Ed Steinkoenig, Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries, 1320 Belman Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Abstract. One largely accepted tenet among today's anglers when measuring the quality of fishing is that large fish have more "value" than small ones. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries started recognizing large or trophy-sized fish in 1962 when three Trophy Fish Citations were issued. The number of awards issued annually since 1962 has increased dramatically, peaking in 1988 when 10,055 citations were processed. The 35-year mean is 3,622 citations. Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), sunfish (Lepomis sp.) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) comprised 42% of citations. Useful information generated by this program includes trophy catch trend analysis by species, date and waterbody. The output provides an excellent public relations tool for communication with media, constituent groups, and individual anglers.