Previous outdoors and conservation news are also available on-line. The new program, which began with the general fishing opener last May, is intended to provide anglers with an opportunity to share the excitement of their catch as well as to provide the DNR with important information for it fisheries management program, explains Karl Scheidegger, who is coordinating the club for the DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection. Membership in the club is free and open to all Wisconsin anglers, residents and nonresidents alike. Anglers must first satisfy the requirements of one of the three categories and, if over 16 years old, possess a valid fishing license. All fish must be caught by pole, hook and line following all state fishing regulations.
Anglers can qualify for membership in any or all of the three categories.
The fish must be weighed whole and unfrozen to the nearest half ounce on a certified scale in the presence of two witnesses. The fish must be measured to the nearest quarter inch in the presence of one witness. Each entry must be accompanied by a clear, side-view photo of the fish that must be taken at the site of the catch. Kept Fish and Live Release entries will receive attractive certificates along with species-specific patches. Certificates and patches will be awarded for every 10 species caught and released in the Mixed-Bag category.