A world record for Brown trout?

David — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:00:23 +0000

Angler Roger Hellen poses with his 41.5 pound Brown trout for Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel photographer Benny Sieu at Salmon-a-Rama on July 16, 2010 in Racine, Wis. The trout, caught that morning, was speculated to be a world record-setting catch. The current record for Brown trout was set last September in the Manistee River of Michigan at 41 pounds, 7 ounces. Hellen's trout, an ounce heavier, is pending review of National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association before it can be declared the world record for this species. | Canon 1D Mark III and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 51mm | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/4, ISO 200 (+1 EV)

Not just any “fish story”

On the morning of July 16, 2010, Roger Hellen set out in his boat, “Get Hooked,” with his friend Joe Miller. He came back with what is quite possibly a world record for Brown trout: 41 pounds, 8 ounces. The fish will likely earn Hellen the grand prize of $10,000 at Salmon-a-Rama, and also stirred up a bit of a media frenzy given the possibility of a new record for Brown trout. The current record was set only back in September 2009 by an angler in Michigan with a 41 pound, 7 ounce Brown trout. The catch also beats the Salmon-a-Rama record for largest fish entered in the contest which has stood since 1997.

So far, I’ve met some great people out at Salmon-a-Rama, and I think that the stories I’ve heard will be compelling for the argument that sport fishing is an important part of Lake Michigan–something that could be lost should Asian carp gain access to the Great Lakes.

Center of attention: angler Roger Hellen, left, and his friend Joe Miller present Hellen's 41.5 pound Brown trout to the crowd gathered at Salmon-a-Rama. | Canon 1D Mark III and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 70mm | Exposed 1/200 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 400 (0 EV)

Despite growing tired of holding 41.5 pounds, Joe Miller, front, and Roger Hellen, back, present Hellen's Brown trout to the crowd at Salmon-a-Rama. | Canon 5D Mark II and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 16mm | Exposed 1/200 sec. @ f/4, ISO 400 (-1.33 EV)

"Hold my beer:" Craig Bender, co-director of the Salmon-a-Rama sport fishing tournament, reaches for co-director and Salmon Unlimited president Tom Pietila's beer while the two men, along with Joe Miller, right, carry angler Roger Hellen's 41.5 pound Brown trout to be displayed to the crowd. | Canon 5D Mark II and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 16mm | Exposed 1/250 sec. @ f/4, ISO 400 (-1.33 EV)

blog | photography by David Kennedy » Brown trout

A world record for Brown trout?

Not just any “fish story”