State And Potential World Record Mountain Whitefish Caught In Oregon

When Alex Diets of Bend, Oregon, hit the Deschutes River in late December, I seriously doubt he expected to catch a record mountain whitefish, but that's what happened after this 24 inch, 5-pound 12 oz chunker chewed his egg pattern presentation.

After landing the mountain megalodon, he called over his buddy Jason Schreiber who was fishing nearby, and together they realized that this whopper might be the new state record. And they weren't wrong either. After getting proper measurements and running through the certification process, this unexpected catch brought in near Warm Springs, Oregon, is now in the state record books.

Possible World Record?

The International Game Fish Association, better known as the IGFA, sets the standard for global fishing records. Their Mountain Whitefish recond online weighs 5 pounds, 8 ounces, which is 4 ounces less than Alex's recent catch. I haven't heard any updates from the IGFA, but don't be surprised if you see Alex's name get penciled in as the new world record holder.

More About Mountain Whitefish

Mountain whitefish are native to North America's mountain west region and are often found in the swift-moving rivers where you might see someone casting a fly rod. While they're not usually the target species among anglers out west, they're hard fighting, tasty, and highly appreciated by the many guides whose customers catch them in between their brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout. Conrgrationals to Alex on his etching his name in the record books.

Mountain Whitefish native range highlighted in orange. Source: USGS

Another look at the new Oregon state record mountain whitefish.

Here's the simple, classic, and obviously effective egg presentation that fooled the fish.