GUSTO: Jacks 12 Pound Kamloops Rainbow, Fishing with Jim Brewer
June 14, 2026 – A Fish of a Lifetime on Lake Pend Oreille
The alarm came early today. We were up at 3:45 AM and out the door by 4:15 for the drive to Athol. We stopped at Super One for lunch supplies before heading to the boat dock to meet our friend, Jim Brewer. After loading Jim’s gear aboard GUSTO, we eased away from the dock and made the run northeast across the lake toward Monkey Face.
No sooner had Jim clipped on a black-and-silver Apex lure and lowered it to 24 feet on the downrigger than the rod buried over with the unmistakable strike of a big fish. Jack grabbed the rod while Jim calmly coached him through what became a fifteen-minute battle. The fish fought on the surface after peeling 200 feet of line, then went deep near the boat, making powerful runs and refusing to surrender, but eventually Jim slipped the net beneath an absolute giant.
The scale settled at 12 pounds, 9 ounces—a magnificent Gerrard rainbow trout, often referred to locally as a Kamloops. It was truly the fish of a lifetime and an unforgettable moment aboard our new boat.
With excitement still running high, we reset the spread and continued fishing with an eight-rod program featuring a combination of Apex lures and flies. Our route carried us past Lakeview, north along the shoreline, then out into the main basin before turning back south past the Cement Plant and the Slide area, eventually returning to Bayview where we finished the day around 1:00 PM.
By day’s end we had hooked six fish and landed five. Aside from Jack’s trophy, the remaining fish were all under twenty inches, but the consistent action made for one of the most productive days we’ve experienced on Lake Pend Oreille.
Perhaps even more valuable than the catch itself was the opportunity to learn from Jim’s decades of experience. Watching his subtle adjustments to lure selection, depth, boat path, and presentation demonstrated that success on this lake comes from attention to countless small details. The day renewed our confidence in a fishery that has often tested our patience. After so many slow outings, putting our hands on a rainbow of that caliber completely changed the way we feel about the lake.
After thanking Jim and parting ways, Jack and I returned to Twin Lakes thoroughly exhausted from the early start and the intensity of the day. We each took a short rest before settling in for a quiet evening at the condo.
The weather could not have been better—clear skies, temperatures around 75 degrees, and light northeast winds throughout the morning.
As another day draws to a close, I find myself grateful for the friendships, the learning, and the simple privilege of sharing adventures like this with Jack. Watching him land that incredible fish aboard GUSTO will forever stand as one of the finest memories we’ve created together.
