Angler Recognition Program
“Trophy-sized fish” that are caught in Virginia waters can be registered through the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources' Angler Recognition Program. This program grants:
Trophy Fish Awards: Certificates for registration of trophy size fish.
Expert Angler Awards: Certificates and patches for registration of 10 trophy fish of the same species.
Master Angler Awards I-V: Certificates and patches for registration of 5 trophy fish of different species. Five successive levels.
Angler of the Month: Pins for registration of the largest trophy fish of each species, by certified weight, each month.
Angler of the Year: Pins for registration of the largest trophy fish of each species, by certified weight, each year.
Creel of the Year: Recognizes the angler who catches and registers the most trophy-sized fish from January 1 through December 31, annually. Accolade presented is determined annually.
Please note: Tiger trout was inadvertently added to the Trophy Fish Lengths and Weights table in the print version of the 2025 Virginia Freshwater Fishing & Boating digest. Tiger trout is currently not a species that is offered in the Virginia Angler Recognition Program.
Trophy Catch Submissions
Click here to view all Trophy Catch awarded submissions (beta)