McCALL, Idaho — An Idaho Falls angler set a new state catch-and-release record for lake trout after landing a 43.25-inch fish at Payette Lake on May 2.
Dylan Smith was fishing when a lake trout grabbed his line and made a hard run. He fought the fish, brought it to the boat, and stretched it across a tape measure — watching the tail cross the 43-inch mark, surpassing the previous state record of 42 inches.
It is not Smith’s first time in Idaho’s record books. In 2018, he landed another trophy lake trout at Payette Lake that earned him the state catch-and-release record. Angler Aaron Goettsche later broke that mark with a 42-inch catch — also from Payette Lake. Smith’s latest fish, at 43.25 inches, reclaims the top spot by 1.25 inches.
All three record fish were caught and released back into Payette Lake.
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