Large Mackinaw Caught By Local Fisherman in Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe fishing captain Gene St. Denis has been in search of "the big one" in the waters of Lake Tahoe.

Last week, he caught two big ones, totaling 48 pounds, 10 ounces which is his personal best. The owner of Blue Ribbon Fishing Charters previously caught two totaling 44 pounds about 15 years ago and he's been trying to better that ever since.

One of the Mackinaw weighed in at 29 pounds and the other was 18 pounds. The record for Lake Tahoe was set in 1974 when a 37 pound, 6 ounce Mackinaw was pulled out of the lake.

On March 28, St. Denis was trolling in water about 30 to 50 feet deep along the southeastern shore of Lake Tahoe near Cave Rock. At first he hooked an estimated 30 to 35 pound fish but it goes in the books as the one that got away. “I hooked onto a huge one. I got him to the back of the boat but the hooks broke out before I could net it,” St. Denis said.