Photo: Matthew Hammer of White Bear Township, MN Fish and Wildlife Facebook

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - May 22, 2026

This is not a tall tale. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced earlier this week that it had certified a new state catch-and-release record for lake trout. According to the MN Fish and Wildlife division of the DNR, Matthew Hammer of White Bear Township caught a 44-inch lake trout from Lake Superior during April of this year.

The previous catch-and-release lake trout record was set in 2025 by Isaiah Bartlett of Culver, who caught a 43.25-inch fish in the St. Louis County portion of Lake Superior. If you're doing the math, Hammer's catch set the new record by .75 inches. 

When it comes to certifying records, the DNR has specific rules on eligibility, measurement, and documentation, available here. Fish must be caught during open seasons within Minnesota or designated boundary waters. Fish cannot be caught from private, club, or government hatcheries, nor can they be taken from bodies of water lacking public access. 

Physical documentation is also required. Length must be measured in a straight line from the tip of the snout to the tip of the squeezed tail, utilizing a flat measuring device. The entire measuring tool, showing the snout at the zero mark and the pinched tail, must be clearly visible in accompanying photographs.

For those hoping to break a weight-based record, fish must be weighed on a certified scale and examined at an Area Fisheries Office, where two DNR fisheries biologists must officially verify the species identity. All submitted applications and photographic documentation must be received by DNR Fisheries within 90 days of the catch to undergo official review and final validation.