PAYETTE LAKE, ID – A Utah man has set a new Idaho state record after landing a 42-inch lake trout from Payette Lake last month.
Aaron Goettsche of Stansbury Park, Utah, officially claimed the catch-and-release state record for lake trout with his June 19, 2025, catch. According to Idaho Fish and Game, Goettsche was fishing solo that morning, trolling at a depth of about 80 feet when he hooked the record-setting fish.
Goettsche has spent the past three years targeting lake trout in Payette Lake, steadily refining his techniques and logging numerous notable catches. His recent catch just narrowly surpassed the previous record of 41.5 inches set by Dylan Smith in 2018…