Colorado Parks and Wildlife is excited to announce a new state record Brook Trout has been caught, breaking the longest-standing fish record in the state. The Brook Trout was caught on May 23 by Tim Daniel of Granby in Monarch Lake, in Grand County. Colorado Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert inspected the fish the day it was caught. It weighed 7.84 pounds, measured 23 1/4 inches in length, and had a girth of 15 3/8 inches.

“When I headed out to fish that day with my friend Karen and four-legged friend Moose, I had no intention of breaking a record,” said Mr. Daniel. “I wasn’t sure what I had hooked, but I knew it was big. I’ve fished waters in Northwest Colorado for many years, and I have landed some big fish. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of CPW aquatic biologists, Northwest Colorado has some of the best fisheries in the state.” 

When first asked where and what he used to catch the fish, Mr. Daniel's said in the water and with a hook. 

“We always suspected that Monarch Lake had the potential to produce a state record Brook Trout,” said CPW Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert. “This is a real testament to the quality of our angling opportunities in Grand County. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving angler than Tim. He's just one of those guys that is always out there on the water and as a result, has an intimate knowledge of the subtle details necessary to be so successful.”

The Brook Trout—sometimes also called the speckled trout—is a member of the char genus of the trout and salmon family. It is a beautifully colored fish with pink or red spots surrounded by blue halos along the sides and a distinctive marbled pattern over an olive-green back. Brook Trout can grow anywhere from 11 - 23 inches in length. The previous record for Brook Trout was 7.63 pounds, set in 1947 from Upper Cataract Lake in Summit County. 

To learn more about fishing in Colorado, check out the 2022 Colorado Fishing Brochure at https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/RulesRegs/Brochure/fishing.pdf.