There is no doubt that the world record Brook Trout was caught in the Nipigon River by Dr. J.W. Cook but confusion still persists around the actual year that the fish was caught. Was it 1615 or 1916? Many books, articles, photos and references incorrectly report the fish was caught in 1916. Obviously they did not do the primary research necessary but relied on others to

The following two photographs were taken by Rob Swainson (MNR) of the Nipigon Forest Reserve Registry for 1915. The first one clearly indicates that Dr. J. W. Cook, R. J. Byrnes, Neeland and J.A. Fyfe were signed into the registry on July 15, 1915.

perpetuate the error. Much of it stems from the inscription errantly written on one of the two mounts of the world record trout displayed in the Nipigon museum. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed this valued treasure. In those days, fish were often skinned and mounted as flat slabs (one would face left and the other face right).

One of Dr. Cook's fly rods, photo and lithograph.
(Thunder Bay Museum)

July 15, 1915

September, 1915

The second photo shows that Dr. Cook was signed into the registry in September of that same year along with his fishing partner Byrnes. . Rob's research of the Nipigon Forest Reserve Registry for 1916 showed no evidence that Dr. Cook was signed in that year. While it is strong evidence for the 1915 claim, we can not prove that Dr. Cook didn't visit the river in 1916 but that he did not sign the registry in 1916.

Research by Jerry Eldridge and recently by biologist Rob Swainson confirms that the actual date that the world record was caught was indeed 1915.

Was it caught in 1915 or 1916?