The weather was overcast and the water was higher than normal with a little stain. I had just gotten in and after my 10th cast with a streamer I hooked this guy. It used the current and put up a great fight. I was using a 3/4wt 10ft rod and it gave it all it could handle. Landing the fish was a total cluster you know what. When I went to net the fish it wouldn't fit in the net. I decided to ditch the rod and try to grab the trout. That's when a hilarious scenario ensued. I had to have a friend help me net it. I had already gone through many bouts of having the fish in my hands to only have it slip free. This is the largest trout I have caught.
I caught one last September just a tad smaller on a 6 ft spinning rod with 2#. I can only imagine what it was like on a 3wt. Yahoo..........
ReplyDeleteIt was a really good fight Mark. Several times I thought the rod was going to snap.
DeleteOMG - Amazing Fish. That's in North Carolina? ( I'm calling photoshop here...) Just kidding.
ReplyDeleteYes, the fish was caught in NC. There are actually quite a few fish stocked like this every year. The hard part is finding them.
DeleteBeautiful fish!
ReplyDeleteThanks Corey. I've wanted to catch a brown like this since I started fly fishing.
DeleteKevin
ReplyDeleteAbsolute beauty, good trout always find extra strength when you are about to net them. This trout had to be a blast on the 3/4 weight. Thanks for sharing
I rarely ever have a problem of fish not FITTING in the net. That happened twice last weekend. I actually caught rainbow even bigger than this brown. The fish slipped through my hands before my friend could get a picture. Made me sick and I lost some sleep over it but there's more important things in life.
DeleteYup, Kevin, when you are into fish like this beautiful beast of a Brown Trout or the Rainbow Trout for that matter, it often turns into "all hands on deck". Whatever it takes to get a fish like that landed, and, returned to fight another day, as quickly as possible. Great teamwork!
ReplyDeleteSo true Mel. That was my main thought. I didn't want to over stress the fish.
DeleteNow that's a specimen. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael.
DeleteNicely done Kevin. That fish is a beauty and looks really healthy. Great picture as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Howard. It was a very healthy fish. It had some shoulders on it.
DeleteThat's awesome man. Congrats on the temporary PB. Won't be long till you up that!
ReplyDeleteThanks Drew.
DeleteWOW!! That's a trophy for sure!! I love the fact you have a great story about it, too. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThanks Justin, I wanted to write a longer one but I felt the pictures would do more of the talking.
Deletegood job and nice trout!
ReplyDeleteGreat fish, congrats!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kevin, this is Karl from Piscifun. I've just read your post
ReplyDeleteyou did get a big trout! Hope to make friend with you. Very happy to communicate with fly fishing lovers.
Doesn't look stocked to me, you sure they don't hold over/naturally reproduce there??? Awesome fish
ReplyDeleteThe stocked fish are sterile. Most of the stocked waters become too warm in the summer to support trout. There are some wild populations that are self sustaining. It's rare to catch a wild fish over 16inches. It does happen every now and then but it's not common. When you do catch one the coloring is so spectacular it looks almost like a different species.
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