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TWRA Fisheries Management Division

Tennessee Angler Recognition Program
TARP

Last Update: June 27, 2008
TARP Certificate

What is the Tennessee Angler Recognition Program?

The Tennessee Angler Recognition Program (TARP) allows anglers to have their trophy fish recognized by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Anglers of any age, who catch qualifying fish species that meet or exceed the qualifying lengths may apply. The TWRA Fisheries Management Division sends those accomplished anglers certificates featuring color reproductions of fish artwork by renowned wildlife artist Joseph R. Tomelleri. 

The program is designed to acknowledge anglers for outstanding sportfishing accomplishments, encourage catch-and-release of trophy size fish, and provide the TWRA with information on large fish caught throughout the state.

TARP should not be confused with the State Record Fish program that recognizes anglers who catch a new state record fish (largest fish recorded for that species in the state.) Instead, TARP recognizes anglers who catch trophy-size fish that are not necessarily state records. 

Trophy Fish/Master Angler Certificates 

TARP features four levels of angler recognition. Anglers catching a fish that meets or exceeds the minimum "trophy" length requirements, listed in the table below, will recieve a Trophy Fish Certificate (click for example) . These certificates feature Joeseph R. Tomelleri artwork representing the species caught by the applicant and are suitable for framing. After anglers catch five trophy size fish in any combination, a Master Angler level I certificate and patch will be awarded at no cost to the angler. Anglers submitting five trophy size fish of different species recieve a Master Angler level II certificate and patch. 

The newest Master Angler III recognition is awarded to anglers submitting ten different trophy species. In addition to a certificate and patch, the angler will receive a "tackle package" courtesy of Bass Pro Shops-Sevierville, Tennessee.

Bass Pro Shops Sevierville logo 

How Do You Qualify? 

  • The fish must be caught after January 1, 2003
  • The fish must meet or exceed the minimum lengths listed below
  • Persons 13 years of age or older must be licensed anglers and must provide their license number (TWRA#) on the application.
  • The fish must be caught legally (in accordance with Tennessee Sportfishing Regulations) in Tennessee waters, by sportfishing methods only (rod and reel or cane pole).
  • The length of the fish must be verified by either a witness or a photograph. The witness must complete the section on the application and/or the photo must be of the fish lying flat on top of or beside a flat measuring rule or tape and included with the application. Note that photographs of the angler holding their catch may be used in TWRA publications, including the Agency's website.

If you believe your catch exceeds the current state record for that species, you should immediately contact a TWRA Fisheries Biologist for positive identification of the fish and the appropriate application. Click here for more information.


How Do You Apply

An application form may be obtained by clicking this link (Adobe Acrobat Reader required) or by contacting the TWRA Fisheries Management Division at (615) 781-6575. Complete one application for each fish you are registering. You may include more than one application form per envelope. If the fish length is being verified by photo, the picture must be enclosed with the application. For the Trophy Fish Certificate(s) only, a $5.00 processing fee, per application, must also be enclosed and mailed within 60 days from the date of catch. Make check or money order payable to TWRA and mail, with the application(s), to the address at the bottom of the application. The processing fee is non-refundable for non-qualifying applications.  

Minimum Trophy Fish Lengths

Species Length (inches)
Largemouth Bass
22
Spotted Bass
18
Smallmouth Bass
20
Striped Bass
40
Cherokee Bass (Hybrid)
30
White Bass
18
Crappie (Black or White)
14
Bluegill
10
Redear Sunfish
11
Rock Bass
10
Sauger
20
Walleye
28
Muskellunge
40
Brook Trout
10
Brown Trout
26
Rainbow Trout
24
Lake Trout
28
Channel Catfish
30
Blue Catfish
34
Flathead Catfish
34
Common Carp
34
Freshwater Drum
28

Measuring Your Fish

Lay the fish flat on the top of, or beside, a measuring rule or tape. Do not lay the rule over the curvature of the fish's body. Close the fish's mouth and squeeze the tail lobes together. Measure from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail to the nearest 1/4 inch.

