Caught the same trout Oct 14 and June 15

[bigslackwater]

Check out the growth on this trout over the winter and spring. I caught this fish from the same hole in the same exact position last October. Using my arm as a ruler (I've measured my forearm) I'm estimating this fish has grown 4" in 8 months.

 

[Tups]

Either that, or your forearm shrunk. Certainly looks like the same fish, and a nice one too. Four inches in 8 months does seem like a high growth rate, but I'm no fisheries biologist. Is this a limestone trout? And, what fly did he take each time?

 

[mszoke1802]

doubtful

 

[bigslackwater]

doubtful same fish, or doubtful 4"?

 

[bigslackwater]

It is in limestone influenced creek that is about half freestone, half spring.

 

[wildtrout2]

There's NO DOUBT that's the same fish. Those four black spots on it's lower side are in the same exact location in both pics. I'm amazed at that growth rate. It says a lot about their eating habits.

 

[bigslackwater]

Judging by where my thumb is, I think I'm holding it in the same exact position. I'm 6'4" so my arm is rather long!

 

[bigslackwater]

October I believe was a green weenie (marabou tail, not chenille loop) sz 14. Yesterday was a yellow soft hackle sz 14. Both times dead drifted under an indicator.

 

[Swattie87]

That’s the same fish, nicely done. Impressive growth rate for sure, especially considering it was already 16” when it was caught the first time.

I caught a Brown from the same culvert hole on a small, limestone influenced stream 15 months apart once that grew about 7” in that time frame. It was a smaller fish to start with though…it went from 7-8” to 14-15”. At the time I thought that fish had reached “Pool Boss” status, but I’ve since caught a different fish from that hole that went 18”…go figure. Bottom line, they can grow fast in the right conditions with the right holding water.

Link to the thread about that fish...
Growth Rate in Small Stream Browns

 

[Fishidiot]

This is clearly the same fish and the obvious growth rate is impressive, but not outside the realm of what one could expect to see in a local wild brown trout in the 3-5 year old class.

 

[Camp]

That looks like the same fish to me also. Did he mutter "not again" after the second hookup?

 

[Chaz]

A years growth in 8 months over the winter we had? I have my doubts, but it is at least very similar.

 

[jeremymcon]

Yea every spot is in the place it should be for it to be the same fish. That's pretty cool! Nice fish too.

 

[bigslackwater]

Thanks for all the response. I wanted to also add another bit of info about this fish. I was fishing two nymphs and it took the top fly. When I finally landed the fish in my net, the dropper fly was gone. I had the top fly on 4x and the bottom fly on 5x about 16" apart. My theory is that at some point in the struggle the bottom fly snagged on something and the fish broke it off. When I nymph I tie my second fly to the eye of the first fly. Had it been tied to the bend of the hook, I believe the snag might have dislodged the fly in its mouth and I would have came up empty handed. Something to consider.