An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
It's easy. Just catch the biggest fish around. Be one of the few to qualify for our trophy fish program. Earn three awards, and you can also claim the best of the best title: Master Angler.
Anglers who catch, by pole and line, any of the eligible fish species listed below, meeting the minimum length requirements shown below, may qualify for the Trophy Fish Awards Program. When an angler submits their first qualifying trophy fish, they will receive an initial Trophy Fish Award patch and sticker, as well as a Fish Species patch and sticker depicting the species caught.
You can earn a fabulous patch featuring a unique fish illustration by our Agency Artist, Rick Hill. (Species pictured from Left to Right: Kentucky Bass, Redear Sunfish, Chain Pickerel, and Rainbow Trout.)
The self-printable Trophy Fish certificate will be available on the angler’s My Profile account. For each additional submission of a qualifying trophy fish of a different species, an angler will receive a Fish Species patch and sticker for those fish.
How to Apply for the Trophy Fish Award
1. Log in to My Profile
Log in to your My Profile account and select the “Trophy Fish Award Program” button on the right side for desktop or scroll to the bottom of the page for mobile users.
2. Verify Your Information
Please verify your information in the online form. Check for any errors in your address or any misspellings in the information you provided. We will use this information to mail your patches and stickers, or to contact you if we have any questions.
3. Submit Your Catch
Submit Your Catch by entering all of the requested information. You must upload a photograph. (Acceptable formats include JPEG, JPG, GIF, and PNG).
4. Wait for Confirmation
After an angler submits their third different species of qualifying fish and it is approved, they are eligible to apply for the coveted Master Angler Award. Anglers will receive the Master Angler Award patch and sticker, as well as the ability to print the Master Angler Award certificate. There is no time limit for catching the three different species, but each catch must be documented and registered as a trophy fish with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife since the program began in 1987.
How to Apply for the Master Angler Award
1. Log in to MyProfile
Log in to your My Profile account and select the “Master Angler” button on the right side for desktop or scroll to the bottom of the page for mobile users.
2. Click "Request Master Angler"
At the bottom of the form, click the "Request Master Angler" button. Then select the three species you caught that you want to qualify for your Master Angler Award.
Submit Your Catch. If your submitted fish was caught after 2011, no additional information is needed. If any of your fish were caught prior to 2011, please list additional information about the catch in the "Additional Details" box.
Please review the following terms and conditions for both the Trophy Fish and Master Angler Certificate programs.
Additional fish of the same species will not receive additional patches and stickers, but the angler may still print out a Trophy Fish certificate for each qualifying fish.
Anglers can qualify for the Kentucky Trophy Fish Award program by catching any one fish of the following game and rough fish that meets or exceeds a minimum length. Here's the current list of eligible species and their minimum length requirements (in inches) for the patches and certificates. Please check back or check the most recent edition of the Kentucky Fishing and Boating Guide for updated information on this species list.