​The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) maintains state records for sport fish and awards a plaque to anglers whose catch exceeds the current state record or establishes a new species category.​

​​Current State Records  Procedures​ and Rules​​

Procedures and Rules

• Call 410-991-0748 or email [email protected] to report a potential state record catch.​
  
• Keep the fish whole until a positive identification of the species of fish is verified by the state. Coordinate with MD DNR staff to have the catch inspected.
  
• In order to preserve the fish's weight, it is recommended to immerse the fish in ice water until it can be officially weighed.
• State record fish are determined by weight and must be weighed by a second party on a certified scale. Most fishing tackle shops do not have certified scales, so call ahead. Establishments that sell products by weight such as grocery stores, seafood retailers, and mailing/shipping outlets should have a certified scale and may be willing to help.
• Complete and submit to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources a completed State Record Application within two (2) weeks of when the fish was caught. A State Record Application requires the following information:
• Anglers name
• Anglers email address
• Anglers phone number
• Anglers home address
• Species caught
• Date of catch
• Region and location caught
• Certified weight (*as measured on a certified scale)
• Scale operators name
• Scale operators signature
• Name of establishment where fish was weighed
• Anglers signature
• Fish that have been snagged, shot, gaffed*, speared, scaled, or mutilated are not eligible. *Gaffing is illegal in the Chesapeake Bay, but is allowed for securing and boating fish in ocean waters, after they have been brought to the side of the boat with rod and reel. 
• Except for fish in the invasive species category, all fish must be legally caught with rod and reel during its open season. From the time that a fish strikes or takes a bait or lure, the angler must hook and fight the fish without the aid of any other person. The reel must be operated manually. Once the leader is brought to the rod tip, one or more people may help land the fish.
• Fish designated as an invasive species (currently Chesapeake channa, aka Northern snakehead, blue catfish, and flathead catfish) must be killed and may be caught by all legal recreational fishing gear, including rod and reel, bow and arrow, spear, trotline, jugline, etc..​
  
• The weight of submitted catches ​is​ required to match an existing record or break it by at least one tenth of a pound in order to be considered for recognition. Weights will be rounded to the nearest tenth of a pound when submitted to the hundreth of a pound. (Example, 1.15 to 2.14 pounds will round to 2.1 and 2.15 to 2.24 will round to 2.2.)​
  
• Fish caught from privately-owned fee fishing waters are not eligible for record consideration.
• The addition of a new species is determined by MD DNR in consultation with the Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission. For MD DNR to consider opening a new species category for state record recognition, the catch must be considered a trophy- sized game fish by MD DNR.
• It is the angler's responsibility to provide all of the information and clear photograph(s) of the catch.
• The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will determine the species of fish, in any manner it chooses. MD DNR reserves the right to reject the application if it cannot verify the species caught.
  
• Contact Information
  Keith Lockwood
  
  Phone: 410-991-0748​ 
  email [email protected]. ​
• The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reserves the right to investigate the methods used in catching the fish and the accuracy of measuring and weighing.
• The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reserves the right to reject any application.​

 State Record App​lication.​

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