Spiel Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Well opener has come and gone and like I've done the last decade give or take a few years I hooked up with a buddy to fish a small creek for Specks. This creek is outstanding in that it produces healthy specks with an average size of 13 to 18 inches, like this one. This year though failed to produce even one specky. I believe this small creek may be in trouble and though I have suspicions as to why only time will tell. Admittedly though if the opening weekend water is high and cold like this year the fishing is generally tough. I hope to get back a few more times over the next week or two as the water warms to see if I can't get me a few big fat specks! Now stream conditions aside this is one tough stream to fish, it's literally choked with tag alder and cedars and log jams and almost impossible to wade so getting a bait to where the fish are is tough, extremely tough but not as tough as getting it back out again. Though as I said no specks were caught I didn't go fishless, in fact I caught my PB brown from this stream to date, not the biggest I've hooked there and certainly not the biggest I've seen by a long shot but a respectable fish none the less. I've had glimpses of this fish in the past as he raced for cover of an over hanging tree and figured it for a brown because of the size. It's a tough approach and the only way to get a drift to him his from atop a bridge making it easy for him to see you! As I carefully approached my position the refelction of the morning sun blinded me from glimpsing into the water and naturally leaving me easily visible. As quietly as I could I drifted a big fat dewy back under the tree to no avail. Thinking the fish had made my presence I was about to abandon my attepmts in favour of an easier pool when I decided to offer up a 3" Berkely Gulp minnow in watermelon pearl, one drift and "BAM" fish on! High res. image Was I happy, oh yeah. After he was quickly released and rightly so, took me two years to coax him out and it just wouldn't be right to kill 'em, besides he'll be bigger the next time we meet. A few more hours and lotsa walking produced no more fish but I did see another one make for cover in this tangled mess as I carefully approached.... I'll be back trying to coax 'em out soon, just for a photo op of course and then back into the water. Back in his garage over looking the creek valley we ended our annual event talking bout past years and the mornings venture over a few cold ones. What a great day!
Mike Pike Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Boy, I can't imagine what that stream would be like come summer. You'd need a machette, eh Spiel!? But the great thing about brookie streams is that most people just don't do what's neccessary to get in there! It ain't easy and downright frustrating at times. Congratz, on a real beauty of a brown. Magnificent and well worth your determination, Spiel.
Leecher Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Right on Spiel Congratulations on that beautiful brown Thanks for sharing Leechman
Guest gbfisher Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Something different after weeks of ...... Nice river report!
BillM Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Spiel, that's awesome man! Looks like you did a lot better then I did on the opener. Extremely jealous of those stream browns, still one fish that has eluded me on my creek quests, lol
solopaddler Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 That fish is the piscatorial equivolent of a 20lb steelhead, a true trophy! Good job Chris!
Marko Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Thats probably one of the nicest browns i`ve seen in a while. Good on you for throwing it back, fish that prety deserves to live
Joey Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Beautiful Brown Chris. Looks like a nice little spot you got there. Good luck in the weeks coming up, I bet your specs will show themselves. Joey
Musky or Specks Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Im going to guess it was just water temps that caused the lock jaw. But one thing I have noticed with streams that hold big brookies is that they are marginal waters to begin with. High summer temps provide lots of food and although the trout generally shut down for the summer, the rest of the year they really put the feed bag on. By the by beauty brown.
irishfield Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Great to see you out Chris.. been a long winter for ya... and a nice bonus Brown there to boot!
Rattletrap2 Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 Very nice Chris! Imagine us both out chasing oily fish this week-end. Not such a big stretch for you.....but me on the other hand... I would love a shot at a Brown. This stream I'm on is actually the same one I fished back 20 some odd years ago. It held Browns and Rainbows then...so who knows? I guess these species all co-exist? I'm just about 20 miles further upstream now. Water levels went up huge overnight with all the rain.
Greencoachdog Posted April 26, 2009 Report Posted April 26, 2009 (edited) OMG!!! Spielzes went oot and aboot for troot??? Good to see you got out... and that is a beauty Polky dotted troot!!! Edited April 26, 2009 by GCD
ehg Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 That is a real fine resident brown trout there
Spiel Posted April 27, 2009 Author Report Posted April 27, 2009 Thanks everyone it was indeed a long winter for me and it felt good to get out and do a little fishing. Boy, I can't imagine what that stream would be like come summer. You'd need a machette, eh Spiel!? Congratz, on a real beauty of a brown. Magnificent and well worth your determination, Spiel. Machette, well it would definitely be required Mike but useless against the skitters. The noise of struggling your way to the creek once the under growth is full would be like sirens going off to the trout. I've got a couple of weeks to make the best of it and then that'll be it till next opener. Spiel, that's awesome man! Looks like you did a lot better then I did on the opener. Extremely jealous of those stream browns, still one fish that has eluded me on my creek quests, lol In time Bill, in time. I knew exactly where this trout was and I've thrown countless casts to him in the last few years and only now did I hit pay dirt. Funny creatures these browns and mostly nocturnal once the reach a significant size. Good luck in the weeks coming up, I bet your specs will show themselves. Joey I hope so Joey, just need a grey drizzley evening and I'll be back. But one thing I have noticed with streams that hold big brookies is that they are marginal waters to begin with. These are definitely marginal waters, with them high and cool the specks are spread out and in many cases hard to even get a line at. As the levels drop and warm they'll stack up in the few deep pools that have riffles in order to take advantage of the higher disolved oxygen thus making it easier to locate them. In this type of situtation I find they also become very competitive over the food supply thus making it relatively easy to catch them. Great to see you out Chris.. been a long winter for ya... To long Wayne, far to long! Very nice Chris! Imagine us both out chasing oily fish this week-end. Not such a big stretch for you.....but me on the other hand... I would love a shot at a Brown. This stream I'm on is actually the same one I fished back 20 some odd years ago. It held Browns and Rainbows then...so who knows? I guess these species all co-exist? I'm just about 20 miles further upstream now. Water levels went up huge overnight with all the rain. I'd have never thought you'd be out "chasing oily fish" Brian. Took me totally by surprise. When the waters up it's time to chase browns.
b2kptbo Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 I'll say ya worked for that one, good job...
tinbanger Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 Nice fish! Almost makes me want to do some stream fishing....almost TB
wolfmachine Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 (edited) man i gotta get outt somewhere for some trouts. i have no idea where some small steams are in my area though. any help on fishing for these babies near the hamilton mountain would be appreciated. PM me if you like i practice C & R Edited April 27, 2009 by wolfmachine
crappieperchhunter Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 (edited) My first gamefish where feisty specs...8-12 inchers....from a stream much smaller then yours in the photos. For ages now trout opener for me has been chasing crappies. However reports and pics like yours always take me back to my little stream and the beautiful specs that came out of it. One of these springs I'll have to return home and coax my old man into heading down to the creek to wet a line. Thx for sharin. Edited April 28, 2009 by crappieperchhunter
Whopper Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 Well done Chris Good to see ya out and about
crappiesteve Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 Chris,that is a nice Brown trout bud,what did Norm catch. Steve
Cookslav Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 I love fishing the tough overgrown, and cluttered spots just enhances the sport of it all! Beautiful and very healthy looking brown for sure Its to bad the Spec's didn't show up, but that brown is great runner up Cheers
fishnsled Posted April 27, 2009 Report Posted April 27, 2009 Sweet day on the water I'd say. Beauty Brown
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