GREEN RIVER – Less than one year after Wyoming’s first state record for tiger trout was caught in High Savery Reservoir, a Green River angler has broke it.

Lucas Lorenzo Medina caught the 17.6-inch, 1.79-pound tiger trout on April 28, breaking the old state record of 16.5 inches, 1.6 pounds set by Encampment angler Greg Salisbury Fourth of July 2006.

"I had a great time catching this fish," Medina said of the cross between a brook and brown trout. "They are great fighters! I caught it on a marshmallow and a worm from the shore. I thought I might have a record when I pulled it out of the water."

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department stocked High Savery Reservoir with Colorado River cutthroat, kokanee salmon and tiger trout in June 2005.

Tiger trout were chosen because the hybrid is completely sterile, so their numbers can be strictly controlled by stocking. Tiger trout have been used by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in association with their Colorado cutthroat recovery plan with good success. The "tigers" should stay along the shorelines and prey more specifically on white suckers and creek chubs than cutthroats or kokanee. Tiger trout are also very aggressive and readily take flies and lures. The hybrid has white-edged fins on its underside like a brook trout, but its body features irregular dark green lines or vermiculations on a lighter green background with infrequent spots.

"I grew up in Rawlins and have fished in the area for a long time," Medina added. "I heard about High Savery and wanted to give it a try. I had already caught rainbows and smaller tiger trout before I caught the bigger tiger. I had a great time fishing, and catching a record fish makes it even better."

To get to High Savery Reservoir from Rawlins, take Wyoming Highway 71 approximately 35 miles south and turn west into the lake. Or from Wyoming Highway 70 in the Medicine Bow National Forest, take Forest Service Road 801 approximately 8 miles north of the forest boundary and turn west. No camping is currently available.

Since High Savery – the only Wyoming water hosting tiger trout – is a young reservoir, the record is expected to be broken several more times in the next few years.

The North American tiger trout record weighed 20 pounds 13 ounces and was caught on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan in August 1978.

Anglers can call the Green River Game and Fish Office at (307) 875-3223 (out of state) or (800) 843-8096 (in state) for more information.
(contact: Bill Wengert or Lucy Wold (307) 875-3223)