Massive Walleye Sets New Montana State Record

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, a walleye caught in Holter Lake has set a new state record.

The nearly 3-foot long walleye was caught out of Holter Lake near Helena om May 10 by local resident, Trevor Johnson. Johnson’s fish weighed in at 18.02 pounds on a certified scale, measured 32.25 inches in length, and 22 inches in girth. He caught the record-setting fish on a jig.

The previous state walleye record was set in 2007 with a 17.75-pound fish from Tiber Reservoir.

Since last August, six new state record fish have been caught in Montana, Those records include a chinook salmon caught in August, a smallmouth bass caught in October, a yellow bullhead caught in December, a brown trout in February, a longnose sucker in March, and a largemouth bass in April.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, there are 91 native and introduced fish species found in Montana, and interest in fish records has increased in recent years.

You can find a complete list of current state records on the Montana FWP website.

Montana FWP has a few tips for anglers who think they caught a state record fish.

• To prevent loss of weight, do not clean or freeze the fish. Keep the fish cool, preferably on ice.
• Take a picture of the fish.
• The fish must be weighed on a certified scale (found in grocery stores or hardware stores, etc.) and witnessed by a store employee or other observer. Obtain a weight receipt and an affidavit from the store personnel if no FWP official is present. Measure the length and girth. · Contact the nearest FWP office to have the fish positively identified by a fisheries biologist.