Rigby woman sets new Henrys Lake catch and release record

The following is a press release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

HENRYS LAKE – Congratulations to Hailey Thomas of Rigby for setting a new state catch and release record at Henrys Lake.

Hailey snagged the 36-inch-long rainbow monster/cutthroat hybrid on Oct. 4 while fishing with her family on the famous eastern Idaho lake. Hailey’s fish comfortably exceeds the previous record – an already impressive 30-inch rainbow/cutthroat hybrid set by Snake River’s Ryan Ivy in 2018.

Hailey and her husband, Shane, hit the lake with their two children, hoping to enjoy a warm fall afternoon and hopefully catch some nice trout. Despite the nice weather, the water was a little discolored and the fishing was slow.

By mid-afternoon they were having trouble locating fish with only a few trout to hand. As they weighed anchor to move spots, Hailey snagged a large fish.

“Hailey did a phenomenal job fighting the fish and keeping them out of the heavy weeds which have been known to knock big trout off the line. After about a stressful minute, I reached out and picked up the fish. The net I usually use to hunt carp looked so small because the fish barely fit in it!” Shane said.

After scooping up the fish, Shane – a seasoned angler and former state record holder – yelled excitedly,

“It’s the biggest trout I’ve seen in my life!”

Knowing they had landed something special, they used the boat’s livewell to help the fish recover. Suspecting they might have caught a record, the fishing couple obtained the measurement and photos needed to document the catch. At 36 inches long, with a circumference of 21 inches, the fish could have weighed between 17 and 20 pounds!

After a quick shot, Hailey released the lunker trout back into the lake to fight another day.

Lake Henrys in eastern Idaho is famous for its blue trout fishing and is home to native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, as well as hybrid rainbow/cutthroat and brook trout. Trout grow rapidly in this productive lake and often reach trophy size.

Spring and fall are the preferred seasons for anglers to hunt the lake’s abundant trout, although weather conditions can often be ‘challenging’.

Hailey Thomas with Lake Henrys Hybrid Trout | Shane Thomas

Learn more about Lake Henrys and the science used to manage the fishery:

Do you think you can catch a record fish? Click here to learn more about state records and how to apply.

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