World record bull trout
Ryan Mejaski of Bend, Ore., holds a bull trout that he caught on April 8, 2023, in Lake Billy Chinook. Photo by Joe Wilhite.
Download high resolution photo.
April 14, 2023
On April 8, Ryan Mejaski and Joe Wilhite were fishing for kokanee on the Deschutes arm of Lake Billy Chinook without much luck when they decided to move spots. After casting into a group of small kokanee that were jumping to the surface, his secret lure sank to about five feet when he got a big strike that took off screaming.
He quickly adjusted his drag to let the fish run but they had to move the boat to follow it. His medium-lightweight rod was bent in half and nearly snapped. But he spent 10 minutes working the fish on 6 lbs. test line, brought it to the surface and netted it into the boat to take measurements.
The bull trout was 33.5 inches in length with a 26-inch girth, and it maxed out Wihite’s fishing net scale at 25 pounds. “The scale was maxed out and didn’t go any higher than 25 pounds but that’s what it said,” noted Majeski.
He told ODFW that the fish was probably bigger, maybe 30 pounds. After taking some photos with the fish, they quickly released it
Many fishing enthusiasts love searching for massive trout, dreaming about landing a specimen that will be remembered for years to come. Records are set and then broken, fueling a passion that transcends generations.
Where was the largest ever landed? There are several answers, depending on the method of capture and the type of trout involved. Regardless, the quest for huge trout inspires anglers to journey into wild territories in North America, New Zealand, and beyond.
Today, we will discuss remarkable trout from various corners of the globe. Some are officially recognized by organizations, and others exist in photos or eyewitness stories.
Each one adds to a legacy of angling legends that continues to motivate new generations.
Key Highlights
Record Trout:
Largest lake trout, 72 lbs (1995, Great Bear Lake, Canada); potential 73.29 lbs in Colorado (2024).
Global Giants:
Notable catches include 102 lbs (Lake Athabasca, Canada) and 44 lbs 5 oz brown trout (New Zealand).
Lake Trout & The Rise of Great Bear Lake
Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) hold some of the heaviest trout records around. According to Guinness World Records, one prime example is the
72-pound ca
The Biggest Trout of All Time
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In many respects, trout are the “everyman” fish of the United States. Wild trout are revered in cold-flowing streams and rivers from upstate New York to New Mexico. Stocked, hatchery raised trout provide boundless fun and tasty dining for anglers young and old. Whether you’re a refined fly fisherman matching the hatch or a low-tech spinning reel angler dunking worms, trout rise to the occasion.
Sure, bass seem to get the glory, but trout, distinctly native, sleek and colorful, are worthy of all the attention they get. So here’s a look at some of the biggest trout ever caught, by subspecies, according to the International Gamefish Association’s world record listings.
Rainbow Trout: 48 pounds
Sean Konrad is the reigning all-tackle world record holder who landed a 48-pound rainbow on September 5, 2009 while fishing Saskatchewan’s Lake Diefenbaker. The 42-inch-long trout had an incredible 32-inch girth. Konrad was using a Shimano Claris rod with an Abu Garcia 104 reel spooled with 14-pound PowerPro braided line. The fish hit a
largest record catch captured in a picture and published
category:
rod & reel record
weight:
length:
103 cm ( 41 inches )
locality:
Lake Pend Oreille, USA
year:
1949
record caught by: Nelson Higgins ,courtesy of: Ross Hall
"rod & reel" world record caught in:
USA / capital: Washington / 9,826,675 sq km
RECORD WEIGHT
category
metric
english
waters
country
year
rod & reel *
14,51 kg
32 lb 0 oz
Lake Pend Oreille
USA
1949
RECORD LENGTH
category
metric
english
rod & reel
109 cm
43 inches
RECORD AGE
category
age
no documented record
explanation:
rod & reel:
sport fishing record with rod & reel
other methods:
records by other methods (net, hand line, spear, bow fishing etc.)
rod & reel?:
unclear if the fish was caught with rod & reel
questionable:
records based on anecdotal reports, verification not possible
+
over
~
approximately
=
exactly tie
*
verified by the IGFA