SPORT FISHING AWARDS

• A STATE RECORD AWARD engraved wall plaque and certificate will be awarded to the angler who catches a fish, of eligible species, which equals or exceeds the weight of the current hook-and-line state record or bowfishing state record. All STATE RECORD fish must be certified by a DNR fisheries biologist. Applications for the STATE RECORD award are available to download from the www.ifishillinois.org website. Completed applications, DNR certification, and a photo documenting your catch must be mailed into the DNR Division of Fisheries.

• A GRAND SLAM AWARD certificate is awarded annually to anglers catching at least one representative from five (5) of the six (6) family categories of Illinois fish (Catfish, Black Bass, Temperate Bass, Esocid, Salmonid, and Perch). Applications for the GRAND SLAM award are available to download from the www.ifishillinois.org website and mail (along with a photo of each catch for documentation) into the DNR Division of Fisheries no later than January 30.

• A MASTER ANGLER AWARD certificate is awarded annually to anglers catching five (5) different species of fish (see listing of eligible fish) which meet or exceed the minimum lengths or minimum weights. Applications for the MASTER ANGLER award are available to download from the www.ifishillinois.org website. Once completed, the application must be mailed into the DNR Division of Fisheries no later than January 30.

• A BIG FISH AWARD certificate will be awarded to the angler who catches and keeps a fish, of eligible species, which equals or exceeds the minimum qualifying weight. Certificates for successful anglers may be printed directly from this website. (Type your personal info on certificate prior to printing.)

• A CATCH AND RELEASE AWARD certificate will be awarded to the angler who catches and releases an eligible fish, which equals or exceeds the minimum qualifying length. Award certificates for successful anglers may be printed directly from this website.(Type your personal info on certificate prior to printing.)

• A JUNIOR ANGLER AWARD certificate is available for download from this website to an angler under 16 years of age who catches their first Illinois fish. Award certificates for successful anglers may be printed directly from this website.(Type your personal info on certificate prior to printing.)

•SPEAR/BOW FISHING AWARDS are available for download from this website for junior anglers and adult anglers who catch fish with legal spear/bow and arrow devices from Illinois waters. Also available is a STATE RECORD award for Bowfishing. Download a Bowfishing State Record Fish application. Bowfishing GRAND SLAM award. Download the application and MASTER ANGLER award, Download the application.

Further information and requirements for each award is provided in the “RULES SECTION”.
Hook-and-Line
Spear/Bow