The 2021 TRM blog below has been repeated to try to settle a dispute on Facebook over whether or not it qualified to be a brown trout. The response from suspicious anglers was huge. As the angler, who they named “Shamus”, is a local Turangi fisho, we are obliged to protect his world-famous reputation. The truth is, we do not care if it was a hybrid cross with a salmon or not. It was still one monster fish and worthy of world-class status.
The main criticism we heard on our investigative journey was that the salmon food prepared in the freezing works for raising farmed salmon is more than likely full of secret growth hormones from KFC? As these fish are grossing out on a diet of salmon pellets that escaped through the cages from the salmon farm and it may be a bit late for an autopsy, that may be difficult to prove.
WORLD RECORD!
On our recent big road trip in the deep south SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed, the manager at TRM, was tour guide for this trip) had a special reason to visit Turangi’s sister trout-town at Twizel.
In the RSA, above the bar, She wanted a photo of their world record brown trout which was caught by someone called “Shamus (their spelling!) from Turangi”.
The above-mounted trophy of 38.9 pound was caught by a local school kid who took all day to land it.
The world record-breaking brown trout weighed in at 45.7 pounds, was caught over a year ago but was still not yet on display – only a photo was available to indicate what was to come.
SWMBO, the tour dining-out guide and critic, was also comparing the Blue Cod from all over the South Island. She advises that the best Blue Cod she sampled in the South was also the lowest priced at Twizel RSA, almost as far away from the sea as Turangi. Mind you, it was later in the day when She may have been peckish…
Next TRM blog:
Just another modest Tongariro River world champion angler…
You never know who you might meet on the Tongariro River. Last week I met a world champion!
Turangi anglers’ modesty, concerning their skill and experience, is amazing.
TRM’s fishy photo taken last Wednesday is a local “retired?” fishing guide, Seamus from Turangi.
He was about to release another fresh run silver Rainbow in the Tongariro River. So?
This report is to warn he should not be confused with the other “anon” Seamus who would not provide his full name so he does not officially hold the world record for landing the biggest brown trout in 2020 (44 lb 5 oz) although his record achievement is acknowledged on the International Game Fish Association website… TRM recognises it too. Confused?
TRM do not usually promote spin fishing for artificial hormone-enhanced pellet-fed canal-raised fat slobs in another region, but this story had to be told…
Massive trout caught near Twizel officially breaks world record
(Feature news story by Rachael Comer)
A large brown trout caught near Twizel was weighed in Pleasant Point in October 2020.
A massive brown trout caught from the Mackenzie hydro canals, near Twizel, in 2020 has officially been recognised as a record breaker.
The 20.10 kg (44 lb 5 oz) fish, landed by Seumas Petrie, of Tūrangi, was hauled from the Ōhau canal on October 27, and donated to the Razza Bar and Bistro in Twizel to be taxidermied and hung up on a wall at the establishment alongside other big catches – a 38.9-pound trout and a 38.2-pound trout.
The trout has now been recognised by the International Game Fish Association, breaking the previous record catch, a 19.1 kg (42lb 1oz) fish, caught by Otwin Kandolf, in the same canals in 2013.
At the time of the record breaking catch, the fisherman wished to remain anonymous, and only known as “Seamus from Tūrangi”. However, to be recognised as an official record holder, they now claim the person’s full name must be used. TRM’s photos of him fishing do not qualify.
According to the International Game Fish Association website the record is now held by Seumas Petrie. (Another name change?)
In order to help sort out any confusion, we piloted TRM’s official taxi (“BENY”) on a road trip down there to Twizel to investigate and report on the Razza bar. (aka The Twizel RSA) Unlike some fishos tales, the photos, dated 26 November 2021, do not lie.
Every angler acknowledges that it is absolutely normal for the weight of trout to increase after being released. But what about after mounting? How did it grow from 42 pound in the news article to 45.7 pound in the photo? Or is it the same trout?
In this age of digital photo-shopping, perhaps photos cannot be believed any more. Consider the photos below of BENY wading through remote farm streams, or allowing SWMBO to drive BENY – I mean, who would believe that! Ignore that, as this was supposed to be a fishy story celebrating the brown trout world record by an angler from Turangi. (Trout Fishing Capital of the World).
