New State Record Brook Trout

He caught it on April Fools’ Day, but Sasa Krezic has a fish tale that has been verified and placed in the record books by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. It is no joke!
A new northern brook trout state record was on the Caney Fork River near Smithville by Krezic, a resident of Nashville. Will Collier, a TWRA fish biologist, verified the record weight at 4 lbs., 12 oz.
The old state record was set in 1973 by Jerry Wells while fishing the Hiwassee River near Chattanooga. It weighed 3 lbs., 14 oz. and stood the test of time over 43 years and during millions of fishing trips.
Krezić has fished the Caney Fork River near Smithville for many years, specifically for trout. One of his favorite holes seemed busier than normal when he arrived to the Caney today, so he moved to a more open space, baited his line with a live minnow, and on his first cast caught the record and a great April 1 story to tell the rest of his life.
Krezić assumed the fish was a brown trout while fighting it because brown and brook trout are similar in color, but brown trout get much larger. After reeling it in and giving it a closer look, he recognized it might be more special than he already thought.
Still, he wanted to get a second opinion and discussed it with a nearby angler. After seeing the size of the fish, the angler suggested Krezić contact TWRA.
Dekalb County Wildlife Officer Tony Cross received Krezic’s call.
“I expected to see a brown trout and was surprised when I arrived,” said Cross, who in turn telephoned Collier per state protocol that requires a TWRA biologists verify the catch.
The fish was weighed on certified scale at nearby Big Rock Market. “This is a once in a career event,” stated Will Collier. “We were thrilled to be part of it, and we’re happy for Mr. Krezić. It is great to see successful anglers and even better to see a new state record.”
Northern strain brook trout have been stocked on the Caney Fork River since 2008. The northern strain grows much larger than the southern strain brook trout, which resides only in cold headwater streams at high elevations. Brook trout are Tennessee’s only native trout. For more information on brook trout or state records, visit www.tnwildlife.org and search under the “For Anglers” menu.