GILLETTE, Wyo. — A 15-year-old has joined the ranks of the Ultimate Angler, or a sportsperson who has caught 10 different species of trophy-sized fish in Wyoming.
Brayden Baker joins two other Wyoming teens — Tristen Brodrecht and Julius Clark — as the youngest anglers to earn the status, according to a press release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
The achievement is recognized as part of the department’s Master Angler program. Since the program’s launch in 2019, 44 anglers have achieved Ultimate Angler status.
“Congratulations to Brayden,” said Dirk Miller, Game and Fish deputy chief of fisheries. “It’s an impressive feat to catch 10 trophy-sized fish, and even more so for someone so young.”
Per the release, it took Baker about two years to catch all 10 fish, and he managed to stay within 60 miles or so of his hometown of Lander. Though a Yellowstone cutthroat trout pushed him to 10 species, his favorite catch was the lake trout.
Trophy fish represent the largest fish in the state — the top 5% — of the 24 eligible species. Some fisheries in Wyoming are managed for trophy sizes while others are for high-catch rates and species diversity.
To participate in the Master Angler program, visit the Master Angler web page.
