Nebraskaland Magazine
I have a couple of state record applications sitting on my desk; might as well tell you about them. . . .
Both of them were caught on rod & reel, and both of them broke records that were just recently set. One of those will be no surprise, the other, well, you never know. . . .
Actually, the first one crossed my desk right after I had updated state records for 2020. We do not have a lot of state record fish caught through the ice, but we have some. Steven Carel of DeWitt caught a monster green sunfish right after the first of the year. That fish weighed a whopping 1 pound 14 ounces and was 12 inches long. Steven caught the big greenie on a waxworm from a Natural Resource District reservoir, Clatonia 3A.
The fish was bigger than a Dr. Pepper can!
I did not expect the green sunfish rod & reel record to be broken so soon. It had stood at a pound and a half for over twenty years until it was beat last fall. The mark set then was 1 pound 11 ounces. Now, in less than three months it has pushed to almost two pounds! That is a BIG green sunfish, and I am expecting that mark to stand for a while, maybe a long while!
The other one has already made the rounds on the news; you probably already read about it.
That fish was another rod & reel record tiger trout. This fish again was caught from the inlet at Sutherland Reservoir, the same water where the last rod & reel state record tiger trout was caught last fall. Walton Moore of North Platte caught the new record on March 11. He was using a minnow for bait. This new rod & reel record tiger trout was over six pounds, 6 pounds 13 ounces to be exact, almost seven pounds! Walton’s fish was 25 3/4 inches long.
No, we have not stocked any tiger trout into Sutherland Reservoir. However, they have been stocked in Lake Ogallala. Those fish migrate out of the lake, down the canal and can eventually end up at Sutherland Reservoir. I suspect most of the trout that swim that far downstream eventually find the water too warm to survive, but they certainly hang out at the Sutherland inlet as long as they can.
Again, I believe our tiger trout rod & reel state record could continue to push higher. Double digit tiger trout could be possible.
As always, take some time to familiarize yourself with the state record rules listed in every copy of the Fishing Guide. You just never know!
Steven and Walton, thanks for being patient. Your state record certificates will be coming in the mail. Congratulations!
