Outdoors Sports

Family time for a big lake trout: Anna Simpson, 78, earns Fish of the Week honors

Anna Simpson earned Fish of the Week honors for the big lake trout caught on a family outing on Thanksgiving weekend.

By Dale Bowman

Anna Simpson (left) and her big lake trout. Provided photo — Anna Simpson (left) and her big lake trout.

Anna Simpson knows how to put an exclamation point on a family holiday.

The 78-year-old caught a 35-inch, 16-pound lake trout on a crankbait on a family outing Nov. 27.

“Lake Michigan, Chicago area, trolling from our boat, a little Thanksgiving weekend time with my parents and brother,” son Mark Simpson messaged.

Much thanks to the members of the Riverside Fishing Club who encouraged Simpson to send the nomination in. I love those kind of stories.

The weather has helped make a good fall for fishing near-shore lakers.

A full view of Anna Simpson (left) and her big lake trout. Provided photo — A full view of Anna Simpson (left) and her big lake trout.

FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter, as this one shows) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the paper Sun-Times. The online posting here at chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors goes up at varied days of the week, depending on what is going on the wide world of the outdoors.

To make submissions, email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com) or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

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