Sam Hix of  Bellaire, Texas (left) with guide Josh Heilson (right) shows off a 30.5-inch Yellowstone cutthroat trout from the Snake River. 

Congratulations to Sam Hix of Bellaire, Texas on setting a new catch-and-release state record Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Hix was fishing the Snake River on Aug. 7 when he hooked the monster cutthroat. After a measuring the fish and taking a quick photograph, Sam released to swim another day. His fish tops the long-standing record set by Nate Ivy in 2016 (28.5 inches) and will set a very high bar for an future Yellowstone cutthroat trout records!

Yellowstone cutthroat trout are mainly found in Eastern Idaho and are native to the Snake River from Shoshone Falls upstream to its headwaters, and they are one of four subspecies found in Idaho. Idaho Fish and Game keeps state records for all game fish including Yellowstone, Bonneville, Westslope and Lahontan cutthroat subspecies. The catch-and-release record program began in 2016 as a way to recognize anglers that wanted to release the trophy fish they caught. 

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