Later Summer Brown

[GreenCanada]

After a few frustrating meetings with a couple graduate advisors, I needed to take a break on my way home.

 

I haven't been targeting brown's lately as the temps have been just too high and the action had slowed down considerably from previous years. So I decided to stop by a lessor known spot and try my luck with my ultralight setup.

 

I got there around 7:45pm and only had about 45 mins or so of light left. It's a great location with a long pool about 3-4ft deep with downed trees in the water on the far side, with overhanging branches. I know there are big boys in there but not likely this time of the year, so I was hoping for a nice eating size brown.

 

With no bites, it was steadily getting darker and I was tempting fate by tossing my crankbait into the night sky so close to the lumber. There were a few close calls and near snags, but then I threw the perfect cast. 2" from the log. I let it drift downstream about 3-4ft (2-3 seconds), then gave it a good twitch.

 

SMASH! An explosion is the only way to describe it. I battled this beautiful 15 1/2" brown for about 5 minutes before I managed to land her. I don't know what it was, maybe the darkness or the initial smash, but this single brown eclipses all others I've caught this year (including numerous 19-22" ones).

 

I know it isn't the greatest picture (Blackberry with flash in the dark).

 

Back she went. I couldn't bring myself to harvest such a fine specimen, that brought me such joy on the water.

 

 

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[bucktail]

Very Nice!

 

my fav fish!

[fishnsled]

They sure are a beautiful fish. Nice report.

[Joeytier]

Gorgeous fish, and on a twitchbait to boot!

[Rod Caster]

huge head on that fish. Nice catch indeed

[ehg]

A great brown!

They would fight like a 10 lb. smallmouth.

 

You musta been thrilled.

[davey buoy]

One of the best looking fish for sure!!!!

[GreenCanada]

Let's just say that I was genuinely surprised it was only 15 1/2". It definitely fought harder than its' size would dictate.

[johnl]

very nice brown good job

[spincast]

congrats x2. That's a beaut after all this hot dry weather, putting it back to fight another day Great cast with that size lure in low light!

[RangerGuy]

Beautiful Brown man! Congrats! They are a fantastic species!

 

Not sure if it's the same here but the guide I had in England told me, he finds browns will pick a home and

stay there for a very long time or until something scares it off..

 

Go back and find it again with a fly rod

 

Every time you go back and get him he'll be bigger and smarter HAHA!

Edited August 23, 2012 by RangerGuy

[Spiel]

Sweet! Still my fave stream fish after all these years.

[rhymobot]

what beauty. even with the crappy BB camera.

[Billy Bob]

ABSOLUTELY a BEAUTIFUL fish.....I was expecting a lake fish from a boat trolling on LO