A family visit and outing recently resulted in a record-breaking catch for one Wyoming fisherman.
Owen Schaad, a resident of Cheyenne, received official recognition from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department (WGFD) for reeling in a 31-inch, near 12-pound tiger trout, according to a press release issued by the wildlife agency on Monday, June 26.
The 11.93-pound fish, which was caught from the Viva Naughton Reservoir near the City of Kemmerer in Lincoln County, beat the state’s previously established tiger trout record from May 2012, when an 11.07-pound tiger trout was caught from the High Savery Reservoir in Rawlins, Wyoming.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Schaad for comment.
Owen Schaad, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, broke the state tiger trout record with a fish that measures 31 inches in length and 16.5 inches in girth. (Wyoming Game & Fish Department/Owen Schaad)
Schaad told the WGFD he reeled his record-breaking tiger trout during a recent fishing trip he took while visiting his family.
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He reportedly visits Kemmerer every summer and doesn’t usually catch much, but his last outing resulted in a haul of over 20 fish, including his record breaker.
“I was fishing for maybe about four hours,” Schaad told the WGFD. “Out of nowhere I hook onto this big ol’ fish and I think it’s a brown trout.”
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“It took maybe 20 minutes to get it where I could see it. When I got it up to the bank and in the net and saw what it was I was all excited, jumping up and down,” he continued. “It was probably the most exciting day of my life.”
Owen Schaad (not pictured) caught more than 20 fish during his visit to the Viva Naughton Reservoir in Kemmerer, Wyoming, including his record-breaking tiger trout. (iStock)
Schaad also said he used a “big rod with a heavy line” when he caught his record-breaking trout, but he didn’t specify the exact gear.
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The WFGD reports that Schaad is the first person to break the state tiger trout record, which was established 11 years ago by Stan Seivewright, an angler from Casper, Wyoming.
Tiger trout are a “hybrid species,” and they’re “relatively new in Wyoming,” according to the WFGD.
Brook trout are one half of a tiger trout’s genetic makeup, according to wildlife experts. (iStock)
The wildlife agency says tiger trout are born from brown trout and brook trout, and the species is considered sterile.
“Fish need remarkable conditions to grow that big,” said Mark Smith, an assistant fisheries management coordinator with the WFGD.
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“As people catch those fish it becomes less likely another fish with those conditions will be caught again any time soon,” he continued. “Popular sport fish records tend to become stagnant over time due to the unusual environmental conditions that are required to produce exceptional sized fish.”