Angler breaks 32-year-old lake trout record, stirs controversy
Chance Scott reeled in a fish of a lifetime—a whopping 53-pound, 15-ounce lake trout—but when the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources acknowledged it as a state record and posted it on Facebook, it created quite a controversy.
The common refrain was that he should have thrown it back.
Scott landed the lake trout at Flaming Gorge, known for its trophy fishery. The fish measured 44.1 inches with a 34.7-inch girth, and displaced the previous record of 51 pounds set in 1988.
“Nice catch, Chance!” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources wrote on Facebook.
Most commenters agreed it was a nice catch, but many thought it should have been released, even though keeping it was perfectly legal. Among the comments:
“Should have set it loose.”
“Dang!!!! Nice catch, should have released though.”
“This is why that fishery is going downhill fast, but congrats…I guess.”
“That fish is probably over 30 years old. Not sure why anyone would keep it.”
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“It’s sad that he kept it. What does that prove? They’re no good to eat when they’re that big. Think of the thousands of offspring she could have provided if he wouldn’t have allowed his ego to dictate.”
“Should have taken pictures, a few quick measurements, and turned it lose. Could have a form mount made. It takes decades for a fish to get that big.”
“I don’t get why on earth anyone that enjoys fishing would keep a trophy fish like that impeding someone else or yourself from catching it again? You want a mount? Take pics and measurements, that way the mount lasts longer anyway. If it’s about feeding a family, head to a trout farm. All the same type of people who keep trout end up complaining later there’s no fish or they’re all small.”
“It took about 53 years for that laker to grow that big. If anglers want to continue catching lakers that big at the Gorge, they need to be released. Sure it was his choice to keep it, but if everyone starts doing it the trophy potential will greatly reduce.”
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But while Scott had his detractors, plenty of commenters defended him and his record catch:
“Nice fish man!! Ignore the haters, they are just jealous anyway!”
“Awesome fish!!! Congratulations to the angler!!! A record fish. Why not keep it? It will make a very impressive mount of a lifetime. There are plenty of big/trophy fish in the Gorge. Keep that record fish and get it mounted.”
“Congratulations! Don’t let people shame you for keeping it. Feed the whole family or hang it on the wall. You caught it, do what you want with it.”
“Man after seeing these comments I’m happy I no longer live in this state. I’ve never seen so much animosity between hunters and fisherman. I also think it would have been cool to see this fish released, but can respect the fact that this man decided to keep it too. Bottom line is that if you’re bashing someone for keeping a fish (the state record none the less) that they legally caught, you’re part of the problem.”
Photo courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.