WOW: This Colorado Lake Is Known For Record Breaking Brook Trout

A Colorado man is ecstatic after reeling in a massive Brook trout that beat the previous state record.

According to a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Matt Smiley of Lake City, is the proud new record holder for catching the state's largest recorded Brook trout.

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Brook Trout Record Broken 3 Times in 2022

2022 has been a huge year for huge Brook trout in Colorado. Prior to this year's record breaking catches, the previous Brook trout record had been held for 75 years.

In May, Tim Daniel of Granby ended that 75 year-old record when he caught a Brook trout from Monarch Lake that weighed 7.84-pounds.

Matt Smiley via CPW

Since then, that record has been broken two more times within only 5 months. Smiley's record breaking Brook trout measured at 26.25 inches in length, had a girth of 16 inches, and weighed 8 pounds 9-ounces.

Matt Smiley Is No Amateur When it Comes to Brook Trout Fishing

Smiley sells tackle for the company Favorite Fishing and has been chasing Brook trout in Colorado for over a decade.

“We’ve been doing this for 10 years pretty hard across Colorado. We just love backcountry brook trout,” Smiley said.

There are several lakes with really good fish in them, and we’ve been close a few times. My friend got one five years ago that would’ve broken the record, and on the spot he released it. He had one earlier that day he lost that was even bigger. The way lakes cycle, a couple of years go by and there are no big brookies left in it as things change.

Smiley heard of a record breaking Brook trout being caught the week prior and decided to set out to the same location to test his luck.

Where to Fish for Record Breaking Brook Trout in Colorado

Matt Smiley via CPW

The two most recent record breaking Brook trout have both been caught at Waterdog Lake.

Waterdog Lake is located on the east side of Lake City in Hinsdale County within the Uncompahgre National Forest.

The lake can be accessed by Waterdog Lake trail which is approximately a 3.9-mile hike.

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