Priest Lake produces new record Westslope cutthroat trout
Photo courtesy Idaho Department of Fish and Game Madison Nackos of Spokane hoists a 24-inch Westslope cutthroat trout she hooked from Priest Lake, securing a new catch-and-release state record.
Madison Nackos releases a 24-inch Westslope Cutthroat Trout back into the cool waters of Priest Lake, clinching the current catch-and-release Idaho state record for this species.
By Martin Koenig
Congratulations to Madison Nackos of Spokane on setting a new catch-and-release state record from Priest Lake.
Nackos hooked the monster cutthroat trout while fishing Priest Lake on May 29. The fish measured 24 inches long, beating the previously held record of 21 inches set by Tom Weadick in 2020.
The Westslope Cutthroat Trout is a native trout that is common in both lakes and streams throughout Idaho’s Panhandle Region, along with other regions of the state. Catch-and-release state records are based on total length, and are kept for each of the four subspecies of cutthroat trout found in Idaho, including: Bonneville, Yellowstone, Westslope and Lahontan cutthroat trout.
