Utah/FG Laker record broken

[TRUBBS]

Seen a few comments here and there circulating on FB and one not the best picture, Anyone have more info on this?
Said to be 53.8 Lbs caught on the Utah side.
Was taken to Lucerne but had to run to buckboard for an Official/Certified scale is what I see.

[onepointseven]

confirmed
53.95 lbs
44.25 inches long
36.5 inch girth

[TRUBBS]

confirmed
53.95 lbs
44.25 inches long
36.5 inch girth

any good pictures? I seen one in front of Lucerne store but it’s not a very good one.

[lakepowellnut]

confirmed
53.95 lbs
44.25 inches long
36.5 inch girth

any good pictures? I seen one in front of Lucerne store but it’s not a very good one.

[Tarponjim]

No such thing as a "good" picture of a dead 50 year old lake trout.  I did see a close up of the ______ holding it though.  Record?  There have been several larger than that released in recent years, including a 63 two years ago.  The one he killed has likely been released a bunch of times over the decades just so this peice of  . . . I better stop.

[muirco]

No such thing as a "good" picture of a dead 50 year old lake trout.  I did see a close up of the ______ holding it though.  Record?  There have been several larger than that released in recent years, including a 63 two years ago.  The one he killed has likely been released a bunch of times over the decades just so this peice of  . . . I better stop.

I second that! Go for the catch and release record.

[elkantlers]

I agree that it would have been better to release this fish. However. Keeping this fish was absolutely legal and he should not be shamed for it.
If you are indeed this disturbed. Maybe your energy would be better spent petitioning the RAC and Wildlife Board to change the laws regarding these huge old fish?

[muirco]

Already have done that through surveys and emails. I didn't say it wasn't legal. It is just a day for fishing and my son's future fishing at the gorge when he gets bigger. I personally choose not to celebrate that.

[dubob]

From the Utah 'Official State Records' (Last Updated: Wednesday, May 27 2020):

Current angling record fish
Lake Trout
Year - 1988
Weight - 51 lbs. 8 oz.
Length - 45 ⅛"
Girth - 31 ¾"
Angler - Curt Bilbey
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir

Current catch and release record fish
Lake Trout
Date - 05/04/2019
Length - 48"
Angler - Matt Smiley
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir

IF this confirmed 53.95 lb, 44.25 inch long, 36.5 inch girth fish is submitted to the Utah DWR for record consideration, it would appear from the confirmed data that it would be the new Lake Trout record in Utah.

From the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the 'Official State Records':

Lake Trout
Date - March 11, 1995
Weight - 50 lbs.
Length - 48 inches
Girth - 32 inches
Angler - Randy Calkins
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir

These are the 'Official' records from each state.  Any claims to larger fish being caught or caught and released in Flaming Gorge are undocumented and meaningless.  Wyoming does not appear to have a 'Catch & Release' records program.  So, stories of larger fish caught than indicated above from the state records are just that - stories.  And if you catch a record Late Trout in Flaming Gorge and want it declared a new state record, you really don't have any choice but to keep it (kill it) and get it to a state certified scale for weighing it with 2 witnesses and have a State official certify the identity of the fish.

[TRUBBS]

No such thing as a "good" picture of a dead 50 year old lake trout.  I did see a close up of the ______ holding it though.  Record?  There have been several larger than that released in recent years, including a 63 two years ago.  The one he killed has likely been released a bunch of times over the decades just so this peice of  . . . I better stop.

I will say I 100% agree that it should have been C&R'd as a fish that old isn't going to be worth eating and you can get a replica mount that will look just as good, if not better then a skin mount.
Just was curious of what it looked it as the picture I have, don't look like the monster I would have imagined.

I also have seen pictures from guides that have caught and released "record breaker" fish over the years.

I will say that IMO although it is completely legal, I don't think it is morally right to kill a big fish this old just for the record.

[dubob]

I don't think it is morally right to kill a big fish this old just for the record.

I mean no disrespect to you or your point of view TRUBBS, but why does every state in the USA and most other countries even have fish record lists?  And why do both Wyoming and Utah allow for the keeping of one lake trout over 28" in length per day out of Flaming Gorge?  There is no scientific basis to indicate that keeping a record breaking lake trout to establish a new record is in any way detrimental to the overall population of trophy lake trout.  There IS scientific data that does show that over populations of smaller lake trout (anything under 28") are detrimental to the population of trophy lake trout.

Leave morality (emotions) out of it.  Do what has been scientifically shown to be the the best approach to improving the trophy lake trout fishing - target and keep lake trout under 28" in length up to the 12 fish limit allowed.  Catching and releasing this class of lake trout isn't doing anybody any favors to improve the lake trout trophy fishery.

And lake trout of any size cooked by the New England Fish Boil method (also called Upper Great Lakes Fish Boil) is absolutely mouth watering delicious.  And home canned (bottled) lake trout fixed like tuna fish for sandwiches is awesome as well. 

[TRUBBS]

I don't think it is morally right to kill a big fish this old just for the record.

I mean no disrespect to you or your point of view TRUBBS, but why does every state in the USA and most other countries even have fish record lists?  And why do both Wyoming and Utah allow for the keeping of one lake trout over 28" in length per day out of Flaming Gorge?  There is no scientific basis to indicate that keeping a record breaking lake trout to establish a new record is in any way detrimental to the overall population of trophy lake trout.  There IS scientific data that does show that over populations of smaller lake trout (anything under 28") are detrimental to the population of trophy lake trout.

Leave morality (emotions) out of it.  Do what has been scientifically shown to be the the best approach to improving the trophy lake trout fishing - target and keep lake trout under 28" in length up to the 12 fish limit allowed.  Catching and releasing this class of lake trout isn't doing anybody any favors to improve the lake trout trophy fishery.

