Thunder Bay angler Randy Beamish caught a 26-inch, 10-pound brook trout with an 18-inch girth on a dry fly in June on the Nipigon River.
Despite this, he characterized that day as not a particularly good one for fishing, having only caught three brook trout (the others six- and seven-pounders).
Beamish had not planned on going fishing that day, but his schedule opened up unexpectedly. “I had a strange feeling that today was going to be the day,” the 62-year-old said.
Beamish said he fished hard and since the action was slow by his standards, decided to tie on a big Stimulator dry fly. Incredibly, he says, he saw another trout at least as big as the one he caught try to take the fly as well.
Beamish has been chasing brook trout his entire life. “I know a world record lives there.”
The monster catch is further proof that Nipigon is “the land of giants,” OOD Senior Editor Gord Ellis said.
Ellis, who knows the angler and waters well, said, “Randy is an incredible angler, and that is a fish of a lifetime for most, but Tuesday for him.”
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He also praised efforts practiced by local anglers and fisheries staff to grow the trophy fishery.
“The fact that there are giant brook trout like this in the Nipigon system is directly due to catch and release and the strict conservation regulations in place. The limit is one fish over 22 inches, and that allows the brookies to spawn three times before potential harvest,” Ellis said.
Read more at Ontario Out of Doors here: https://oodmag.com.
