The Largest Rainbow Trout Ever Caught

Connor Merritt

For most anglers, landing a 10-pound rainbow trout is the catch of a lifetime. But for Sean Konrad, that number wasn’t even close. On September 5, 2009, Konrad reeled in a record-shattering 48-pound rainbow trout from Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan. Measuring an astonishing 42 inches long and boasting a girth of 32 inches, this fish wasn’t just big — it was a true monster of the deep. 

The Largest Rainbow Trout 

Konrad, an experienced angler, knew he was in for a fight the moment the trout took the bait. The battle between man and fish was fierce, with the massive rainbow putting up a fight worthy of its size. After an intense struggle, Konrad finally landed what would go down in history as the largest rainbow trout ever officially recorded. 

What makes this catch even more fascinating is that Lake Diefenbaker is home to a unique strain of rainbow trout — escapees from a local fish farm that grew to enormous sizes in the reservoir’s rich waters. These genetically enhanced triploid trout were originally bred for commercial purposes but found themselves thriving in the wild after escaping their enclosures. 

Breaking the Old Record 

Konrad’s massive catch broke the previous world record, which was held by his twin brother, Adam, who had landed a 43-pound rainbow trout from the same lake in 2007. The Konrad brothers had long known that Lake Diefenbaker harbored giants, but this 48-pound behemoth solidified its status as a legendary fishery. 

For anglers chasing trophy fish, the story of the largest rainbow trout ever caught serves as both inspiration and proof that nature — and a little luck — can produce truly incredible results. Who knows? Maybe somewhere, in the depths of another remote lake, an even larger rainbow trout is waiting for the right angler to come along.

Read more about rainbow trout on iSportsmanUSA.