World Record Rainbow Trout

[Hairstacker]

Saw this on another board of a new all-tackle world record 43.6 lb, 38.75" rainbow trout caught on a Mepps on June 5:

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/f...ory?id=2901070

[SullyTM]

[dtp916]

What a BEAST! I've seen some truly huge trout, but seriously this guy is OBESE! Congrats on the world record.

[JT]

That thing's bigger around than me! What a monster!

[Digger]

I can just see that thing chasing after pike

[Terry Thomas]

Looking at his hands in comparison with his body brings questions to my mind. It might weigh 43 lbs., but the shot looks "shopped." IMHO
T.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

This is a new hybrid that has no "bung hole".

[DocEsox]

Gentlemen.....welcome to the sad world of genetic manipulation. This trout is one of half a million which escaped into Lake Diffenbacher from a trout farm....they are triploid rainbows. Genetically altered so they have 3 sets of chromosomes, not the natural 2.....by doing this they are all essentially female but never develop gonads...thus everything they eat is metabolized into flesh. The grow at an obscene rate thus giving them their beachball proportions. I think it is appalling that these genetic freaks are allowed to replace world records of natural and wild rainbow trout. They are sterile and have no place being allowed in as records but the IGFA has already granted some line class records to these manipulated trout. They should in no way be considered the same as a true, rainbow trout....

Brian

[steve sullivan]

Gentlemen.....welcome to the sad world of genetic manipulation. This trout is one of half a million which escaped into Lake Diffenbacher from a trout farm....they are triploid rainbows. Genetically altered so they have 3 sets of chromosomes, not the natural 2.....by doing this they are all essentially female but never develop gonads...thus everything they eat is metabolized into flesh. The grow at an obscene rate thus giving them their beachball proportions. I think it is appalling that these genetic freaks are allowed to replace world records of natural and wild rainbow trout. They are sterile and have no place being allowed in as records but the IGFA has already granted some line class records to these manipulated trout. They should in no way be considered the same as a true, rainbow trout....

Brian

My first thought was that it was a triploid from southern california, but when I saw that it was north of the border I thought "no way would they do that kind of stuff there". I was also going to post how impressed I was that he was able to pull in a 40 plus pound trout on 6 pound test in ONLY 20 minutes. I have caught 30 plus pound salmon and they take a heck of a long time to get in.

These brothers are quoted as saying they are trying to make a name for themselves by breaking records, I hope they arent doing this by going after triploids? The good news is since they cant reproduce this wont last long.

[DocEsox]

Steve...that is exactly what they are doing. They are targeting the remaining triploids and have already been granted at least one other rainbow record. I have exchanged emails with the boys and they know exactly what they are going after. It's just as obscene as recognizing records from the Santa Ana River Lakes in California. And yes, it will be a short lived problem as these sterile hybrids die. But they are stocking them in many places in Canada...last year there was a 40 lbs rainbow recorded in Ontario. To think our neighbors to the north are better about this than us is silly. Canada has a burgeoning farmed salmon industry (trout too, in many inland waters) which has already wreaked havoc on the west coast of BC. They have been raising Atlantic Salmon in the Pacific and due to escapes there are currently several rivers on Vancouver Island which have documented spawning Atlantic salmon....who knows how much problem this will cause. Sometime we humans are just not too bright.

Brian