Master Angler Program

Sponsored by St. Croix Rods

Are you ready for a challenge? WI Women Fish has a program to encourage club members to strive for quality fish, investigate angling opportunities, and provide some friendly competition at club events and on individual outings. The Master Angler Program is a two-part program that provides recognition for women that have pursued and caught quality fish based on established length criteria and have expanded their fishing knowledge by pursuing a variety of game and panfish.

Master Angler Award: Part 1
A Master Angler Award will be awarded to each member for their first fish caught in a category that meets or exceeds the minimum length requirement and is appropriately documented. A member may earn more than one Master Angler Award by catching a quality fish of another species; however, only one award per species will be awarded, regardless of the number of quality fish caught.

Angler of the Year: Part 2
Angler of the Year is presented to the club member able to catch a quality fish from the greatest number of categories. Multiple fish within a single category and the overall length of the fish will not be factored into the calculation for Angler of the Year. In the event of a tie, a Fish-Off will occur at Fall Fish Camp to determine the winner. WI Women Fishʼs Angler of the Year will receive a St. Croix rod of their choice. A big thank you to St Croix for helping with our program!

Senior Master Angler - If you earn 10 Master Angler pins, you can turn in 9 of them and we will give you a Gold Master Angler Pin.

Rules:

• Only current members, in good standing of WI Women Fish can receive an award for their catch.
• The Master Angler Program runs from September 1st to August 31st each year. Awards (Master Angler pins) are presented at the Fall Fish Camp for the previous year's Master Anglers and WI Women Fish's Angler of the Year.
• All submissions must include two photographs: 1) a "Hero Shot", which is you holding the fish 2) a photo CLEARLY depicting the length on a valid bump board.
• BUMP BOARDS: all measuring devices must be commercially made. You are required to have a board with a 90 degree bend which marks 0 and at least 1/4" lines. No handmade measuring boards, stickers, or tape measures will be allowed. No sliding or retractable measuring devices are allowed. If your measurement is not clearly readable in your submission photo, it may not be accepted.
• Each fish meeting or exceeding the minimum length criteria must be accompanied by a photograph CLEARLY depicting the length with proper measuring techniques. Fish are to be measured on a valid measuring device...a flat "bump" board with the nose butted up against the edge, mouth closed, and the tail pinched. 
• If the tail is touching the graduation line on the board, then that is the exact measurement. No rounding up for this one!
• Fish MUST be entered within 30 days of being caught.
• Large fish are difficult to measure with a bump board and photographs. We recommend taking a video for these fish. It is helpful to carry a tape measure with you, in the event that you catch a large fish. Lay your tape measure on the ground, above the bump board. Make sure your numbers are lined up with each other and lay your fish on the board. The tape measure will extend past the end of the board, and as long as some of the measurements are visibly matched up,  we will use the tape measure to determine the exact length. Start your video above the fish, with the entire thing in view. Then move in to the nose and pan the entire length of the fish, making sure the numbers near the tail are visible. End your video by backing up to include the entire fish in the frame.
• Fishing has to be legal and in inland waters and Great Lakes of the US and Canada only.
• Participants are responsible for their own safety, actions, and property at all times.
• All submissions are at the discretion of the MA Director and will be disqualified if the measuring criteria is not met.

Personal integrity from each member demonstrates our commitment to providing fun, exciting, and educational fishing opportunities. Remember, WI Women Fish encourages CPR (catch, photograph, release) of these quality fish to sustain future fisheries. In order to encourage mentoring of fellow club members, we limit the Angler of the Year Award to be won once every 5 year period. Prior winners should help grow the skills of the less experienced Anglers.

Master Angler Minimum Length Criteria