Jolley landed and released a 30.5-inch splake, earning Utah’s new catch-and-release record for the species. The Division of Wildlife Resources certified the record last week.
The Pleasant Grove man said he knew something was up early as he felt a heavy pull on the end of the 7-pound fly line he was using.
It took the angler, who was fishing from shore, about 15 minutes to land the lunker. He said it felt as though the fight lasted 30 minutes. The previous record was 29 inches, also caught at Joe’s Valley in the Manti-La Sal National Forest.