Record whitefish landed at Bear Lake

ST. CHARLES, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - A McCammon man found his way into the Idaho record books, during a fishing trip to Bear Lake December 10.

Gaylon Newbold landed a catch/release state record Bonneville whitefish. Newbold already holds multiple state fishing records, including the catch/release record Bonneville cutthroat trout and the current certified weight record for Bonneville whitefish. Last week's catch was an impressive 21 inches and beat a previous record set in 2016.

According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Bear Lake is unique in that it is home to three different species of whitefish, which are only found in that lake.

Bonneville Cisco, Bear Lake whitefish, and Bonneville whitefish are all thought to be relatives of the widely distributed mountain whitefish that is present in most of Idaho. The three Bear Lake species evolved over the last 14,000 years since the ancient Lake Bonneville receded., isolating the species in Bear Lake.