Idaho fisherman catches record-breaking tiger trout

Tiger trout are among the most beautifully marked salmonids and Austin Christensen recently caught a beautiful tiger trout, officially breaking the Idaho state record.

Christensen caught a 9.13-pound fish that measured 27.25 inches in length from Montpelier Reservoir in southeastern Idaho. His fish surpassed the previous state record of an 8.3-pound tiger trout caught just three weeks earlier on May 17 from the same Montpelier-area lake by angler Tyson Lutz.

Christensen caught his fish on June 1 and believed he could beat the state record, so he had the tiger trout weighed on certified scales in front of witnesses. The fish was accepted by the state as a new record tiger trout and announced in a July 4th Notice on the Idaho Fish and Game Department Facebook page.

Due to the 4th of July weekend, Idaho fishermen and crews have been unavailable to Outdoor living for more details about Christensen’s catch.

Tiger trout are hybrids between male brook trout and female brown trout. They were introduced into Montpelier Reservoir in 2016 and can be found in certain areas of Idaho and other states. Tiger trout hybrids can occur naturally, but they are primarily raised by biologists at fish hatcheries and released into the wild for anglers to catch. The beauty, aggressiveness, and fast-growing nature of the tiger trout make it a favorite fish for some anglers.

According to IGFA, “the wavy tiger-like markings on the sides of the trout contribute to its unique beauty and thus to its name. It does not essentially resemble either parent species or any other salmonid. It is more robust and aggressive than either parent species and is therefore more easily caught by anglers. It is a surface feeder and is highly prized by anglers in waters where it is stocked.”

However, it is the small, naturally occurring tigers that are beloved by diehard trout anglers. “These small natural tigers are highly prized, but they should not be confused with the other, more common hatchery tigers that many trout snobs despise,” writes Fishing Editor Joe Cermele.

Read more: Why We Love (and Hate) Hybrid Sportfish

Hybrid tiger trout cannot reproduce. The species is distributed worldwide, with IGFA records from the United Kingdom and Australia. The IGFA all-tackle world record of 27 pounds, 6 ounces was caught in 2022 by Cathy Clegg from Loon Lake, Washington.

syndication@recurrent.io (Bob McNally)