Post Falls Man Sets New Idaho Catch/Release Record For Bull Trout; 30.5 Inches

A Post Falls, Idaho man set a new Idaho catch/release record for bull trout, catching the monster while fishing the Kootenai River near Bonner’s Ferry on April 8.

Sawyer Livesey’s 30.5-inch bull trout was long enough to beat the previous 29-inch record set just last summer by Aaron Fox in nearby Lake Pend Oreille. ­

Catch/rel record bull trout 2020

Sawyer Livesey

Bull trout are Idaho’s only native species of char – a sub group of trout and salmon that includes brook trout, lake trout, and arctic char and several others species.

Bull trout are often highly migratory fish, swimming long distances between their winter habitat and spawning streams where they spawn in the fall months.

Idaho’s catch-and-release state record program is meant to recognize anglers for their outstanding catches without having to harvest the fish.  If you plan to catch-and-release, remember to handle fish carefully to increase survival after the catch. Here are some tips on handling fish. Find more in our fishing rules book (page 50):

•Use the proper size tackle to land the fish quickly, which can help minimize stress.

•Do not touch or hold fish by the gills, gill covers, or the eyes.

•Leave the fish in the water while removing the hook

•Use barbless hooks to ease hook removal and minimize damage to the fish

•When taking a photo, have the camera ready and the shot framed before removing the fish from the water.

•Hold the fish out of the water only as long as it takes to take a picture.

•Check out Idaho Fish and Game’s award-winning fish science team and their recent research on catch/release fishing.

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