Credit: IDFG
In February, 2026, angler Kyle Hatrock landed a 27 inch long Westslope cutthroat trout while fishing on Lake Pend Oreille. Hatrock’s fish set a new Idaho state record for the species in the catch-and-release category.
“We’d just got all the lines out when not 10 minutes later, one pole starts singing out the line,” Hatrock said. “The first run took out 450 feet-plus for about 15-20 minutes, and as soon as it hit the net, my friend started freaking out, saying ‘That’s the biggest freaking cutty I’ve ever seen!’”
He and his buddies immediately put the tape measure to it. The fish was an exceptionally large Westslope cutthroat trout, which rarely surpass 20 inches.
Hatrock’s trout officially edged out the previous record Westslope cutthroat trout by 2 inches, which was caught by Daniel Whitesitt from the Clark Fork River.
Hatrock’s record setting cutthroat was caught from the lake and not one of its tributaries. This continues to reinforce Lake Pend Oreille’s reputation as Idaho’s top trophy trout fishery.
With a maximum depth of 1,158 feet, Lake Pend Oreille is Idaho’s deepest lake. The lake is 43 miles from tip to tip.
In the last few years, numerous Idaho state records for cutthroat trout have been set. In December 2025, angler Robert Gregory landed a 19-inch 3.08-pound cutthroat while ice fishing on Henrys Lake. Gregory’s catch set a new Idaho state record for Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the certified weight category.
In 2020, angler Nate Burr set a new state record for Yellowstone cutthroat trout with a 31 inch fish caught while fishing the Snake River.
The cutthroat trout is the state fish of Idaho. The Westslope cutthroat trout is one of three subspecies native to the state, along with the Bonneville and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
To help anglers achieve new state records, certified scales are now available at most Idaho Fish and Game offices.
Idaho also participates in the Western Native Trout Challenge. Cutthroat trout and other Idaho fish species are eligible to count towards completing the challenge.
source: Idaho Fish and Game
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