And lake trout of any size cooked by the New England Fish Boil method (also called Upper Great Lakes Fish Boil) is absolutely mouth watering delicious.  And home canned (bottled) lake trout fixed like tuna fish for sandwiches is awesome as well. 

they have to allow you to keep Atleast one, I would imagine it was originally meant for more of an “insurance” Type deal Incase you got on that was hooked deep, in the gills or otherwise in a way that it wouldn’t be able to survive.

and I also agree that the pups need to be thinned out, I like the ideas of the new derby’s and categories to the older derby’s to encourage more pup harvesting 

[onepointseven]

In the book now

[chinook]

No such thing as a "good" picture of a dead 50 year old lake trout.  I did see a close up of the ______ holding it though.  Record?  There have been several larger than that released in recent years, including a 63 two years ago.  The one he killed has likely been released a bunch of times over the decades just so this peice of  . . . I better stop.

I thought you would have something to say about the guy that kept his new "record" fish.  Ignorant people don't realize a picture, measurements and let it go can produce a beautiful mount and not kill the fish.  A skin mount is not nearly as good as a fiberglass mount these days.  Too bad somebody didn't help him make a better choice.  Poor 50+ year old fish.

[dubob]

I thought you would have something to say about the guy that kept his new "record" fish.  Ignorant people don't realize a picture, measurements and let it go can produce a beautiful mount and not kill the fish.  A skin mount is not nearly as good as a fiberglass mount these days.  Too bad somebody didn't help him make a better choice.  Poor 50+ year old fish.

And ignorant people don't realize there is no way to establish a record catch without getting a certified weight of the catch which of course can't be done without removing the fish from its natural environment and transporting it to a certified scale.  Very hard to imagine that an ordinary fisherperson would have the means available to transport a live fish from a lake and then return it to a lake still alive.  And would that even be legal to do so?  The Utah Guidebook says:

A trout, salmon or grayling may not be released if it’s been held on a stringer or in a fish basket, livewell or any other type of device.  You may not transport live fish or crayfish away from the water where they were caught.

Don't know what the Wyoming folks say, but it's probably similar.  So, why don't we all just cut the new record holder some slack and just congratulate him on being the new record holder instead of making him out to be the devil incarnate for killing a XX year old fish?

[elkantlers]

No such thing as a "good" picture of a dead 50 year old lake trout.  I did see a close up of the ______ holding it though.  Record?  There have been several larger than that released in recent years, including a 63 two years ago.  The one he killed has likely been released a bunch of times over the decades just so this peice of  . . . I better stop.

I thought you would have something to say about the guy that kept his new "record" fish.  Ignorant people don't realize a picture, measurements and let it go can produce a beautiful mount and not kill the fish.  A skin mount is not nearly as good as a fiberglass mount these days.  Too bad somebody didn't help him make a better choice.  Poor 50+ year old fish.

I can see from your avatar you don't have a problem keeping a large fish when it suits you. 

You and TJ don't need to portray your personal ethics on the fisherman. What this guy did was perfectly legal and required by law to submit this record catch.

[fishalot13]

Lots of crying about a fish being taken that took a long time to grow and get that big. Instead of crying about what one guy did, that was legal and his right. Lets all do our part to make more fish that big! Keep pups so that it doesn't take 50 years to grow that big. I live in WYO and grew up fishing FG for 40+ years. I've seen many different regs come and go slot limits and increased limits. DNR in both states are doing there part to regulate and have created a world class fishery. Lets do our part as anglers and keep pups increase size and congratulate a fellow angler on a great catch! Evan though he is from out of state!

[10_ft_Jon_boat]

A fiberglass mount is not an option in this case.  To my knowledge no one has previously caught, kept, and had a mold made from a lake trout of this size.  If there are no molds available then a fiberglass replica mount cannot be produced.  There are some fish taxidermists who try to modify fiberglass casts of other species (e.g., salmon) as substitutes for large fish but the results are usually pretty bad.

[onepointseven]

WOW ! where to start
first of all congrats to the new record holder on a huge fish very exciting. There is so much negativity and bad press involved with this post and on the media about this young man harvesting a trophy fish and a new record and yes it is the new record there are  apparently many record fish that have been caught but for 33 years not one has been turned in so this fish is indeed the new record. 
Question ? Do anyone of the "sportsmen" posting here even know this young man well enough that you can use words like uneducated or ignorant or as Mr Williams so eloquently stated that he seen a pic of the  _____ holding it.   
another member posted that they see him over there and he usually is catch and release so i have another question how does anyone on here know anything about him or how many fish he catches and releases or how educated he is about the lake or the lake trout or how often he is there fishing good heck maybe everyone should pile on because of his clothes USA Today and Fox News did.
Bottom line is he was perfectly legal in keeping it and good on him for catching a beautiful fish 
it is interesting to me that a fisherman can get ripped like this for keeping a big fish but if you offer 3000 $ first place in a tournament 350 teams sign up right quick to kill lots of big fish or how about everyone go out on the spawn beds and snag a few.
i have  been fishing the gorge for 40 years and every year there are plenty of big fish to be caught by everyone the gorge is managed by real biologists on both sides of the lake so if they didn't want any big fish killed they would stop it. 
P.S. 
Mr Trubbs yes there are lots of really good pics of this fish several were taken at both lucerne and at buck board marinas and on the water but i haven't had time to get them off my phone yet we have been busy getting all the info to the  UDWR and getting the fish to the Taxidermist The young man holding that fish is my son and i was holding the net and running the camera. Those people who know me or see us over there know how many big fish we turn loose in fact that very day we turned loose three other fish over 30 lbs. we will be over fishing again soon if ya see us stop by and we can discuss it

[dubob]

The ONLY thing you'll get from me is this:
CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE!