Tag: Flaming Gorge

Huge lake trout is a last-minute catch through ice, but who caught it?

Shane DuBois was photographed holding a big lake trout caught ice fishing, but did he really make the catch? It’s complicated.

The Flaming Gorge Resort Facebook page posted a photo of Shane DuBois holding a massive lake trout caught while ice fishing on the Wyoming side of the famous fishery last Friday and called it a “great catch,” as it was just shy of 44 inches.

The Casper Star-Tribune followed up with a short writeup sourcing the resort…but did DuBois actually make the catch? It’s complicated.

DuBois, a fishing guide, explained to USA Today/For The Win Outdoors that he was the one who hooked the fish but his client Chris Covell was the one who ultimately landed it. DuBois was in a separate fishing hut when he hooked up; Covell was 20 yards away in another before joining DuBois.

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“Since I hooked and fought the fish for a while Chris wanted me to take a photo with it and I posted it on my Facebook and I’ve been without service and started seeing it appearing everywhere, so I’ve spent my birthday [Monday] reaching out to outlets to correct the missing information on the story as I did not share it,” DuBois explained.

So, the Star-Tribune and the Flaming Gorge Resort updated their reports to reflect Covell (image below) as the fisherman who caught the fish. But there is much more to the story.

DuBois fought the huge lake trout for a few minutes as it nearly spooled him twice. Once he got the fish back below the hole, he handed the rod off to Covell, who fought it for another five to seven minutes, during which time an odd thing occurred.

“The lure shifted and we think the fish became unhooked and then hooked again on the other corner of the mouth,” DuBois explained to For The Win Outdoors.

In which case, one might argue Covell actually hooked and landed the behemoth on his own. OK, maybe that’s a stretch. But either way, it was an incredible catch (and release) that was close to the Wyoming length record of 48 inches set in 1995.

“We actually took my flip-over hut cover and made it into a sling to safely weigh the fish, and we’re surprised it only weighed 38 pounds, 10 ounces,” DuBois told For The Win. “We were all sure it was over 40 pounds.”

That the catch was made at all is a testament to their perseverance, and giving it a few more minutes before calling it quits.

“We were talking about big fish I’ve caught in the area about 10 minutes before I hooked this fish at 1 p.m., after I said let’s give it another half hour,” DuBois said.

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DuBois also stated, “I caught a fish about the same size at that spot last year about the same time, and we were looking at photos thinking it could be the same fish I caught on my day off last year.”

Just another twist to an incredible fish story.

Photos of Chris Covell sitting in a chair holding HIS fish and Shane DuBois holding the same fish outside a fishing hut courtesy of DuBois. 

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11-year-old closes in on record lake trout with second huge catch

Tyler Grimshaw, 11, broke a personal best and came within six pounds of setting a Utah record for lake trout while fishing Flaming Gorge.

Tyler Grimshaw, an 11-year-old who lives for fishing, was testing out his new winter fishing bibs that he received for Christmas and very nearly nabbed himself a state record while fishing Flaming Gorge in Utah on Sunday.

Tyler broke his personal best and came within less than six pounds of setting a Utah record for lake trout, catching a 48.16-pounder while jigging at the famous fishery.

In June, it was reported he had caught a 41-pounder all by himself. Both were weighed in the net and released.

It took Tyler “a solid 20 minutes” to reel in the latest trophy trout, his mother Vanessa Grimshaw told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. “An adult probably could have done it quicker, but because he is so little, it took a bit longer.”

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The Utah record for lake trout is 53 pounds, 15 ounces caught by Chance Scott earlier in the year. The record before that was a 51.5-pounder in 1988 and then prior to that was a 41-pounder, according to Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. It gives you an idea of how close Tyler is coming to a record. All were caught at Flaming Gorge.

“They definitely knew it was bigger than his previous one, and knew it wasn’t far from the state record,” Vanessa Grimshaw said. “He would love to take the state record while still a kid.

“He loves fishing, that’s all he cares about. His next goal is to catch a trophy lake trout from his kayak. But he just got his first kayak this summer, so he still has a lot of practice before he has the skills to pursue lake trout from a kayak. He would fish all day, every day if allowed.”

In September, Tyler caught a personal-best 7-foot sturgeon while fishing the Snake River in America Falls, Idaho. No weight was taken on that fish as it is unlawful to remove them from the water.

Bass fishing is his true passion. Tyler’s favorite fishermen are Aaron Martens and Mike Iaconelli. One day he hopes to participate in a Major League Fishing bass tournament.

“But he would never pass on chasing trophy lake trout,” Vanessa Grimshaw said.

Photos courtesy of Vanessa Grimshaw.  

Angler breaks 32-year-old lake trout record, stirs controversy

Chance Scott reeled in a fish of a lifetime—a record-breaking 53-pound, 15-ounce lake trout—but it created quite a controversy.

Chance Scott reeled in a fish of a lifetime—a whopping 53-pound, 15-ounce lake trout—but when the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources acknowledged it as a state record and posted it on Facebook, it created quite a controversy.

The common refrain was that he should have thrown it back.

Scott landed the lake trout at Flaming Gorge, known for its trophy fishery. The fish measured 44.1 inches with a 34.7-inch girth, and displaced the previous record of 51 pounds set in 1988.

“Nice catch, Chance!” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources wrote on Facebook.

Most commenters agreed it was a nice catch, but many thought it should have been released, even though keeping it was perfectly legal. Among the comments:

“Should have set it loose.”

“Dang!!!! Nice catch, should have released though.”

“This is why that fishery is going downhill fast, but congrats…I guess.”

“That fish is probably over 30 years old. Not sure why anyone would keep it.”

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“It’s sad that he kept it. What does that prove? They’re no good to eat when they’re that big. Think of the thousands of offspring she could have provided if he wouldn’t have allowed his ego to dictate.”

“Should have taken pictures, a few quick measurements, and turned it lose. Could have a form mount made. It takes decades for a fish to get that big.”

“I don’t get why on earth anyone that enjoys fishing would keep a trophy fish like that impeding someone else or yourself from catching it again? You want a mount? Take pics and measurements, that way the mount lasts longer anyway. If it’s about feeding a family, head to a trout farm. All the same type of people who keep trout end up complaining later there’s no fish or they’re all small.”

“It took about 53 years for that laker to grow that big. If anglers want to continue catching lakers that big at the Gorge, they need to be released. Sure it was his choice to keep it, but if everyone starts doing it the trophy potential will greatly reduce.”

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But while Scott had his detractors, plenty of commenters defended him and his record catch:

“Nice fish man!! Ignore the haters, they are just jealous anyway!”

“Awesome fish!!! Congratulations to the angler!!! A record fish. Why not keep it? It will make a very impressive mount of a lifetime. There are plenty of big/trophy fish in the Gorge. Keep that record fish and get it mounted.”

“Congratulations! Don’t let people shame you for keeping it. Feed the whole family or hang it on the wall. You caught it, do what you want with it.”

“Man after seeing these comments I’m happy I no longer live in this state. I’ve never seen so much animosity between hunters and fisherman. I also think it would have been cool to see this fish released, but can respect the fact that this man decided to keep it too. Bottom line is that if you’re bashing someone for keeping a fish (the state record none the less) that they legally caught, you’re part of the problem.”

Photo courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

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Boy, 10, masters 41-pound lake trout like a fishing pro

Tyler Grimshaw reeled in a 41-pound lake trout at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, doing so all by himself as if it were old hat for him, and it is.

Tyler Grimshaw, a veteran fisherman at age 10, reeled in a 41-pound lake trout from the famous Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Utah, doing so all by himself as if it were old hat for him—which it is, apparently.

Tyler was fishing with his father Lance Grimshaw with at least two other boats of anglers nearby witnessing the recent battle.

“He was vertical jigging at the time,” his mother Vanessa Grimshaw told USA Today/For The Win. “The battle to reel it in was about 15 minutes from hook set to net.”

Lance netted the lake trout and weighed it in the net. Then he got a couple of quick photos before carefully releasing the fish back into the reservoir.

“Tyler gets excited for every fish, it doesn’t matter the size,” Vanessa told For The Win Outdoors. “But when he saw the weight on the scale for this one, he smiled so big his cheeks pushed his eyes closed. He did a happy dance jumping around the boat so excited.

“Then the guys in the other boats—friends of Lance’s—heard the weight and they all got as excited and pumped up for him too, which just started his excitement all over again.”

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It was a personal best for Tyler, and it wasn’t that far off from the Utah state record for lake trout. In 1988, a 51½-pounder was caught at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, known for its big lake trout. The world record is 72 pounds caught in 1995 at Great Bear Lake in Canada.

To show this wasn’t a fluke, 30 minutes later Tyler caught another big lake trout, this one in the 25- to 28-pound range (below). It wasn’t weighed. His previous biggest was a 38-pounder when he was a 6-year-old.

“To catch a lake trout in the 30-pound range is not uncommon for him,” Vanessa told For The Win. “He has been in a boat fishing since he was born. He has been reeling them in since he was so little that we had to hold the pole while he ran the reel.”

Not surprisingly, Tyler wants to be a professional fisherman when he grows up.

“When most kids were watching cartoons, he spends spare time watching fishing shows,” Vanessa said. “YouTube is constantly on fishing tutorials. Bass fishing is his first love. Lake trout is just the most popular fish around where we live [in Vernal, Utah].”

Apparently Tyler is well on his way to becoming a pro. He has won multiple fishing tournaments already.

Photos of Tyler and his two lake trout, and of him fighting the big one with bib overalls he later took off  for the photo are courtesy of Vanessa Grimshaw.

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