Colorado’s lake trout record is becoming a family affair. When Don Walker of Florence landed a 50.35-pound monster May 23 at Blue Mesa Reservoir, the catch broke the 4-year-old record of his brother-in-law, Larry Cornell.
Walker’s fish is the largest of any species recorded in the state, besting Cornell’s 46-pound, 14.6-ounce laker from Blue Mesa in 2003. It gets better from there. Don’s wife, Paula – Cornell’s sister – netted the fish. Cornell, who was fishing the big lake at the same time, met them on shore and performed a quick weigh-in with his scale. Realizing he had an almost certain record, Walker placed the fish in Cornell’s live well for a quick trip to the Colorado Division of Wildlife office in Gunnison, where the official weight was confirmed.
The record catch, which measured 44 inches long with a 34-inch girth, was made on a 4-inch pumpkin pepper tube jig.
