Tim Matheson has been named the Week Four winner of Fish’n Win, a free tournament co-hosted by The Fish’n Line magazine and Angling Masters International. His winning fish – a 29-inch brook trout – may eclipse a 90-year world record.
On October 21, 2006, fifty-three year old Matheson – who owns and operates Kenanow Lodge on Manitoba’s Kississing Lake – landed a brook trout that measured 29 inches long with a girth of 21 inches.
“Based on the measurements of the fish and the pictures I’ve seen, I’d estimate Matheson’s brook trout to be between 15 and 17 pounds,” said Rob Cann, Angling Program Manager at the provincial Water Stewardship Fisheries Branch. The current world record for brook trout is 14 pounds 8 ounces, caught in July 1916.
After measuring and photographing the fish, Matheson and his fishing buddy released it back into Barbe Lake.
According to the IGFA rules, the only way Matheson could have submitted the brook trout for world record status would have been to kill it, an option Matheson – a catch-and-release fisherman – says was not a consideration.
The Fish’n Line magazine teamed up with Angling Masters International (AMI) this fall for its inaugural Fish’n Win four week fishing tournament, hosted through AMI’s website, AnglingMasters.com. The angler who entered the best fish during each of the four weeks was awarded a cash prize of $1000. Scoring was determined by AMI’s unique points system, which levels the playing field for different species and locations throughout North America.
“It’s a fish of a lifetime. But this isn’t only my fish, it belongs to AMI as well,” said Matheson, implying that if it hadn’t been for his drive to win the Fish’n Win tournament, he likely wouldn’t have traveled 130 km to Barbe Lake, Manitoba that day.
“Fish of a lifetime?” said Dave Abbott, founder of Angling Masters International. “The last time a human being held a brook trout almost this big was almost a century ago. I’d say it’s the fish of a thousand lifetimes. Congratulations, Tim!”
For More Information
• Read all about the catch – in Tim Matheson’s own words – online at http://www.AnglingMasters.com/brooktrout
• Full tournament winners and details at http://www.AnglingMasters.com/fishnwin
• Download print-quality imagery at http://media.AnglingMasters.com
About The Fish’n Line
The Fish’n Line magazine is a unique, full glossy publication dedicated to anglers seeking industry-related information, while promoting the recreational fishing industry in Manitoba and northwest Ontario. The Fish’n Line is full of information on hot fishing spots, boats, tackle, resorts, tips and tricks, tournament news, reader photos, recipes, and more.
About AMI
Angling Masters International (AMI) is an online community and multi-species angling network based in Lacombe, Alberta (Canada) and Provo, Utah (United States). As a developer of multi-species angling events, and a facilitator and sponsor of multi-species fishing tournaments, AMI’s goal is to provide a level playing field for all anglers to compete, regardless of species. Learn more about AMI at AnglingMasters.com.
