The trout categories are bit unfair. I target only wild trout not the pequest franken trout. This means a 19" wild brown I caught sunday doesn't even qualify

Heck a 14" wild brown is more worthy of recognition than any stockie.
Still think the side photograph/ruler rule is unnecessary. The less you handle the fish, the better. I'm not going to spend 2-3 minutes getting a damn fish to lie still and perfectly aligned with a ruler. Does it really matter if a bass is 20" instead of 21" or a pike 32" instead of 34"? Still a fine fish. Silly.