# Big Fish, Little Stream



## alanarbor (Jul 19, 2010)

I spent some time out at my wife's childhood home in Boulder Wyoming (pop 75) a couple of weeks ago.

Walk out to the creek (all 50 yards from the front door)






Catch a nice 22" Brownie





And then it's beer:30!





Sorry about the page stretchers. I'm feeling lazy today. Besides, it makes the fish look bigger if you have to scroll down to see it all!


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## scattergun13 (Jul 19, 2010)

Let me be the first to say Great post and pics! Not to worry about the stretched pics but I need some professional advice...If I take a pic like that of my %#@^ will it look 22" long? I'm just askin...
Rep on the way from me and Ajo


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## Swamp Yankee (Jul 19, 2010)

Sometimes it's just great to be alive.

Thanks for sharing.

Take Care


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## fatjoe (Jul 19, 2010)

*Why kill it?*

Thats an awsome fish indeed.Now it`s gone.Probably took 10 years to get that size.Why wouldn`t you let that big brute go?You probably caught 20 smaller ones that would taste just as good or better.No need to kill a beauty like that.


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## Wood Scrounge (Jul 19, 2010)

fatjoe said:


> Thats an awsome fish indeed.Now it`s gone.Probably took 10 years to get that size.Why wouldn`t you let that big brute go?You probably caught 20 smaller ones that would taste just as good or better.No need to kill a beauty like that.



While I agree taking big fish is usually not desired in the east, that brown got that big in just a few years out there. those high prairie streams have lots of terrestrials (=Protein), nice brownie, can't tell from the picture were the pectorals tipped white?


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## alanarbor (Jul 20, 2010)

fatjoe said:


> Thats an awsome fish indeed.Now it`s gone.Probably took 10 years to get that size.Why wouldn`t you let that big brute go?You probably caught 20 smaller ones that would taste just as good or better.No need to kill a beauty like that.



Not for nothing, but trout out west grow bigger, faster. The water temperature is right, the food's right. I caught one of the same size in the same hole last year and one a little larger out on her grandparent's place. Those streams don't get fished much at all, maybe a couple times a year by family. In addition, I usually only take one large fish when I'm out there, and go after the scrappy little guys the rest of the time.

I don't even fish for trout out here in PA. Why? when fish have to be brought in and stocked in streams to supply the fishing demand, I feel like I don't need to be a part of that. I can buy a trout at the grocery store if I really want it. I'd rather catch bluegill, crappie, rock bass and yellow perch for dinner here. No shortage of those fish.

Besides, although I love fishing for the peace and connection with nature, I don't do it for the sake of sport. If I catch it and it's legal, it's dinner.


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## yooper (Jul 20, 2010)

Nice catch, I would have kept it too. That would look great dressed up with no place to go on the grill. The only time I let big fish go back for a swim is when I fish lake Superior and catch a over sized lake Trout. to fatty and not as tasty as the small ones. Those ones make better fertilizer then food.


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## fatjoe (Jul 20, 2010)

Wood Scrounge said:


> While I agree taking big fish is usually not desired in the east, that brown got that big in just a few years out there. those high prairie streams have lots of terrestrials (=Protein), nice brownie, can't tell from the picture were the pectorals tipped white?



It`s not desired in the West either.I lived and fished in Colorado for 10 years.I`ve fished Rocky mnt. National park, and Yellowstone.Yes there are lots of proteins, but no more than around here.Also the winters in the high plains are much more brutal and long.Browns can mature in 3-4 years, but that doesn`t mean they reach those lenghts in that short of time.Browns are not native to North America either.They were introduced here in the late 1800`s.They can live 15 years.The difference between the West and Here is fishing pressure and pollution.Unless that trout was gonna be mounted, it could have simply been photographed and let free.The taste of smaller browns is much sweeter anyway.Still a beauty, but a dead one.


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## CrappieKeith (Jul 21, 2010)

I'm big on CPR ,but if the angler is legal and that fish was within his limit than by all means ATTABOY.
Those that are the double dippers and game hogs are the ones that need to be educated about letting some fish go.

Sweet brownie..and what a gorgous place you have to fish for them!


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## fatjoe (Jul 21, 2010)

*Sorry*

I want to apologize to alanarbor.I`m sorry for the negativity.You did have every legal right to take that fish.I remember my childhood, fishing for native brookies and keeping every one of them, then cleaning all 12 of them, eating 3 or 4 and freezing the rest.i remember doing this over and over for a year or so, then my mom would clean out the freezer, and there would be dozens of trout freezer burnt and useless.I guess over the years, anytime I see a spectacular fish like that, it just seemed " right" to me to let them go.Thats a darn nice fish, good catch. I hope it tasted as good as it looked.


