Keith Lusher 04.14.26
A West Virginia angler has etched his title into the document books after touchdown an enormous tiger trout that shattered the state’s long-standing size document.
John Terry, of Gallagher, caught a 29.13-inch, 11.04-pound tiger trout on March 19 from Seneca Lake in Pocahontas County. The fish surpasses the earlier state size document of 28.7 inches, which had stood since 2011 when Mike Connelly landed his fish at Krodel Lake.
What makes the catch much more spectacular is the sort out Terry was utilizing. He landed the bruiser on a Panther Martin spinner paired with simply 4-pound-test line, a setup most anglers would contemplate gentle even for average-sized trout.
“We’re excited to acknowledge Mr. Terry for setting a brand new state document for tiger trout,” stated WVDNR Director Brett McMillion. “His accomplishment showcases the excellent fishing experiences West Virginia has to supply and displays the eagerness anglers deliver to the waters all through the state.”
For these unfamiliar with the species, tiger trout are a sterile hybrid produced by crossing a feminine brown trout with a male brook trout. The pairing hardly ever happens naturally however is often reproduced in hatcheries. The result’s a fast-growing, aggressive predator that shows a putting vermiculated sample throughout its physique, which provides the fish its tiger-like title.
As a result of tiger trout are sterile, they can’t reproduce, making them a protected stocking possibility for fisheries managers who need to introduce a predatory fish with out the chance of building self-sustaining populations. They’re additionally identified for concentrating on bigger prey than equally sized trout, together with baitfish, crawfish, and even smaller trout, making them a helpful administration device in waters with overabundant forage fish.
For anglers, that aggressive nature interprets to a fish that responds effectively to a variety of displays, from spinners and crankbaits to streamers and swimbaits. Fish pushing previous the 29-inch mark, nonetheless, are uncommon anyplace in Appalachia.
Terry’s catch holds the state size document, however the weight document belongs to another person. Robert Riggs set that mark final 12 months on Mannington Lake in Marion County, touchdown a tiger trout that weighed 12.55 kilos and measured 27.60 inches. Riggs caught his fish on a casting spoon with 6-pound-test line whereas trolling along with his son from a small jon boat throughout West Virginia’s Gold Rush spring stocking occasion.
Anglers hoping to chase a document of their very own ought to overview the WVDNR’s particular standards for document fish submissions. The state additionally presents Trophy Fish Quotation and Grasp Angler packages for notable catches that won’t break data however nonetheless deserve recognition.
With robust stocking packages persevering with throughout the Mountain State, it might solely be a matter of time earlier than one other big tiger trout makes headlines.
Trending Merchandise
