Another Record Broken: The Year of the Colorado Brook Trout

Five months ago, Colorado wildlife officials booked a new state record brook trout for the first time in 75 years. On Tuesday, they announced the record was broken — again.

Angler Matt Smiley of Lake City, Colo., is the state’s third new king of the brookie since this summer. On Oct. 8, Smiley hauled an 8-pound, 9-ounce brook trout from Waterdog Lake in the Uncompahgre National Forest near his Hinsdale County home, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed Tuesday.

The fish spanned 26.25 inches, with a 16-inch girth. In a tough decision, Smiley told wildlife officials, he chose to keep it.

“The experience of this catch has been surreal, and it took a few days to soak in. It’s a really special fish,” Smiley said.

An Old Record Broken — Again

Prior to this May, Colorado’s brook trout record was the oldest-standing fishing benchmark in the state.

That’s when Tim…