|
Forums59
Topics1,057,766
Posts14,290,280
Members144,614
|
|
Most Online39,925
Dec 30th, 2023
|
|
| Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade #15334004 02/16/25 10:50 PM |
|
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
Osbornfishing  OP
TFF Team Angler
|
| OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
|
It took me over a decade of trying, but I finally documented my 10th freshwater species big fish award. That equates to completing the Freshwater Elite Angler qualification twice. The freshwater elite angler qualification is much harder than the saltwater qualification. Here is a list of the species I caught:
Common Carp
Largemouth Bass
White Bass
Hybrid Striped Bass
Channel Catfish
Rainbow Trout
Black Buffalo
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Redbreast Sunfish
The Elite Angler Program is a lot of fun. You should give it a try.
Here are the guidelines:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/rules/other_awards.phtml#elite
|
|
 Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: Osbornfishing] #15335457 02/18/25 05:33 PM |
|
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 205
LastCastPodcast 
Outdoorsman
|
|
Outdoorsman
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 205
|
Nice! I’ve had my eye on the channel catfish cert but that’s a heavy lift.
No rio grande cichlid? That’s not too hard to get in the Austin area.
Anyone max out all the big fish certs? There should be an extra award for that.
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: LastCastPodcast] #15335781 02/18/25 11:42 PM |
|
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
Osbornfishing OP
TFF Team Angler
|
| OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
|
Nice! I’ve had my eye on the channel catfish cert but that’s a heavy lift.
No rio grande cichlid? That’s not too hard to get in the Austin area.
Anyone max out all the big fish certs? There should be an extra award for that.
I have worked hard to get the channel catfish and missed it by a half inch a few times. Still on my list. 
I don’t fish much in Rio water, but it is also on the list.
I doubt if anyone has maxed out either list, but I would love to hear about it. I am only 6 short on the saltwater, but getting all of those would be a really heavy lift. I suggested that TPWD add a 2X or 3X after an elite anglers name for multiple completions, but there wasn’t enough interest to change the program.
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: Osbornfishing] #15335837 02/19/25 01:31 AM |
|
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 81,113
 banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
|
|
Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 81,113
|
I have gotten BFA on the following.
#1. Bluegill
#2. Longnose Gar
#3. Blue Catfish
#4. Flathead Catfish
#5. Redear Sunfish
#6. Redbreast Sunfish
#7. Rio Grande Cichlid
#8. Hybrid Sunfish
#9. Large Mouth Bass
#10. Common Carp.
#11. Rainbow Trout
#12. White Crappie
![[Linked Image]](https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/823/ycku.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/560/ukw3.jpg)
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap.
John 3:16
Sinner’s Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: banker-always fishing] #15335891 02/19/25 02:51 AM |
|
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
Osbornfishing OP
TFF Team Angler
|
| OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
|
I have gotten BFA on the following.
#1. Bluegill
#2. Longnose Gar
#3. Blue Catfish
#4. Flathead Catfish
#5. Redear Sunfish
#6. Redbreast Sunfish
#7. Rio Grande Cichlid
#8. Hybrid Sunfish
#9. Large Mouth Bass
#10. Common Carp.
#11. Rainbow Trout
#12. White Crappie
That is an amazing list.  I founded it interesting that they included Sunfish on the list. That is the only name listed that would cover multiple species.
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: Osbornfishing] #15335930 02/19/25 03:21 AM |
|
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 81,113
banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
|
|
Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 81,113
|
I am also surprised by that also about sunfish being on the list. They did not add the Rio until 2010. I think that was the last fish added to the Freshwater Elite Angler list of trophy species. 
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap.
John 3:16
Sinner’s Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: banker-always fishing] #15335936 02/19/25 03:38 AM |
|
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
Osbornfishing OP
TFF Team Angler
|
| OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
|
I am also surprised by that also about sunfish being on the list. They did not add the Rio until 2010. I think that was the last fish added to the Freshwater Elite Angler list of trophy species.
And did you have anything to do with adding Rio to the list? 
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: Osbornfishing] #15336095 02/19/25 01:52 PM |
|
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,657
J-Moe
TFF Team Angler
|
|
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,657
|
I too have caught 10 big fish species, plus a couple hybrid species that don’t count. All on the fly. I thought about asking Grace if she would add the other 5 species to my elite angler certificate. Never did yet though and not sure it’s possible. 2 that I’ve caught not on the lists above are a Guadalupe bass and a small mouth buffalo.
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: J-Moe] #15336416 02/19/25 05:58 PM |
|
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
Osbornfishing OP
TFF Team Angler
|
| OP
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,403
|
I too have caught 10 big fish species, plus a couple hybrid species that don’t count. All on the fly. I thought about asking Grace if she would add the other 5 species to my elite angler certificate. Never did yet though and not sure it’s possible. 2 that I’ve caught not on the lists above are a Guadalupe bass and a small mouth buffalo.
Copy the 5 new big fish awards and send copies to the angler record site and request a new certificate for those species. It worked for me. I have 2 freshwater and 3 saltwater certificates now. The program is 20 years old and several anglers probably have multiple completions. Maybe if enough of us request it they will add recognition for multiple completions.
|
|
| Re: Big Fish Awards and Elite Angler – 10 species took over a decade [Re: Osbornfishing] #15336639 02/19/25 10:01 PM |
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 25,091
lconn4
TFF Guru
|
|
TFF Guru
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 25,091
|
I have gotten BFA on the following.
#1. Bluegill
#2. Longnose Gar
#3. Blue Catfish
#4. Flathead Catfish
#5. Redear Sunfish
#6. Redbreast Sunfish
#7. Rio Grande Cichlid
#8. Hybrid Sunfish
#9. Large Mouth Bass
#10. Common Carp.
#11. Rainbow Trout
#12. White Crappie
That is an amazing list. I founded it interesting that they included Sunfish on the list. That is the only name listed that would cover multiple species.
|
|
Moderated by banker-always fishing, chickenman, Derek , Duck_Hunter, Fish Killer, J-2, Jacob, Jons3825, JustWingem, Nocona Brian, Toon-Troller, Uncle Zeek, Weekender1 |
Source
