The Largest Walleye Caught in North Dakota

  New Guest My name is Tom Volk, and I (still) caught the largest walleye in North Dakota at a whopping 16.59 pounds (16 lbs 9.4 ounces)! I wish the story could be that short, but as many know, it isn't.  My 16.59 pound (or 16 pound 9 ounce) walleye was verified by Game and Fish to be the largest walleye caught in the state of North Dakota on April 21, 2019. It surpassed Neil Leier's walleye (the current state record at the time I caught my walleye) by nearly a pound. After my walleye was verified, Game and Fish opened an investigation on how my walleye was caught. They claimed that witnesses came forward and stated my walleye was "foul-hooked" which would be a violation of Game and Fish regulations and ultimately a crime. They conducted what they call an "investigation" and concluded my walleye was foul-hooked. They didn't charge me with a crime but mailed me a written warning for the possession of a "foul-hooked" fish. They did this even thou...

Questions and Answers Even after more than a year, I often get asked a lot of questions. Because of this, I have decided to create a list of frequently asked questions and my responses:  Why did you create this blog? This blog was created to initiate change. G ame and Fish published their side of events with the deliberate intention to mislead you. They omitted and added information to make me appear guilty. For example, they left out the fact they refused to review my evidence which included the walleye itself. Game and Fish intentionally left out key witness statements in their report. For example, they intentionally left out images, videos and statements from the officers who verified my walleye. Then, Game and Fish made a "conclusion" without any evidence proving where the hook was located at the time the walleye was caught and netted. If that wasn't bad enough, they didn't allow me to appeal their decision or defend myself in court which violated Due Process. All...

Changes Let me be straight with you. I don't care where you believe my walleye was hooked or how you believe my walleye was caught. This blog was not created to support me holding a state record. All I am asking is for you and others to read what happened to me and identify places where changes could be made for the better. If you identify areas to improve on, advocate for those improvements. If we request changes to the laws, protocols and procedures, it will make it better for everyone. *My next statements are "what if" scenarios. In NO way shape or form am I implying anything with the scenarios listed below. I firmly believe my walleye was caught legally with the hook in the mouth. Verification of Records Currently, there is no process or procedure used by Game and Fish to verify record fish and all they do is "verify the weight." They don't provide information, images and videos to the public. They don't inspect the fish for any holes or damage. They...

Potential violations by Game and Fish It is my belief Game and Fish acted unethically, and even unlawfully in the way they handled my case. Let me make it clear, I was NEVER convicted of a crime, yet I was punished by being given a written warning and told my walleye didn't qualify for a record. Game and Fish published a press release announcing my walleye broke the state record even though I NEVER filled out the application to be recognized for a record. Game and Fish created a one-sided, misleading investigation report which was published in the media. Game and Fish refused to review my evidence when it was offered to them on May 10th. Game and Fish also stated, there was no way to appeal their decision. Below, I have highlighted different sections of law where I believe Game and Fish committed violations. *Let me be the first to point out, I am not an attorney. The points listed below are my interpretation of the laws. ________________________________________ Due Pr...

Game and Fish's actions exposed me to public hatred, contempt, and ridicule  As we learned, I NEVER submitted the application to be recognized for a state record yet, Game and Fish published a press release stating my walleye broke the state record. They then "concluded" (without reviewing all the evidence) my walleye was foul-hooked when it was caught but provided NO direct evidence documenting where the hook was located at the time the walleye was caught and netted. They issued me a written warning, and their one-sided, misleading investigation report was published by the media. Because of these actions, Game and Fish opened me up to public hatred, contempt and ridicule. Here are just a few examples of what this looks like: This guy obviously hasn't tried paddle fishing. If everyone was required to "snag" every fish they wanted to keep with a 1/4 ounce jig and a plastic bait covering 3/4 of the hook, that would be more of a "sport" an...

Did Game and Fish demonstrate a bias? Please take your time and read through this post carefully. It is the most important post of them all. I will detail actions by Game and Fish which demonstrated a potential bias. 1. Game and Fish contacted Gibbs's place of employment and stated, "witness to the violation" just hours after announcing my walleye broke the state record. If you remember, I caught my walleye on April 21st. It was around 9:00 am on Monday, April 22nd, the day after I caught my walleye, Game and Fish published a press release stating my walleye was the new state record for North Dakota. Again this was done even though I NEVER submitted the application to be recognized for the state record. See the image of the press release below: It was less than four hours after the press release, Game and Fish contacted Gibbs's place of employment and stated my fish was "under investigation" and Gibbs was " witness to the violation ." T...

State's Attorney's Letter to Winkelman The Investigation Report included the following letter from the Morton County State's Attorney. If you can't read the letter from the image, here is what is written: "Dear Warden Winkelman: Thank you for your referral to review the submitted investigative report and attachments involving the activities on April 21, 2019, on the Heart River downstream from the North Dakota State Highway 6 Bridge, in Morton County.   Several members of the prosecution team here at the Morton County State’s Attorney’s Office, including me, had the opportunity to review your report and the accompanying video of the incident on April 21, 2019, involving Mr. Volk’s angling activity on the Heart River and the landing of the walleye fish in question. After a careful and considered review of the report, along with the witnesses’ statements, and the actual video of the event, our team is of a consensus view that the walleye in issue ...