The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of something that is elusive, but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

That quote is attributed to John Buchan, a 19th century Scottish writer. I love the quote because it very simply captures the essence of fishing. You go out because you know that at any given time, something great could happen. It often doesn’t, but good things happen often enough to keep you going.

John Grubenhoff of Pasco, WA, had been at it for 29 years. He was fishing in the Columbia River recently when he hooked into the monster walleye he’d been pursuing all that time.

A walleye weighing 20.32 pounds caught in the Columbia River on Friday is a pending Washington record.

John Grubenhoff, 57, of Pasco was fishing in the McNary Pool near the Tri Cities when he caught the egg-heavy female measuring 351/2 inches long and 223/4 inches in girth.

A state biologist witnessed the weighing on a certified scale on Friday. State biologist Paul Hoffarth measured the fish on Saturday and said he doesn’t foresee any issues that would prevent the record from being confirmed.

Grubenhoff’s walleye would top the current record of 19.3 pounds caught by Tri-Cities angler Mike Hepper in February 2007.

Oregon’s record, also from the Columbia, is 19 pounds, 15 ounces, caught in 1990.

Photos: Tri City Herald (top), Fishing Places (above)