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