New Idaho State Record Yellowstone Cutthroat Caught While Ice Fishing

February 8, 2026
12:35 am

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Imagine this: you're hunkered down on a frozen Idaho lake, auger in hand, line dangling into the icy depths, when BAM—a monster Yellowstone cutthroat trout smashes your bait and rewrites the state record books. That's exactly what happened to angler Keith Lusher, who reeled in a 28-inch behemoth weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces on Canyon Creek Reservoir. Certified by Idaho Fish and Game, this lunker shatters the previous ice-fishing record by nearly two pounds, proving that winter's grip doesn't slow down Idaho's legendary fisheries. In a state where cutthroats roam pristine waters from the Sawtooths to the Panhandle, Lusher's catch isn't just a personal triumph—it's a testament to Idaho's thriving cold-water ecosystems, fueled by strict conservation and minimal overregulation. But here's where it gets clever for us 2A folks: Idaho's outdoor paradise, from ice fishing to elk hunting, thrives because it's a bastion of self-reliance and Second Amendment freedoms. Lusher wasn't dropped in by chopper or guided by GPS overlords; he packed his gear, likely his sidearm for bear country (because grizzlies don't respect no ice signs), and braved the elements on public land open to responsible citizens. This record underscores why states like Idaho lead in trophy fish and big game—low population density, hunter-funded wildlife programs via Pittman-Robertson excise taxes, and a culture that arms its stewards. Contrast that with blue-state fisheries strangled by access restrictions and anti-gun hysteria; no coincidence Idaho's records keep falling while others stagnate. The implications? Every record like this rallies the 2A community around our shared stakes in public lands. Push back against federal overreach like expanded wilderness closures or ATF rules that could hamstring rural hunters and anglers who defend these resources. Celebrate wins like Lusher's by hitting the ice (or trails) armed and ready—because protecting the right to bear arms means safeguarding the right to pursue that next monster cutthroat, one frozen hole at a time. Tight lines, patriots.

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Imagine this: you’re hunkered down on a frozen Idaho lake, auger in hand, line dangling into the icy depths, when BAM—a monster Yellowstone cutthroat trout smashes your bait and rewrites the state record books. That’s exactly what happened to angler Keith Lusher, who reeled in a 28-inch behemoth weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces on Canyon Creek Reservoir. Certified by Idaho Fish and Game, this lunker shatters the previous ice-fishing record by nearly two pounds, proving that winter’s grip doesn’t slow down Idaho’s legendary fisheries. In a state where cutthroats roam pristine waters from the Sawtooths to the Panhandle, Lusher’s catch isn’t just a personal triumph—it’s a testament to Idaho’s thriving cold-water ecosystems, fueled by strict conservation and minimal overregulation.

But here’s where it gets clever for us 2A folks: Idaho’s outdoor paradise, from ice fishing to elk hunting, thrives because it’s a bastion of self-reliance and Second Amendment freedoms. Lusher wasn’t dropped in by chopper or guided by GPS overlords; he packed his gear, likely his sidearm for bear country (because grizzlies don’t respect no ice signs), and braved the elements on public land open to responsible citizens. This record underscores why states like Idaho lead in trophy fish and big game—low population density, hunter-funded wildlife programs via Pittman-Robertson excise taxes, and a culture that arms its stewards. Contrast that with blue-state fisheries strangled by access restrictions and anti-gun hysteria; no coincidence Idaho’s records keep falling while others stagnate.

The implications? Every record like this rallies the 2A community around our shared stakes in public lands. Push back against federal overreach like expanded wilderness closures or ATF rules that could hamstring rural hunters and anglers who defend these resources. Celebrate wins like Lusher’s by hitting the ice (or trails) armed and ready—because protecting the right to bear arms means safeguarding the right to pursue that next monster cutthroat, one frozen hole at a time. Tight lines, patriots.

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