The pursuit of an unattainable, ultimate goal—a quest for something so extraordinary that it feels almost mythical—drives many passionate individuals across professions and hobbies. For fly fishermen, the ultimate prize is the pursuit of the World Record Brook Trout, a Grail that stands as a symbol of both achievement and mystery. This story isn’t just about world records—it’s about the abundant fish that once inhabited a legendary river. Our journey starts with the tale of Fontinalis Salvelinus, the brook trout, and the river that gave birth to its myth.
The River: Nipigon’s Legacy
As early as the 1850s, the Nipigon River (historically spelled “Nepigon”) became renowned among anglers for its abundant, massive brook trout. By 1865, the river was already drawing attention. In an article for Field & Stream, Hon. R. B. Roosevelt described it as “the most famous of rivers,” where “barrels of trout, averaging 4 pounds, were taken in a single day.” So plentiful were the fish that, at times, they were said to ruin the sport, swarming in such great numbers.
Before human intervention altered its course, the Nipigon River was a wild, thriving waterway. Stretching 32 miles from Lake Nipigon, the river dropped 313 feet over 15 rapids and seven waterfalls. It split into three distinct ecologies: 10 miles of lakes, 10 miles of river, and 10 miles of rapids. The river’s sheer vitality earned it the reputation of being “the finest trout stream in the world,” a title highlighted in the 1887 issue of Field & Stream.
The Man: Dr. J.W. Cook and His Legendary Catch
The stage was set, the audience gathered, and the performance of a lifetime was about to unfold. In the summer of 1915, a train journey to Orient Bay, Ontario on the southeastern edge of Lake Nipigon provided anglers with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the river’s grandeur. It was here that Dr. J.W. Cook, a dedicated fly fisherman from Fort William, Ontario, would set the stage for one of the most famous fishing stories ever told.
Dr. Cook, along with his fishing companions—R. J. Byrnes, Roy Neeland, and J.A. Fyfe—traveled with native guides, who expertly navigated the river’s rapids and pools by canoe. On July 21, 1915, around 6:00 p.m., Cook cast a “Cockatuouche” minnow into the foamy waters of Rabbit Rapids (also known as MacDonald’s Rapids), located about a mile below Virgin Falls. Within moments, a colossal fish struck. As the trout surged, Cook struggled for 15 minutes to bring it to shore.
At first, the anglers mistook the catch for a lake trout, but the guides quickly pointed out that the fish was, in fact, a brook trout—a rare and awe-inspiring specimen. Despite its pale coloration, which is common in older fish, its size left everyone in awe. Cook later recalled that on the evening of the catch, the river was “covered with brown flies,” and the fish were feeding aggressively.
The Legend: Record-Breaking and Controversy
The following days were filled with excitement as Dr. Cook prepared to weigh and measure his catch. The fish was brought to the train scales in Orient Bay, where it was officially recorded at a weight of 14 pounds, 8 ounces and a length of 31.5 inches. With no standard for girth measurements at the time, it is estimated that the fish had a girth of around 23 inches.
Cook’s catch was confirmed by Alex Finlayson, a government fish hatchery inspector, as the largest brook trout ever caught. However, controversy soon surrounded the record. Skeptics questioned whether it was truly a brook trout or possibly a hybrid, such as a splake or sea-run char. Sadly, the skins of the fish were lost to time—one of them destroyed in a fire at the Nipigon Museum. To add to the confusion, an inscription on the remains erroneously listed the year as 1916 instead of 1915. Additionally, the photos Dr. Cook took with the fish have since disappeared.
As if this wasn’t enough, the following day, Cook caught another remarkable pair of brook trout—one weighing 5 pounds and the other 6 pounds, 8 ounces—simultaneously on a single line, setting yet another untouchable record.
The Decline of the River and the Future of the Brook Trout
Unfortunately, by the late 1800s, the river’s once-abundant fish populations began to decline. The construction of four dams between the 1920s and 1950s led to significant habitat destruction. In particular, the completion of the Pine Portage Dam in 1950 raised the river’s water level by 31 meters (100 feet), flooding out nearly 16 kilometers of rapids, waterfalls, and white-water areas. The creation of Forgan Lake inundated vital sections of the river, including key habitats for the brook trout.
