Nate Burr of Rexburg, ID hoists at 31-inch Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout from the Snake River, clinching the newest Idaho catch/release state record fish.
Congratulations to Nate Burr of Rexburg on setting a new state record by landing a remarkable 31-inch Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Burr and a fellow angler had been fly fishing the Snake River for three days and looking for big trout without much success. As evening set in on the third day of slow fishing, their luck changed as a huge trout smashed Burr's fly.
Nate grew up in Tetonia and has began his career as a fly-fishing guide at age 18. In recent years, he's focused more on catching larger trout and less on catching big numbers of fish.
"It was one of those brutally slow days," Burr said. "Hunting big trout on streamers means a day on the water can go from zero to 100 in a split second. That was exactly the case with this fish."
After chasing the hooked trout for nearly half a mile downstream in a drift boat, the pair managed to finally scoop the fish with a landing net. After taking a quick photo and reviving the fish, Burr released the huge trout back into the Snake River, securing his name in the record books.
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout over 30 inches are exceedingly rare - especially in river systems where they do not grow as quickly as in large lakes. Even more remarkable, is that this fish just barely beats the 30.5-inch monster Yellowstone cutthroat trout record set in August by Sam Hix, also from the Snake River.
The catch-and-release record program began in 2016 as a way to recognize anglers that wanted to release the trophy fish they caught.
You can find a list of records and how to apply on the Idaho State Record Fish Page.