Wayne Gustaveson, Lake Powell project leader for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, says the fish was seen near the surface by a National Park Service Ranger about a week before Alfonso found it floating dead.

The striper measured 49 inches long and Gustaveson estimates it weighed about 40 pounds. He said there have been many stripers weighing more than 30 pounds that have died of natural causes and were found by boaters on the reservoir.

The record-holder in Utah weighed 48 pounds, 11 ounces and was caught in 1991.

Anglers interested in catching the trophy-size stripers, which could easily include a world record, should focus their efforts in the winter when water temperatures allow the big fish to go shallow and in May when they gather to spawn.