New World Record Brown Trout

This year during the Salmon-A-Rama tournament, Roger Hellen landed a 41 lb 8 ounce brown trout near Wind Point (Racine, Wisconsin).  The trout was pulled out of Lake Michigan  at 8:30 am on July 16, 2010.

Needless to say, the trout won the tournament's grand prize (and was the largest fish ever caught in the tournament).  However, it took four months before the IGFA declared the brown trout a new world record in one division and a shared tie in another.

The new trout, officially broke the 24-year old record in 50-lb line class division (held by Paul Loquasto).  The previous record (set on April 29, 1986 in Lake Ontario, N.Y.), weighed just 14.4 pounds.  While it may seem incredible that this record hasn't been broken sooner, it may be because most anglers aren't targeting brown trout in the 50-lb line class division.

Hellen's brown trout catch will share the all-tackle record Tom Healy who caught a 41.7-pound brown trout Sept. 9, 2009 at Manistee River, Mich.  If you're wondering why this record is considered a tie when Hellen's catch is an ounce heavier, you're not alone.  According to IGFA rules, Hellen's trout needed to be one-half of one percent heavier than Healy's trout to claim sole ownership of the record.  In other words, Hellen's trout needed to be about 2.1 ounces heavier than Healy's trout to officially break Healy's existing record.  None the less, Hellen will share this record with Healy.

Hellen is having the catch stuffed for display in his home.  For more information about this record brown trout, click here.