"The Baldwin River (formerly named the North Branch of the Pere Marquette River) was the unplanned site of the first-ever planting of brown trout in the United States," the Atlas Obscura reports.

"In 1884, the fry (young trout) were being transported in milk cans by rail. But during their journey, the temperatures began to rise, threatening the fish’s life. To save the fry, they were released into the Baldwin River from a bridge a short distance from where the sculpture now stands. Among anglers, the river watershed is now known as a world-class, blue-ribbon trout fishing stream.

"The sculpture is conveniently located in downtown Baldwin’s handsome Brown Trout Sculpture Park."

"Baldwin is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 863 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Lake County.The village is located on the boundary between Webber Township on the north and Pleasant Plains Township on the south, with the larger portion lying in Pleasant Plains."

"Baldwin is primarily a tourist town. As such, much of its economy is based around the summer months. Lake County sports many lakes and rivers, as well as the vast wilderness of the Manistee National Forest. Many come to Baldwin on vacation to camp, canoe, fish, or hunt.

"The nearby Baldwin River, a tributary of the Pere Marquette River, is the site of the first planting of German Brown Trout in the United States on April 11, 1884. Baldwin is home of the world's largest trout statue. Located downtown Baldwin, the trout stands 25 feet tall. The village and Lake County take pride in this structure." (wikipedia)

"The World’s Largest Brown Trout Sculpture in Baldwin was sculpted by Ivan Iler of St. John’s, Michigan," the travelthemitten.com reports. It is 25 feet tall and is 8 feet wide at its widest point, Iler’s website states.

“As a Michigan based artist who specializes in metal fabrication, I am particularly interested in outdoor public art. The idea that people will see and interact with my work long after I’m gone inspires me more than anything else. I have many irons in the fire in terms of the mediums I use, sometimes even literally iron in the fire.Sculpting, carving, engraving, metal fabrication, (including blacksmith) painting, leather smith, drafting and mechanical design to name a few, as well as my daily work as a motorcycle engineer and fabricator at my small shop in St Johns Michigan, Hammer In Hand Custom Cycles.”

"The artist specifically set out to make his Brown Trout the World's Largest. He discovered a Brown Trout in New Zealand that was 20 feet tall, so he made Baldwin's 25 feet," the Roadside America reports.

"An artistic, but not unpleasing, depiction of the humble campfire fish, angled skyward. 25 feet high. Made out of metal by Ivan Iler."