In more than three decades fishing the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, Michael Briggs has never seen anything like it.

A lake trout so large it broke the the three-pronged treble hook used to catch it SA国际影视传媒� and it might break a record, too.

SA国际影视传媒淚t looked like a small shark,SA国际影视传媒� said Vance Barteaux, Briggs's uncle and the man who hooked the 65-pound swimmer.

It was an overcast Saturday afternoon, Labour Day weekend, and Briggs and Barteaux had been trolling the East Arm's north shore for a few hours. All they'd snagged that day was old, tangled line and other detritus floating through the lake's murky depths.

Coming up on 1 p.m., Briggs, a freshwater fishing veteran, suggested one more pass before the pair broke for lunch. He told his uncle, an angler of minimal experience from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., to let out the line, drop the hook down deep.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou just wait,SA国际影视传媒� said Briggs, SA国际影视传媒淵ou're going to catch a monster.SA国际影视传媒�

Within moments, the line jerked.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think I've got something,SA国际影视传媒� said Barteaux.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think you're right,SA国际影视传媒� said, Briggs, touching the line.

And thus began a 40-minute tug-of-war with what may be the largest lake trout on record ever pulled from Great Slave Lake.

Shoulders and forearms burning, Barteaux pulled and reeled and heaved. He'd gain 100 yards and the beast would yank the line back out.

Barteaux called out to his nephew, a summertime fishing guide at his family's Indian Mountain Lodge: SA国际影视传媒淗oly cow, this must be a 40-pounder!SA国际影视传媒�

Finally, Barteaux saw colour on the lake's surface. Briggs grabbed a net and the two men hoisted the animal onto the boat's deck.

A glistening lake trout measuring 33.5 inches in girth and 46.5 inches in length from its nose to the fork of its tail, lay heavy and still at their feet.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had no idea a fish could be that big,SA国际影视传媒� Barteaux said with a chuckle.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was just enormous.SA国际影视传媒�

It's rare that a trophy fish puts up such a lengthy battle, said Briggs.

SA国际影视传媒淭his one fought him like a demon the entire time,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The hulking fish maxed out Briggs's Chatillon scale, which can weigh loads up to 55 lbs. Luckily, there's a a formula for calculating the weight of fish within a two-ounce margin of error -- no scale required.

Barteaux's behemoth clocked in at 65.24 pounds, give or take a couple ounces.

The lake trout may be among the four or five biggest ever caught by rod and reel, said Briggs. He is awaiting confirmation on this from the International Game Fishing Association in Florida.

Briggs, a lawyer in Calgary, makes a handful of trips to the East Arm each summer.

Having cast line all over the world, Briggs ranks Great Slave Lake as SA国际影视传媒渙ne of the absolute best freshwater fishing places I've ever found.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淎dmittedly, I'm biased,SA国际影视传媒� he added, noting he grew up in Yellowknife.

The Northwest Territories tourism website pegs the average weight for alake trout at 10 to 40 lbs. Indian Mountain Lodge considers trout weighing upwards of 20 lbs SA国际影视传媒渢rophies.SA国际影视传媒�

At his lodge, said Briggs, catching in the 30-pound range is common. Over 40 lb is rare.

In the lodge's more than 40-year history, Briggs could recall just two fish that passed the 50-lb mark: a 52-lb lake trout caught four or five years ago and a 54-pounder nabbed in the1970's.

Northern News Services reported a 62.4 lb lake trout caught by Chris Bromley in 2005.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut at 65 (lbs), this just blows all the records away,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

After taking its measurements and snapping a few photos, the pair released the speckled fish back into the lake.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was such a magnificent fish, I just felt it had to go back,SA国际影视传媒� said Barteaux.

It took the trout a moment to regain its senses before it swam back down into the lake's watery belly.

Words can't do justice to the feeling that comes with making an epic catch, but Barteaux offered a couple that come close: SA国际影视传媒淪hockedSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渆lated.SA国际影视传媒�

Briggs said the fish was the stuff of anglers' dreams, but the chances of actually snagging such a hefty trout are SA国际影视传媒渁lmost zero.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭he fishing gods smiled on us that day,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The historic catch put a cherry on top of what had already been a lovely week visiting family in Northwest Territories, said Barteaux, who is six years retired from his job in federal corrections in Edmonton.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a wonderful, wonderful week that I'll never forget,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淟et alone catching a fish of lifetime.SA国际影视传媒