07-26-2020, 02:06 PM
From the Utah 'Official State Records' (Last Updated: Wednesday, May 27 2020):
Current angling record fish
Lake Trout
Year - 1988
Weight - 51 lbs. 8 oz.
Length - 45 ⅛"
Girth - 31 ¾"
Angler - Curt Bilbey
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Current catch and release record fish
Lake Trout
Date - 05/04/2019
Length - 48"
Angler - Matt Smiley
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir
IF this confirmed 53.95 lb, 44.25 inch long, 36.5 inch girth fish is submitted to the Utah DWR for record consideration, it would appear from the confirmed data that it would be the new Lake Trout record in Utah.
From the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the 'Official State Records':
Lake Trout
Date - March 11, 1995
Weight - 50 lbs.
Length - 48 inches
Girth - 32 inches
Angler - Randy Calkins
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir
These are the 'Official' records from each state. Any claims to larger fish being caught or caught and released in Flaming Gorge are undocumented and meaningless. Wyoming does not appear to have a 'Catch & Release' records program. So, stories of larger fish caught than indicated above from the state records are just that - stories. And if you catch a record Late Trout in Flaming Gorge and want it declared a new state record, you really don't have any choice but to keep it (kill it) and get it to a state certified scale for weighing it with 2 witnesses and have a State official certify the identity of the fish.
Current angling record fish
Lake Trout
Year - 1988
Weight - 51 lbs. 8 oz.
Length - 45 ⅛"
Girth - 31 ¾"
Angler - Curt Bilbey
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Current catch and release record fish
Lake Trout
Date - 05/04/2019
Length - 48"
Angler - Matt Smiley
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir
IF this confirmed 53.95 lb, 44.25 inch long, 36.5 inch girth fish is submitted to the Utah DWR for record consideration, it would appear from the confirmed data that it would be the new Lake Trout record in Utah.
From the Wyoming side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the 'Official State Records':
Lake Trout
Date - March 11, 1995
Weight - 50 lbs.
Length - 48 inches
Girth - 32 inches
Angler - Randy Calkins
Location - Flaming Gorge Reservoir
These are the 'Official' records from each state. Any claims to larger fish being caught or caught and released in Flaming Gorge are undocumented and meaningless. Wyoming does not appear to have a 'Catch & Release' records program. So, stories of larger fish caught than indicated above from the state records are just that - stories. And if you catch a record Late Trout in Flaming Gorge and want it declared a new state record, you really don't have any choice but to keep it (kill it) and get it to a state certified scale for weighing it with 2 witnesses and have a State official certify the identity of the fish.