Trophy Size Brown Trout Catch

Although catching a trophy-sized brown trout is normally a “once in a lifetime event”; It does not have to be this way. In fact, in the “right” waters at the “right” time with the “right” baits, catching trophy-sized trout can become a frequent event.

That was the case with my dear friend Tim this past Labor Day weekend 2011. While fishing in the “tail waters” of a nearby hydroelectric dam, Tim “cocked a beautiful 15.5 pound female brown trout and 33 inches long “.

Since Tim is an experienced fisherman, he was able to bring this “Monster” to the riverbank on a 6-pound test line; after about 45 minutes of “Playing the Fish”. Many fishermen in this position would have broken the line, hastening their recovery; but Tim was new to taking his time and allowing the fish to tire while keeping her away from the rocky bottom and out of the tree branches that would likely fray her line and result in the loss of the fish.

Trophy trout are rarely hooked during daylight hours in busy, controlled currents with normal baits such as salmon eggs, night crawlers, or corn. Nor did they increase in size by having the same habits as the little “caretakers.” These wise old fish limit their diet to fish bait and seasonal insects and worms. They also prefer to feed exclusively at night when there is less activity in the water.

A very fine line is also a must to fool these trophies and it takes an experienced angler to catch a fish of this size with a light line. Artificial baits, especially shallow and shallow water divers, can be effective as these larger fish come out of their deep pools feeding after dark. Pretty much any other time is a waste for that truly “Big One”.

That night in early September, this large female was staring at the surface of the water when Tim quietly turned his Rapala over his head about twenty feet. With a slow jerky recovery, Tim tricked this fish into biting an injured minnow. Unfortunately for her, this minnow had a set of treble hooks and took a bite. Then the show began, getting a good “set” and then letting her run keeping the tip of the reed up; Tim was able to slowly retrieve this fish to shore. Give and take for almost 30 minutes, the fish began to tire slowly and crawled towards the edge of the stream. Patience was essential for Tim during this fight. But it finally made it to shore where I was able to grab it by the gills and toss it onto the shore.

By following this advice, seasoned anglers can enjoy these same results and end up with beautiful frames and a lifetime of stories.

May all serious fishermen enjoy excellent results.