish.
“Normally we average two or three state records per year and some years we don’t have any records broken. So this has been a very good year and it’s not over yet,” said Warren.
One record that was set this year and will likely be difficult to surpass in the near future is a 6-pound, 11-ounce bullhead catfish that was caught by Wayne Logan of Las Vegas on June 29 in a farm pond near Lida Junction. Taken with store bought catfish bait, it more than doubled the old record of 3 pounds, 5 ounces.
Two state records were caught in June in Big Bend State Park along the Colorado River below Laughlin. They included a bluegill weighing 2 pounds, 3 ounces caught by Mike Scott of Laughlin and a 2-pound, 5-ounce redear sunfish taken by Bill Condon of Bullhead City, Ariz. [left]The first record of the year was caught on Jan. 24 at Lake Tahoe when Gregg Harris of Truckee, Calif. pulled in a 3-pound, 4-ounce mountain whitefish. The 20-inch fish was caught with a live worm. [/left]
A wiper that was 33½ inches in length and weighed 18 pounds, 8 ounces became the new state record when caught by Dan Hannum of Dayton on Sept. 5 in Lahontan Reservoir. A wiper is a hybrid fish that is a cross between a striped bass and a white bass.
Warren said that there are several state records that he believes will be broken in the near future, if not next year. These include the current spotted bass record of 4 pounds, 2 ounces as well as the wiper record.
“Spotted bass were stocked in Lahontan and Rye Patch reservoirs in the past 10 years. I expect some will eventually come in at around 5 to 6 pounds,” he said.
Wipers were introduced into Lahontan and Rye Patch more than 10 years ago as well as in very limited numbers more recently at Wildhorse and South Fork reservoirs. He believes these fish will eventually grow to around 25 pounds.
Trophy fish certificates are issued by NDOW to anglers who catch fish that are of a certain minimum size, depending upon the species. Anglers who catch a state record fish receive an engraved plaque from the agency to recognize their accomplishment.
Warren said that this recognition program gives anglers something to shoot for and some anglers have a lot of bragging rights because of the large number of certificates they have been awarded. It also provides NDOW’s biologists with valuable information about the fisheries they manage.
Anglers who have caught a state record or trophy fish during 2004 have until the end of January 2005 to submit it for official recognition.
A list of the state record fish and information about the trophy fish program are available in Nevada’s fishing regulations booklets, which are available free at all NDOW offices and online at www.ndow.org.
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Contact: Geoffrey Schneider
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500
FIVE STATE RECORD FISH CAUGHT IN NEVADA DURING 2004
Nevada’s anglers apparently didn’t let the drought conditions that plagued the state this year affect them too much as they reeled in five fish that will likely go into the books as new state records, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
Mark Warren, NDOW staff biologist, said that in addition to the potential new state records, 10 fish were caught that set individual water records and more than 50 certificates were issued by the agency to anglers for catching “trophy” fish.
“Normally we average two or three state records per year and some years we don’t have any records broken. So this has been a very good year and it’s not over yet,” said Warren.
One record that was set this year and will likely be difficult to surpass in the near future is a 6-pound, 11-ounce bullhead catfish that was caught by Wayne Logan of Las Vegas on June 29 in a farm pond near Lida Junction. Taken with store bought catfish bait, it more than doubled the old record of 3 pounds, 5 ounces.
Two state records were caught in June in Big Bend State Park along the Colorado River below Laughlin. They included a bluegill weighing 2 pounds, 3 ounces caught by Mike Scott of Laughlin and a 2-pound, 5-ounce redear sunfish taken by Bill Condon of Bullhead City, Ariz. [left]The first record of the year was caught on Jan. 24 at Lake Tahoe when Gregg Harris of Truckee, Calif. pulled in a 3-pound, 4-ounce mountain whitefish. The 20-inch fish was caught with a live worm. [/left]
A wiper that was 33½ inches in length and weighed 18 pounds, 8 ounces became the new state record when caught by Dan Hannum of Dayton on Sept. 5 in Lahontan Reservoir. A wiper is a hybrid fish that is a cross between a striped bass and a white bass.
Warren said that there are several state records that he believes will be broken in the near future, if not next year. These include the current spotted bass record of 4 pounds, 2 ounces as well as the wiper record.
“Spotted bass were stocked in Lahontan and Rye Patch reservoirs in the past 10 years. I expect some will eventually come in at around 5 to 6 pounds,” he said.
Wipers were introduced into Lahontan and Rye Patch more than 10 years ago as well as in very limited numbers more recently at Wildhorse and South Fork reservoirs. He believes these fish will eventually grow to around 25 pounds.
Trophy fish certificates are issued by NDOW to anglers who catch fish that are of a certain minimum size, depending upon the species. Anglers who catch a state record fish receive an engraved plaque from the agency to recognize their accomplishment.
Warren said that this recognition program gives anglers something to shoot for and some anglers have a lot of bragging rights because of the large number of certificates they have been awarded. It also provides NDOW’s biologists with valuable information about the fisheries they manage.
Anglers who have caught a state record or trophy fish during 2004 have until the end of January 2005 to submit it for official recognition.
A list of the state record fish and information about the trophy fish program are available in Nevada’s fishing regulations booklets, which are available free at all NDOW offices and online at www.ndow.org.
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