Benjamin Smith breaks Idaho brown trout record in Franklin County

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Another state record was caught in an Idaho river.

Idaho Fish and Game reports Benjamin Smith of Thatcher caught a brown trout that was 31 inches long on Aug. 28.

It was caught in the Bear River in Franklin County.

Smith's catch beats Caroline Langdale's recent record by 0.5 inches. She caught a similar brown trout on the South Fork Snake River in May 2026.

"The only thing more surprising than a brown trout over 30 inches is how quickly the previous record fell," an Idaho Fish and Game news release said. "Given how rare a fish of this class is for Idaho, most anglers should have expected the previous record to stand for quite a while."

The wildlife agency said the Bear River is best known for its native cutthroat trout, but is also home to rainbow and brown trout.