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Retired Helena Police Chief catches state record Utah chub

Retired Helena Police Chief catches state record Utah chub
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HELENA — Retired Helena Police Chief Steve Hagen now holds the Montana state record for the Utah chub according to Montana FWP.

Hagen landed the fish on March 7 while on Canyon Ferry Reservoir. The fish weighed in at 2.39 pounds and measured 15.9 inches in length and 10.4 inches in girth. The previous record Utah chub, caught at Canyon Ferry in 1992, weighed 1.81 pounds.

Montana FWP

When MTN last spoke with Hagen at his retirement celebration, he mentioned he hoped to have more time for hunting and fishing.

The Utah chub were introduced into Montana in the 1930's, probably by bait fishermen according to FWP. They were released into Hebgen Lake, a headwater reservoir on the Missouri River system, and have since extended their range about 200 miles downstream.

Hagen’s catch adds to the list of Montana record fish caught in the last year and a half including a walleye, a chinook salmon, a smallmouth bass, a yellow bullhead, a brown trout, a longnose sucker, and a largemouth bass.

Steve Hagen with Montana record Utah Chub

Anglers who think they caught a state record fish should keep the following things in mind:

  • To prevent loss of weight, do not clean or freeze the fish. Keep the fish cool — preferably on ice.
  • Take a picture of the fish.
  • The fish must be weighed on a certified scale (found in grocery stores or hardware stores, etc.) and witnessed by a store employee or other observer. Obtain a weight receipt and an affidavit from the store personnel if no FWP official is present. Measure the length and girth.
  • Contact the nearest FWP office to have the fish positively identified by a fisheries biologist.