March 13th 1999 is a day
Peter Romero will not soon forget. While fishing on Santa Cruz Lake
East of Espanola, New Mexico, he made an incredible catch. A 31.78
pound Rainbow Trout that is so large it looks more like a salmon than
a trout.
Peter's fish shattered the previous state record of 19 1/2 lbs that
was caught only the previous month on February 8th in Monastery Lake.
The record prior to the February 8th catch was a 16 pounder from
Bluewater Lake caught in 1986. The Worlds Record Rainbow Trout
weighed 42 pounds 3 ounces and was caught near Bell Island Alaska in
1970.
Peter was trolling with a hand tied 'Black Leech Jig' called the
"Secret Weapon" that was designed and tied by his brother Matt.
Amazingly Romero was using an ultra light rod & reel with 6 lb test
line to catch the record breaker. It took him 20 minutes to get it to
the boat and when he did it's head wouldn't fit in his net, so his
friend Kieth Bujold grabbed it by the gills and pulled it in the
boat. The giant measures 33 1/2" long and has an incredible 24 1/4"
girth. |
