The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) has released the Vermont Master Angler Program 2025 Report with 1,222 entries and 90 Master Angler Award recipients.
The Vermont Master Angler Program recognizes the achievements of anglers who catch trophy-sized fish from Vermont waters and celebrates the clean water and healthy habitats that allow these fish to survive and grow to exceptional sizes.
The Vermont Master Angler program is a length-based program that sets “trophy sized” benchmarks for 37 eligible fish species. While these trophy-sized fish are a challenge to catch, they are attainable for anglers that develop the necessary knowledge and skills.
Anglers catching a fish exceeding the minimum qualifying length in any of the 37 species categories can receive a certificate commemorating their catch. Their names and catches are also included in the Vermont Master Angler Annual Report posted annually on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website.
Anglers demonstrating the skill necessary to catch multiple species that all exceed the minimum qualifying lengths in the same calendar year are recognized as “Vermont Master Anglers” and receive a unique one-of-a-kind lapel pin at the end of the year. To qualify for the annual Vermont Master Angler Pin, an angler must submit qualifying entries for five or more species within a calendar year.
2025 was a record year for this very successful department fishing program, with 1,222 entries approved, 361 of which were from youth anglers.
There were also 90 Vermont Master Angler award recipients in 2025, 28 of which were youth anglers. Youth anglers have a slightly lower minimum qualifying length for each species.
The Master Angler program provides VFWD with information on the quality of fishing throughout the state and helps promote the many fishing opportunities that Vermont has to offer
New changes for 2026 reflect the increasing interest anglers have in pursuing a diversity of fish species.
“When we first created the program 16 years ago, we made the decision to group Redhorse Sucker into a single category, mainly so that anglers wouldn’t have to try to separate the species, which admittedly can be a challenge to correctly identify,” said state fisheries biologist Shawn Good.
Good explained that, starting this year, all three Redhorse that are found in Vermont have their own category. The Master Angler page has been updated with information on the differences between the native suckers.
Minimum length categories for some species like freshwater drum and rainbow trout have been revised in 2026 to be more in line with “trophy sized” specimens of those species.
Vermont’s wealth of waters and abundant fish populations provide many opportunities to experience outstanding fishing.
Information about the Vermont Master Angler Program Annual Report can be found on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website.
source: Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
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