Summary of Tennessee's Angler Recognition Program Entries


SPECIES QUALIFYING LENGTH TOTAL SUBMITTED LARGEST (inches) WATERBODY COUNTY
Black Crappie 14 77 18.75 Tims Ford Franklin
18.75 Watts Bar Rhea
Blue Catfish 34 333 61.00 Nickajack Marion
Bluegill 10 44 13 Holston River Hawkins
Brook Trout 10 38 18.00 Indian Camp Creek Cocke
Brown Trout 26 35 35.00 S. Holston River Sullivan
Channel Catfish 30 26 44.25 Lake Barkley Stewart
Cherokee Bass 30 20 32.75 Melton Hill Anderson
Common Carp 34 7 39.00 Cherokee Hamblen
Flathead Catfish 34 56 52.50 Guntersville Marion
Freshwater Drum 28 57 38.00 Norris Campbell
Lake Trout 28 4 31.00 Watauga Lake Carter
Largemouth Bass 22 176 29.00 Private Lake Haywood
29.00 Lake Sherwood Cumberland
Muskellunge 40 17 52.00 Caney Fork River White
Rainbow Trout 24 35 34.50 Watauga River Carter
Redear Sunfish 11 73 14.50 Center Hill Dekalb
Rock Bass 10 44 11.75 Nickajack Reservoir Marion
11.75 Old Hickory Davidson
Sauger 20 15 23.50 Kentucky Lake Hardin
Smallmouth Bass 20 332 24.75 S. Holston River Sullivan
Spotted Bass 18 24 21.75 Kentucky Lake Hardin
Striped Bass 40 90 50.00 Melton Hill Anderson
Walleye 28 11 34.00 Cordell Hull Jackson
White Bass 18 9 24.00 Mississippi River Shelby
White Crappie 14 213 18.50 Pin Oak Lake Henderson
18.50 Private Lake Hamilton

Adobe Acrobat FormatClick this link to see a complete list of all TARP records

 

Tarp Angler Photos



 

Markayla Peiffer
29.5 inch rainbow trout
 



 

