Thatcher Angler Sets Idaho Brown Trout Record With 31-Inch Catch
Benjamin Smith of Thatcher set a new Idaho state record for brown trout with a 31-inch fish caught in the Bear River in Franklin County on August 28. The catch surpassed the previous record by 0.5 inches; that record was…
Idaho Falls Pocatello, ID, October 19, 2026 —
Benjamin Smith of Thatcher set a new Idaho state record for brown trout after catching a 31-inch fish in the Bear River in Franklin County on August 28, according to the information provided about the record.
The catch exceeded the previous state record by 0.5 inches. That earlier record was set in 2026, though the date of that catch and the name of the previous record-holder were not provided.
The year of Smith’s catch was also not specified. The reported account gives August 28 as the date, but does not say how the fish was measured or describe the process used to confirm the record. No additional details were provided about the circumstances of the catch, including the equipment used or whether the fish was kept or released.
The available information identifies Smith as being from Thatcher and places the catch in the Bear River in Franklin County. It does not provide further details about Smith, the location along the river, or the state agency or organization that recognized the record.
At 31 inches, Smith’s fish surpassed the preceding mark by half an inch, establishing the new state record as described in the account. The available information does not include the previous fish’s length beyond the comparison implied by the reported difference, nor does it provide other measurements such as weight.
Story summarized from the original created by Curtis Jackson on localnews8.com, see more information here.
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