Rhode Island Game Fish Award Program
DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife's Game Fish Award program annually recognizes anglers who have caught freshwater and saltwater game fish of notable size. For a catch to be eligible, an angler must catch a qualifying fish by rod and reel, tie-up, or handline by legal means in Rhode Island waters. To accommodate both 'catch and release' and harvest fishing, the angler can take a photo of the fish using a hand-scale and/or ruler or bring the catch to an official weigh station. The angler must then complete and sign the Game Fish Award Application and submit it via mail to the address on the form or email kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov. Game Fish Awards are mailed out in the spring of the following year. Anglers are eligible for one award per person per year. Awards are issued for each species of game fish caught that meets the minimum size requirements listed below. Both Gamefish Awards and State records measure the fish according to total length (TL) – from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail.
Minimum Size Requirements for Game Fish Award
| Qualifying Freshwater Species |
Length |
Weight |
| Smallmouth bass | 19 inches | 4 lbs |
| Largemouth bass | 22 inches | 6 lbs |
| Bluegill | 9 inches | 0.5lbs |
| Pumpkinseed | 8 inches | 0.3lbs |
| Black Crappie | 12 inches | 0.9lbs |
| Yellow perch | 12 inches | 0.85 |
| White perch | 15 inches | 1.6lbs< |
| Brown bullhead | 13 inches | 0.99lbs |
| White catfish | 20 inches | 4 lbs. |
| Chain pickerel | 25 inches | 4 lbs. |
| Northern Pike | 34 inches | 10 lbs. |
| Brook trout | 16 inches | 2 lbs. |
| Brown trout | 19 inches | 3 lbs. |
| Rainbow trout | 20 inches | 3 lbs. |
| Landlocked Atlantic Salmon | 16 inches | 2 lbs |
| Common Carp | 32 inches | 29 lbs |
| Qualifying Saltwater Species |
Length |
Weight |
| Striped bass | 48 | 50 lbs. |
| Black Sea Bass | 20 | 4 lbs. |
| Bluefish | 32 | 14 lbs. |
| Bonito | 25 | 8 lbs. |
| Cod | 38< | 20 lbs |
| Winter Flounder | 16 | 3 lbs. |
| Summer Flounder | 25 | 6 lbs. |
| King Mackerel | 19 | 3 lbs. |
| Mackerel | 15 | 1 lbs. |
| White Marlin | 72 | 70 lbs. |
| Pollock | 36 | 15 lbs. |
| Scup | 13 | 2 ½ lbs. |
| Hickory Shad | 18 | 2 lbs. |
| Blue Shark | 72 | 80 lbs. |
| Mako Shark | 90 | 300 lbs. |
| Swordfish | 70 | 170 lbs. |
| Squeteague (Weakfish) | 24 | 4.5 lbs. |
| Tautog | 23 | 10 lbs. |
| Bluefin Tuna | 90 | 450 lbs. |
| Yellowfin Tuna | 56 | 125 lbs. |
| False albacore | 24 | 5 lbs. |
| Spanish mackerel | 24 | 4.5 lbs |
| Chub mackerel | 14 | 1 lbs. |
| Haddock | 30 | 10 lbs. |
| Cobia | 48 | 50 lbs. |
| Grey triggerfish | 17 | 3 lbs. |