The river, once considered the ultimate fishing destination, had been irrevocably altered. Yet despite the environmental changes, the legend of the Nipigon brook trout endures. Rumors of giant fish persist, though none have matched the size of Cook’s legendary catch. The fishing community seems reluctant to see the record broken, perhaps out of a desire to preserve the myth and mystery of the river.
In recent years, efforts have been made to revive the Nipigon River’s brook trout population. Rob Swainson, a fisheries biologist with the Nipigon Ministry of Natural Resources, has led significant initiatives to ensure the future of the river’s famous fish. Catch and release policies, fishing limits, and conservation practices have helped improve the brook trout population, which is now being referred to as the Coaster trout in recognition of their lake and river migratory patterns.
As the river has changed and fishing techniques have evolved, the quest for the Grail continues. For every fisherman who casts a line into the Nipigon River, there is an unspoken connection to the past and the dream of a future where the legendary fish of old might one day return.
The story of the Nipigon brook trout is not just about the past; it’s about the continued hope and determination of anglers who believe in the possibility of greatness, whether through a legendary catch or the preservation of the species for future generations.
The search for the Grail goes on.
On Saturday, June 7th, the Nipigon River was honored with the unveiling of an apple wood carving depicting the world-record brook trout caught in the river in 1915 by Dr. J.W. Cook. The remarkable fish, which weighed 14.5 pounds, set a record that still stands today. While the original trout was once mounted for display, it was tragically damaged in a fire at the Nipigon Museum.
The heartfelt presentation to the museum was made by master wood carver Dennis Sinclair, joined by residents of nearby Lake Helen, including Norma Fawcett, the granddaughter of the guide who accompanied Dr. Cook when the world-record trout was caught. The event was attended by the community of Nipigon, including members of the Public Advisory Committee for the Nipigon Bay Remedial Action Plan. The ceremony took place at the Nipigon Museum, where the carving will be permanently displayed.
On July 21, 1915, a group of anglers—Dr. J. W. Cook, R. J. Byrnes, R. Neeland, and J. A. Fyfe—were fishing the Nipigon River at McDonald Rapids (also known as Rabbit Rapids). At 6 p.m., Dr. Cook hooked and successfully landed a remarkable speckled trout weighing 14 1/2 pounds, using a five-ounce fly rod!
There is some debate regarding the lure Dr. Cook used. While some reports state it was a fly, others suggest he used a cockatouche—a small marine creature found among the stones along the Nipigon River’s shores, which speckled trout are known to eagerly seek.
Andrew Lexie, shown later in life, served as the lead guide on that historic trip. Other members of the party who witnessed the event included Rafael Boudain, the cook, and guides Joe Hardy, Sam King, Michael Bouchard, John Ogama, Louis Musquash, Jim Shuse, and Lawrence Martin.
Officially, the world-record brook trout was caught in the Nipigon River by Dr. J. W. Cook. However, descendants of Andrew Lexie maintain that it was Lexie who actually landed the fish while Dr. Cook slept in his tent. Their native interpretation of the events adds an intriguing layer of mystery to the story.
What’s wrong with this picture? Any brook trout enthusiast knows that the photo of the world-record brook trout faces left. For decades, this left-facing mount has been considered the only surviving mount of the legendary fish (though it was damaged in the 1990 fire at the Nipigon Museum). Despite rumors of a second mount for nearly a century, most believed that the left-facing version was the only one. After all, how could a fish skin be split into two mounts with only one tail, dorsal fin, and caudal fin?
The current story holds that Andrew Lexie, Dr. Cook’s head guide, mounted the fish facing left using traditional techniques of the time. It was skinned, mounted on birch bark with fins intact, and quietly kept in the Cook household until the 1950s, when it began touring sportsman shows across the U.S. and Canada. In the early 1960s, the mount, worn and tattered, was retired to the Tourist Pagoda in Port Arthur. The mount’s travels didn’t end there; it was stolen from the Pagoda and later resurfaced in Nipigon, where it was eventually displayed at the museum until its tragic demise in the fire.
Fast forward to 2018, when Rob Swainson, a retired biologist from the Nipigon area, continued his tireless search for information about the world-record fish. For years, rumors of a second mount circulated, but most were dismissed due to the lack of evidence—until now. In a stunning turn, Rob uncovered an article that clearly confirms the existence of a right-facing mount. How could this be possible? Listen to Rob’s excitement as he explains his groundbreaking discovery to Gord Ellis in this radio broadcast.
