FORT PECK — A new state record has been made for the largest Chinook salmon caught in the state at Fort Peck Lake, weighing 32.62 pounds.
Jim Fauth caught the Chinook, or king, salmon on Aug. 9 while fishing with his wife and friends. Originally from Malta, the group decided to head to Fort Peck Lake to fish for salmon. They tried to catch some for about three hours but had no luck.
“We were hoping to have some to throw in the freezer but didn't quite work that way," said Fauth.
Then suddenly, something heavier than usual bit his line.
“It came in fairly quick. It took a lot of line off in a hurry, but once I got it stopped and slowed up and moving back toward the boat, it came in good," said Fauth.
Fauth reeled in what he described as the largest fish he had ever caught. At first, he thought it was anywhere from 15 to 20 pounds, but after attempting to weigh it on his personal scale and seeing that it did not quite fit in his cooler, he knew he had something much bigger.
The previous state record was set in 2020 at 32.09 pounds, and Fauth's scale was reading slightly over that.
"We didn't really understand that you really want to get them to the scale as quick as you can, because they do lose weight as time goes on. I had a scale in the boat and I used that and that showed 33.9 ounces," said Fauth.
It took three different scales before the fish was officially weighed by FWP in Glasgow, and it came in at a whopping 32.62 pounds, 38 inches long, and 28 inches in girth.
“I've never caught anything that qualified for any kind of record," said Fauth. "I don't plan on topping that because I don't think that happens twice in a lifetime."
Fauth is having the fish mounted. However, it is too large for his house, so he plans on donating it to the assisted living facility his friends own in Malta to be displayed. He decided to send it to Billings at Northern Anglers Taxidermy.
“That's one of the largest freshwater fish that I've probably done other than saltwater,” said owner and taxidermist Rich White.
White is an award-winning fish taxidermist and is the current cold-water fish taxidermy 2024 world champion. He works on many different types of fish, painting them all by hand to be put on display. He said that these types of large salmon are not common, especially since this type in Montana is only found in the Fort Peck Reservoir.
“For a king salmon land-lock, that's really cool because it's a super-deep fish, really neat. It's not very often that the fish like that's caught. You got to think of how long King Salmon have been in Fort Peck. Quite a while, right?" said White. "It's very unique to catch a fish of that size, for one, to bring it in when you got 32-some pounds pulling back down. You're just hoping to bring it in and not lose the fish versus catching a state record."
Once White starts the process, it will take about three weeks to complete, and then return to Malta.
Fauth was shocked by his catch, but also proud that he was able to do so in an old pontoon and a fishing rod his uncle had gifted him 25 years ago.
“So an old boat, old fishing rod, it doesn't matter. If you're in the right spot, good things can still happen,” said Fauth.
Fauth had also happened to enter a fishing competition at the lake, and of course, came out as the winner by the end of the week, winning a $50 gift certificate.
"That doesn't quite buy the fuel to drive up to Fort Peck, but what a great time we had," said Fauth.
While he does not seem too worried about the record, he just wants to go back to what he loves, fishing. He and his friends plan on going out the next weekend to try their luck once again.
“I just wanted to catch a fish. I wasn't banking on all this other stuff, but my family is happy for me and I'm gonna enjoy it,” said Fauth.
