Georgia angler reels in new Idaho catch-and-release record brown trout

Idaho’s South Fork Snake River is no stranger when it comes to productive brown trout fishing. This trophy river — one of Idaho’s most legendary — is known to regularly hold brownies, known for their yellowish bodies and long, angular faces.

Although not native to Idaho’s waters, brown trout offer some of the most exciting fishing opportunities you can get from a fly rig. 

On May 30, Georgia angler Caroline Langdale got to experience this firsthand. 

“I never dreamed when I started my day of fishing with Ed Emory of South Fork Lodge that God was going to bless me with a fish of a lifetime,” Langdale said. 

Fish of a lifetime might be an understatement once you see the photo for yourself. 

During a multiday fishing trip along the South Fork, Caroline was drifting her rubber legs fly down a massive hole when she noticed her indicator dip below the surface. At first, she thought she might’ve snagged a root ball along the bottom. But after a nearly 10-minute fight with what she knew must be a lunker of a trout, her wildest dreams soon meandered its way to the surface. 

There on the end of her line was one bruiser of a brown trout, a 30.5-inch monster she hoisted proudly from the boat. With the help of her guide, Caroline stretched the brown trout along a tape measure and instantly was told she might have a shot at the state record. 

Langdale submitted the measurements and photos to Fish and Game’s Sportfish Coordinator, who verified the brown’s size and place in the record books.

“What an amazing experience that I will always be thankful for,” said Caroline Langdale.

Huge browns are rare

While brown trout over 30 inches in the South Fork Snake River are exceptionally rare, they do exist. 

In fact, Fish and Game fisheries surveys captured a 33-inch brown in 2016 and another 33-inch fish as recently as 2024. This is mainly based on electrofishing, however. 

“Really big fish can be difficult to capture with our typical survey gear, so there’s likely more of them out there since the data is a little biased by size,” said Martin Koenig, Fish and Game’s Sportfishing Program Coordinator. 

According to fish survey data on the South Fork Snake River, biologists have recorded measurements of over 57,600 brown trout dating back all the way to 1986. 

In all those years, surveys have documented only four brown trout over 30 inches. In other words, of all the brown trout captured during surveys, only 0.007% ever exceed 30 inches – that we know of.

“Even brown trout over 25 inches are rare on the South Fork, with only 30 brown trout over 25 inches ever recorded in electrofishing surveys,” Koenig said. 

Again, that’s probably because the biggest trout live in places that are hard to reach with electrofishing, so there’s probably more of them out than the survey data suggests. Even so, this is an exceptionally rare fish for this river.

More About Idaho’s State Record Fish

Thinking about chasing a state record fish? Check out the state record fish page for more information. 

How to Apply for a Catch-and-Release Record

All applicants must submit a complete Record Fish Application Form, with accompanying photographs. This form can be completed online or downloaded from our website here.

• Fish must be released alive. (See tips on safely releasing fish in the Fishing Rules booklet.)
• Steelhead, ocean-run salmon, bull trout, and white sturgeon submitted for records must be measured and photographed in the water.
• Catch-and-release records are based only on the total length (snout to tip of tail) for fish released alive.
• Fish must be photographed directly next to a ruler/tape or an object of known verifiable length.
• New catch-and-release white sturgeon records must be broken by a minimum of 2 inches.
• Catch-and-release records for all other species must be broken by a minimum of ½ inch.
• Fish within ¼ inch of the current record will be recognized as a tied record.
• All applications must be submitted within 30 days of the catch date.

How to Apply for Certified Weight Records

Records will be awarded for either fish caught by angling (rod/reel) or by archery/spearfish for legal unprotected nongame species. Archery/spear fishing records will be listed separately and identified by the angler on the application form. No records will be awarded for fish caught during salvage seasons or at private pay-to-fish facilities.

NOTE: Idaho Fish and Game now provides certified scales for weighing potential records at the Panhandle, Clearwater, Nampa, Headquarters (Boise), Jerome, and Pocatello regional offices.