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## Rowan Gliori (Jul 21, 2010)

If the stream's as lightly fished as that, occasional trimming of the bigger fish is sometimes a good thing. But it's amazing how quick regular culling will drive the average size down. I'm in Scotland, and browns are native here (I'm just across the Forth from Loch Leven too), it's escapee rainbows that are the problem! Damn things eat our native fish outta house and home, outstrip them in growth rate, out-aggress them in territorial battles and top it all off by eating their eggs in breeding season. Needless to say, they get killed immediately. But I return most brownies.


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## alanarbor (Jul 21, 2010)

fatjoe said:


> I want to apologize to alanarbor.I`m sorry for the negativity.You did have every legal right to take that fish.I remember my childhood, fishing for native brookies and keeping every one of them, then cleaning all 12 of them, eating 3 or 4 and freezing the rest.i remember doing this over and over for a year or so, then my mom would clean out the freezer, and there would be dozens of trout freezer burnt and useless.



Hey, I'm not offended. Everybody has their own philosophy to go with their love of the outdoors.

I do freeze fish for later, but I can assure you, they don't go to waste!


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## alanarbor (Jul 21, 2010)

Rowan Gliori said:


> I'm in Scotland, and browns are native here (I'm just across the Forth from Loch Leven too), it's escapee rainbows that are the problem! Damn things eat our native fish outta house and home, outstrip them in growth rate, out-aggress them in territorial battles and top it all off by eating their eggs in breeding season. Needless to say, they get killed immediately. But I return most brownies.



The brown trout pull some of that same stuff here. Just about every trout is listed on an invasive species list somewhere.


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## Rowan Gliori (Jul 27, 2010)

alanarbor said:


> The brown trout pull some of that same stuff here. Just about every trout is listed on an invasive species list somewhere.



Yep, browns are bad news for cutthroats and brookies. We have some waters here where the rainbows have settled in and now have self-sustaining wild populations, the Derbyshire Wye is a good example, and they manage to co-exist with the browns, but it's a rare situation. 

We also have increasing numbers of steelheads showing up in salmon rivers! Probably down to escapee rainbows that had sea-run tendencies. Tends to give the salmon boys a bit of a shock, that does! Beautiful, if alien, fish. I've caught one from a small river in East Lothian, Scotland, and the fight it put up was remarkable.


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## KD57 (Jul 27, 2010)

Nice fish, I gave you another nova for it.


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## luckycutter (Jul 30, 2010)

Out west (U.S.) is still predominately catch and keep. There are some places where endangered fish need to be released and it is good to do so. There are also "catch and release only" areas. I call them "harass and release" areas. My philosophy is that if you do not have a use for them then leave them alone.

BTW nice fish Alan. What did you use?


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## I'maFrayedknot (Aug 1, 2010)

I've guided all over northern Canada. The lodges are usually built at pristine river mouths (seems like a good place to spill petroleum and human waste). There is a whole industry based on catch and release. It got a little silly after a while. The fish has a life and death struggle so a fat tourist can have a chuckle and return to the lodge with an inflated ego. Whoo hoo. 

Catch and cook em fresh is the best. Leave the rest.


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## alanarbor (Aug 2, 2010)

luckycutter said:


> BTW nice fish Alan. What did you use?



Mepps Agilia #0. I am a big fan of "Plain Jane" spinners and spoons.


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## luckycutter (Aug 2, 2010)

alanarbor said:


> Mepps Agilia #0. I am a big fan of "Plain Jane" spinners and spoons.


Very cool. i have a couple of those in my tackle box. I was afraid you were one of those hoity toidy fly fisherman that always look down their nose at me when I start impaling and drowning worms.


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## alanarbor (Aug 3, 2010)

I like tying flies, but I seldom fly fish. I actually have more fun catching panfish or bass on a fly rod than trout.

I use live bait a lot, but if I can't find it for free, I don't generally buy it, hence spinners, spoons, and jigs. Since I live in town and don't have a compost pile, I've usually got to do my worm scrounging where ever I am fishing.


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## BIG JAKE (Aug 7, 2010)

Nice fish-never caught one that big before-19'' is my trout record on a #1 Panther Martin on a creek with a big hole in Colorado. These days I pretty much release everything I catch but will occasionally keep one. I tried grilling one time with some hickory chips thrown on-delicious! The smaller fish take the smoke better. I always cook them that way now.


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