Idaho Falls angler Dylan Smith landed in a new state catch-and-release record lake trout while fishing on Payette Lake on May 2. Smith was able to boat the laker, get it stretched out on the tape measure, and measure the length of the enormous fish.
The previous state catch-and-release record for lake trout measured 42 inches in length.
Dylan Smith is familiar with Idaho record fish books, and catching 40+ inch lake trout. In 2018, Dylan landed and recorded another state record laker.
Shortly after, angler Aaron Goettsche beat out Dylan’s record with a 42-inch lunker laker himself. Both fish were caught and released back into Payette Lake.
Payette Lake Lake Trout
Payette Lake is arguably one of the premier lake trout fisheries in the state of Idaho. Catches like these have made big splashes in the record books over the past decade or so, largely due to active lake trout management by the Southwest Region’s McCall fisheries staff.
Years of netting to remove large numbers of smaller, young lake trout has reduced the population and lowered predation on kokanee. As a result, the lake is producing healthy trophy lake trout again, and kokanee numbers have started to improve.
Payette Lake Trout Management
Though Payette Lake has produced big lake trout for over 30 years, the fishery has had its up and downs. In the early 2000s, biologists noticed signs of trouble.
Lake trout were getting thin from poor prey available, and the population of kokanee that lake trout feed on were dropping quickly.
“It wasn’t uncommon to catch a 30-inch fish that looked like a snake,” said Jordan Messner, Regional Fisheries Manager for Idaho Fish and Game in McCall.
With the lake out of balance, Idaho Fish and Game launched a major plan to boost kokanee numbers while improving the quality of the lake trout population.
Payette Lake Recovery Plan
In 2018, Idaho Fish and Game biologists started a two-pronged approach:
- Stock more kokanee in order to rebuild the prey base
- Suppress smaller lake trout in order to reduce competition and predation on kokanee
The suppression program targets lake trout under 27 inches to remove them from the lake. So far, over 3,000 Lake trout have been removed since 2018.
The goal is to reduce the lake trout population to reduce competition and increase kokanee survival. With fewer mouths to feed, the remaining Lake Trout should be healthier and grow faster.
Ongoing monitoring confirms the success of the strategy: average relative weight (a measure of how “fat” a fish is) has steadily improved since the program began.
The plan appears to be a success. The body condition (relative weight) of lake trout has steadily been improving since efforts to balance the lake trout and kokanee population began in 2018.
Anglers are noticing the improvements in both the kokanee and lake trout fishing. In June 2023, biologists caught and released a 54-pound lake trout, just three pounds shy of the Idaho state weight record. Biologists suspect that another Idaho state record lake trout could be caught in the near future.
Idaho Fish and Game offers a few tips for targeting lake trout in Payette Lake:
- Trolling or jigging near the bottom are the go-to methods.
- Focus on 35–80 feet, where lake trout tend to hold tight to structure.
- Target underwater ridges, drop-offs, and boulder piles.
- Use realistic lures that mimic kokanee, tipped jigs, and scent as lake trout can be selective, especially when food is abundant.
- Be prepared for a potential record fish (see below).
- Additional information is available on the Idaho Fish and Game website.
How to Apply for a Catch-and-Release Idaho State 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 Idaho 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.
source: Idaho Fish and Game
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