Record Fish Program

New Burbot State Record Set Just Before Turn of New Year

As the end of the year approached, it appeared there would be no State Record fish caught in 2022. That was until Scott Skafar reeled in a burbot weighing 10.2 lbs from Lake Michigan, surpassing the previous mark set in 1990 by 2.5 lbs. Scott was targeting lake trout out of Portage on December 30, when he landed what turned out to be a memorable fish.

Of the 55 species recognized by the program, Lake Michigan currently holds more records than any other body of water. Other state record catches from Lake Michigan include Atlantic salmon, brown trout, pink salmon, tiger trout, coho salmon, lake trout, and lake whitefish. Other bodies of water that have produced multiple state records include the Wabash, White, Tippecanoe, and Ohio rivers, Clear Lake, and Trail Creek.

If you think you’ve caught a state record fish, follow the steps below to get it certified:

• Both weight and length measurements are required for record fish entries. The weight measurement must be taken before the fish is frozen, on a scale certified by the State of Indiana to be accurate to 1 ounce. Each district’s DNR fisheries biologist (on.IN.gov/fisheriesbiologist) has a certified scale. You can also find certified scales at meat markets or farm-related retailers.
• If a DNR scale is not used, obtain and submit a copy of the Scale Inspection Report from the owner of the store where the fish is weighed.
• Submit a photo or printed meat packaging label (if available) showing the weight of the fish and the location where it was weighed.
• After weighing, the fish may be gutted and iced, but not filleted or otherwise cut up. The fish must be available for inspection and identification and may require verification by a DFW fisheries biologist. It is the responsibility of the angler to schedule a time to have the fish examined by a DFW fisheries biologist.
• Two witnesses who are not relatives of the angler must observe the weight and length measurement and sign the entry form (found at fishing.IN.gov).
• Provide side-view photograph(s) of the fish and a copy of the angler’s fishing license, if the angler requires a license.

These records are waiting to be broken, so get out on the water and go fish!