Big Spring creek

Jflair

Jflair

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Aug 22, 2013
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Moved out from North Idaho in march. After I read the posts about the chance for a big one in Big Spring, I drove the 2+ hours from Philly to try my luck.
I spotted some nice fish, 16-18 inch rainbows and then...I saw HIM. Had to be 23", no exaggeration it looked like a steelhead got in the creek!
I spooked him, but probably not more than he spooked me. I threw every fly I had at him. And finally, he attacked a dry fly. Had my 5 weight doubled over for a good 10 seconds before he got in the thick brush I was casting at and it was game over :-/ a fish of a lifetime in my opinion...and I fished the Mo regularly.
I know where he his and I will be back!
Thanks for all the tips guys.
 
Yep...there's some bigguns in there. Must have pretty exciting when he took your fly.
 
Welcome, and congrats! Just hooking up with one of those biggins is a feat in itself. The limestoners certainly do grow them big - next time you're in the area, give falling springs and/or the letort a try too. Both give you a chance at a fish of a lifetime, but they don't come easy!
 
Fished Falling springs at the end of June. The storied upper part was choked with cress. Honest, couldn't find a postage stamp to drop a fly into. Was new to the area, so maybe not in a prime place.

The section through town was challenging but productive. Upstream casts of soft hackle PT & GRHE got me a couple. Loved the area!
Coughlin
 
Wish they'd remove the rainbows and restore the brook trout.
 
I wish they would remove the brook trout and create a super species of bows with lasers on their head to rule the stream.
 
Fish lasers are a PITA while midging with 7x. In all seriousness, I have visited BS countless times and have never even had one of the big rainbows so much as look at my offerings. I'm sure you will go back after that!
 
Wish they'd remove the rainbows and restore the brook trout.
Click to expand...


Keep wishing.

Unlike the glorious days of yore that we all remember 100yrs ago, :roll: , Big Spring will never again be a series of huge brookie filled mill ponds. And unless they poison the stream once again and again and then over and over yet again so it's entirely, entirely, devoid of life, and also not stock the lower open water at all (yeah, that'll fly) and then replant the brookies....sorry the rainbows are there to stay. They will never be eradicated, so enjoy it for the amazing fishery it is and you've just gotta let go of that dream.

They've been fighting lake trout in the lakes of the Rockies for how long now? They've poisoned the lakes, trying to kill 'em all, they've instituted mandatory harvest and guess what? They come back, they're still there, it's the nature of the beast, Mother Nature is a tough old broad. Big Spring is amazingly better for the brookies now more than ever in recent 20-30-40 yr history, enjoy it, and also enjoy those amazing wild 'bows, they're all a lot of fun.

Especially when a fat 20"er takes that ant off the surface.
IMGP1081-M.jpg
 
I'm pickin up what you're layin down,I can see where that would be fun.
 
I will definitely be back! Our friendship has just begun I just hope next time to shake hands with him.
I'll also check out and research falling spring when up that way again.
Thanks for the hospitality fellas.
 
Lord knows there are enough BS threads on here to last a year, but it's important to remember that BS is seeing a lot of pressure these days. You may see some big fish, but the bigger fish are the ones you don't see. You'd be surprised at some of the areas they'd come out of... If you want to increase your chances, fish for the fish you don't see, not the ones you can see. Having a 20"+ fish charge from under a weedbed is pretty exciting!
 
I once rose one of those pig 'bows to a dry fly (Sal and Slay saw it!), but he didn't take it. That was the only time I ever saw one of the hogs rise. Congrats on getting him on a dry fly!
 
Made my first trip out to Big Spring this morning. Indeed, it's an amazing stream. Managed a few small rainbows and a few beautiful brookies. Only fished about 2 hours, and unfortunately wasn't able to spot any bruisers... If I had time to stop at the Letort, I could have had an opportunity for PA's trifecta of wild trout. There's always next weekend... Here's a CHUNKY rainbow, and a small brookie from today.
 

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Stories like that make me want to fish Big Spring. I'll admit I've never fished it, or the Letort, yet live well within driving distance.
 
That's a beauty of a bow odizz17, what'd it take?
 
I posted a nymph in the fly tying forum a little bit ago... Took that in a size 18. Basically a frenchie with a double rib. Fished it under a beetle, which only took 1 rainbow. Little guys were slapping at it pretty much all morning, but only one really committed.
 
Found that statement a bit puzzling myself.
Guessing maybe the fish in the Mo dont have a full-bore year long buffet to pig out on like Big Spring? The water never gets cold enough to "put the fish down."
 
Mo? Black Moshannon?
 
I believe Mo means the Big Mo or Missouri River
 
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