Parker Bedwell
28.75 inch freshwater drum
 

W. Powell Partridge
20 inch smallmouth bass
 

Roy Hawk
20.25 smallmouth bass
 

D. Jeff Smith
11.25 inch brook trout
 

Griffin Rone
15 inch black crappie
 

Houston Smith
24 inch largemouth bass
 

Charles Whitted
35.5 inch common carp
 

David Dickinson
14.5 inch black crappie
 

David Thompson
24.25 inch rainbow trout
 

Bryan Brasher
24.5 inch rainbow trout
 

Andrew Fish
16 inch black crappie
 

Brian Moore
21.25 inch smallmouth bass
 

Roy Hawk
47 inch blue catfish
 

Tim Adrien
30.5 inch cherokee bass
 

Ben Adrien
32 inch cherokee bass
 

Dustin Hahn
26 inch brown trout
 

Eric Maurer
20 inch sauger
 

Rick Ford
31 inch brown trout
 

Tricia Pederson
46 inch blue catfish
 

Wade Gladson
14.75 inch Black Crappie
 

Charity Rutter
26 inch brown trout
 

Steve Whisler
41.5 inch blue catfish
 

Bryce Young
22 inch smallmouth bass
 

M. Dylan Ritter
20.25 inch smallmouth bass
 

Sam Gabara
41 inch Flathead Catfish
 

Scott Bencene
27.25 inch Brown Trout
 

Terry Frye
30 inch Walleye
 

John Adams
25 inch Rainbow Trout
 

Kevin Hess
36 inch Flathead Catfish
 

Mike Utterback
14.25 inch White Crappie
 

David Judd
23 inch Smallmouth Bass
 

Thomas Moore
26.5 inch Brown Trout
 

Gary Dunham
21 inch Smallmouth Bass
 

Dalton Flesher
10 inch Bluegill
 

Daniel Murillo
39 inch Blue Catfish
 

David Hinkle
27.5 inch Brown Trout
 

Anthony James
31 inch Channel Catfish
 

Brandon Steffen
10.25 inch Rock Bass
 

Chris Skinner
19.5 inch spotted bass
 

Don Taylor
28.5 inch Brown Trout
 

Cooper Vaudrey
14 inch black crappie
 

Mary Pilkinton
11 inch redear sunfish
 

Richard Ryon
29 inch walleye
 

Robert Taylor
28 inch largemouth bass
 

Wayne England
43 inch flathead catfish
 

Amanda Wade
14 inch white crappie
 

Claude Smith
13 inch redear sunfish
 

Danny Williams
38 inch blue catfish
 

James Downey
15.5 inch white crappie
 

James Somervell
42.25 inch striped bass
 

Joseph Wade
18.25 inch white bass
 

Keith Thomas
38.5 inch blue catfish
 

Paul Orzolek
18.75 inch black crappie
 

Zach Wadley
14.25 inch black crappie
 

Brett Riggs (with cap)
36 inch channel catfish
 

Charles Sharp
36.5 inch blue catfish
 

Christian Hellmer
21.25 inch smallmouth bass
 

Daniel Hinton
52 inch musky
 

Dustin Mabe
20.25 inch smallmouth bass
 

Michael B. Arrender
44 inch blue catfish
 

Roy Dellinger Sr.
31 inch lake trout
 

J. Stephen Bryant
22.25 inch largemouth bass
 

Wayne England
61 inch blue catfish
 

Chris Milton
25 inch largemouth bass
 

Gregory T. Julian
25 inch largemouth bass
 

Michael Blik
15 inch white crappie
 

Robert Hair
15.5 inch white crappie
 

Sam Bedwell
26 inch largemouth bass
 

Robert Row
26 inch brown trout
 

Wayne Burton
21.25 inch smallmouth bass
 

Alex Burton
21 inch smallmouth bass
 

Erin Boring
45 inch blue catfish
 

Matthew Kelley
10 inch rock bass
 

Michael Wilson
21.25 inch smallmouth bass
 

Phillip Halbeck
28 inch freshwater drum
 

Steve Kelley
20 inch spotted bass
 

Tommy Kirk
28 inch largemouth bass
 

Gary Warden
18 inch spotted bass
 

Corey Gue
22.75 inch largemouth bass
 

Leslie Jennings
45 inch striped bass
 

Jacob McCarter
42.5 inch flathead catfish
 

Scott Haney
35 inch blue catfish
 

Tracy Allsup
20.75 inch sauger
 

Brent Callicott
24.25 inch largemouth bass
 

Daniel Shumate
34.5 inch brown trout
 

Donnie Davis
24 inch smallmouth bass
 

Douglas Reagan
22.5 inch largemouth bass
 

James Moore
39 inch blue catfish
 

Micah McDaniel
39.75 inch blue catfish
 

Robert Higgins
26 inch brown trout
 

Wyatt Young
18 inch spotted bass
 

Brandon Steffen
20.5 inch smallmouth bass
 

Derrik Paduch
27.5 inch brown trout
 

Michael Ray
22.75 inch Smallmouth Bass
 

Randy Johnson
44 inch blue catfish
 

Doris Anderson
35" flathead catfish
 

Fred Railling
14.5" redear sunfish
 

Nina Case
21" smallmouth bass
 

Ben Bates
31" channel catfish
 

Robert J. Higgins
26" brown trout
 

Tom Weaver
21" smallmouth bass
 

David Heider
23" smallmouth bass
 

Roy Dellinger
30" lake trout
 

Joseph Wade
18" spotted bass
 

M. Anthony Phillip
20" smallmouth bass
 

Robert Cooper
22.5" largemouth bass
 

Jason Sanson
18.75" black crappie
 

Jim Habera
15.25" brook trout
 

Eric Maurer
45" flathead catfish
 

Rob Lindbom
44" musky
 

Roy Hawk
11.75" redear sunfish
 

Steve Moore
30.25" channel catfish
 

Eric Maurer
49" blue catfish
 

Michael Deangury
27" brown trout
 

Mark Bush
28.25" largemouth bass
 

Tina Hellman
38.5" blue catfish
 

Keith Wilson
40" blue catfish
 

Randy Smyth
43" striped bass
 

Christopher Monosmith
44" blue catfish
 

Brad Golden
21.75" smallmouth bass
 

Gregg Perry
15.25" black crappie
 

Danny Phillips
28" brown trout
 

Cliff Radtke
14.25" black crappie
 

Frankie Dodd
31" brown trout
 

Mickey McDaniel
45" blue catfish
 

Andrew Peiffer
34.5" rainbow trout
 

Sarah Adrien
40.25" Striped Bass
 

Ashton Corbett
23" Largemouth Bass
 

Jonathon Twardy
25.25" rainbow trout
 

Chris McConay
45.5" striped bass
 

Sally Acton
46" blue catfish
 

Dwain Hobbs
21" smallmouth bass
 

Tim Adrien
26.5" brown trout
 

Donna Cork
14.75" black crappie
 

Jake Marsden
12.5" redear sunfish
 

Janelle Viles
43" striped bass
 

John Dugger
42" striped bass
 

Helen Newsome
21" smallmouth bass
 

Dalton Bass
46.75" striped bass
 

Joe Willard
20" smallmouth bass
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

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