Double Trout Mount Radio Interview
So there you have it. The second mount did exist and I’m sure Rob will continue his dogged persuit of its existence and any thing else brook trout related.
Francis Hardy:(1888-1934)
Francis Hardy was guiding on the Nipigon River that fateful day. In an interview just prior to his death, he recounted the following…
“Fishing in the afternoon about 5 o’clock, I took the two Americans downstream to Rabbit Rapids. When we got there, Andrew Alexie, who was Dr. Cook’s guide was there in the canoe with Dr. Cook. We knew they had a big fish because the other guides passed the word along. So we went to take a look. This would have been about an hour after the the fish had been caught.”
“It didn’t look much like a speckled trout. It was real chunky and I knew it was a big fish. Its head and tail looked like a speckled trout, but the rest of it looked like a lake trout. Sort of grey and black on the back. There sure weren’t any spots on the side. The fish was hanging in the shade. They were using a Cockatouche and were bait fishing.”
McKirdy, the outfitter who supplied the Cook party with several 18 ft canoes, equipment and guides had also been sent word of the big fish.
At 76, Jack McKirdy recalled, “When they told me the news, I didn’t stop for anything. I called one of my guides, grabbed a paddle and we fairly made that canoe jump the 12 miles upriver to their camp.”
The Cook party continued to fish for several more days before the big fish was weighed on a spring scale in Orient Bay according to McKirdy.
This photograph was taken by Rob Swainson (Biologist MNR, retired) of the Nipigon Forest Reserve Registry book for 1915. It clearly indicates that Dr. J. W. Cook, R. J. Byrnes, R. Neeland and J.A. Fyfe were signed into the registry on July 15, 1915.
This is the only known photo of Dr. Cook with the world record trout.
Alex Finlayson, a government fish hatchery inspector, publically confirming it is a brook trout by external exam
“In connection with the fish caught in the Nipigon River, the skin of which you left at the fisheries exhibit room for the purpose of determining its species, I may say that I am convinced it is a speckled trout. The square tail, short head and the abrupt curve of the lateral line all go to show this . The absence of the pink markings on the sides does not count for much, as many of the large, and old fish lose these markings.”
Yours truly, Alex Finlayson, Inspector of fish hatcheries, Ottawa.
‘Thee‘ most famous fly rod
Dr. Jim Donaldson (dentist), trout fishing enthusiast and collector, posed for a photo of his prized possession…
Dr. Cook’s fly rod. The 100 year old treasure is a 4 piece fly rod of bamboo construction. By today’s standards, it felt like a 5 weight rod but very delicate. The reel and line are also original and came with a spare tip and fly case.
Cook Signature on his bamboo rod
Dr. Cook’s fly case?
Not only has the fly rod surfaced after years of hiding in the attic of Cook’s relatives, but possibly his fly case as well. Realizing the significance of their find, several descendants donated the fly case, another unsigned rod and other fishing paraphernalia to the Thunder Bay museum. While there is no proof of their authenticity, one can only dream of the adventures these treasures must have experienced.
Charred Remains
Brook Trout enthusiasts are familiar with the image of the world record brook trout mounted on birch bark surrounded with a birch sapling frame. This famous mount has a storied past as it once travelled the sportsman shows, hung in the Port Arthur Pagoda and even a car dealership in Nipigon. It eventually found its way to the Nipigon museum. Sadly, a fire destroyed the museum and much of its contents, including the famous mount. A new museum was built and now displays the charred remains of the most famous brook trout ever.
References
- Unknown Author – Brook Trout Heaven https://www.brooktroutheaven.com/worldrecord.html
- Casey Clearwater – Superior County
https://superiorcountry.ca/fishing-and-hunting/world-record-brook-trout/ - Unknown Author – Land of Nipigon https://nipigon.com/the-world-record-brook-trout/
- Gord Ellis Interview with Superior Morning host, Lisa Laco, CBC https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/nipigon-river-fishing-trip-garners-2-world-records-1.3118593
- Staff, PNI Atlantic https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/the-biggest-trout-66400
What a heck of story. Makes you wonder how much is a fish tail, or truly remarkable event! I would give my left nut to be on that fishing expedition! Great insight and story-telling that yous guys published here. WHATA Phenomenal story! GODS SPEED FELLAS!