Pete Thomas Outdoors

Missouri angler shatters brown trout record, 'I'm still in shock'

By Pete Thomas

The catch Saturday of a 34-pound, 10-ounce brown trout has shattered the Missouri state record for the species.

Paul Crews of Neosho was participating in a tournament on Lake Taneycomo and said he “fought the fish from one side of the lake to the other and back” during a 20-minute struggle.

“I’m still in shock that I actually caught that giant brown trout,” Crews told the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The MDC confirmed the catch as a “pole-and-line” record on Monday, saying it beat the previous record by more than six pounds.

The trout was released back into the lake after being weighed on a certified scale.

Crews, who used 4-pound-test line and a sculpin-pattern jig, said he usually fishes only once a year – during the Vince Elfrink Memorial Trout Tournament.

He and partner Jim Rayfield Sr. were fishing from a boat when the massive trout struck and began dragging them across the lake.

“Once the fish was in the boat I just knew my partner and I had won the tournament,” Crews said. “But I was shocked to hear I was a state record holder.”

For the sake of comparison, the International Game Fish Assn. lists as the world record a 42-pound, 1-ounce brown trout caught in New Zealand in 2013.

–Image showing Paul Crews (middle) and his record catch is courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation

Dolphins race along shoreline as beachgoers watch in awe

By Pete Thomas

A photographer in Western Australia has captured video footage showing four dolphins in a sprint down the beach a mere stone’s throw from shore.

A 100-meter dolphin dash, if you will. A marine mammal version of a horse race, with the inside lane seemingly producing a clear winner.

The remarkable footage was captured Wednesday at Yanchep Lagoon by Carly Sinden, who said the dolphins raised their heads collectively, as if announcing themselves, before launching their speedy exhibition.

“They were so inquisitive and friendly, and even swam around the school kids who were in the lagoon having their school swimming lesson,” Sinden, who specializes in newborn baby photography, told FTW Outdoors.

Sinden also captured a second clip showing the dolphins racing in the opposite direction, this time with people in the water. One wader was a mere inches from one of the friendly mammals, and didn’t flinch as it dashed past him.

Said Sinden: “It’s something I will never forget and makes me grateful to call this beautiful place home.”

Yanchep Lagoon, near Perth, is popular among swimmers and snorkelers, who apparently never know what they might see.

–Image and videos courtesy of Carly Sinden Photography

Charging Yellowstone bison leaves tourists in awe; video

By Pete Thomas

Bison are enormous and might seem ungainly, but they're surprisingly fast, which is why tourists in Yellowstone National Park are cautioned to keep a safe distance.

The accompanying footage, captured by photographer Richard Peters, shows an enormous bison sprinting past the touring vehicle at top speed on a snow-covered road.

As viewers will note, the tourists were amazed by the speed of the beast as it charged within a few feet of their vehicle.

Peters, who is based in the U.K., wrote on Facebook: “Just got back from an incredible two weeks in Yellowstone, where on one particular day our Natures Images group were reminded just how fast bison can be, when they decide! Quite the close encounter!”

According to the Yellowstone website, bison have injured more tourists than any other animal. While they appear docile, and sometimes are, they’re unpredictable “and can run three times faster than humans.”

The park advises tourists to remain at least 25 yards from bison, which are often referred to as buffalo.

Bison are the largest land-dwelling mammal in North America, with the larger males weighing up to 2,000 pounds. More than 4,500 bison reside seasonally within Yellowstone boundaries.

–Top image showing bison feeding in the snow is courtesy of the National Park Service; second image is a video screen shot