Not your typical January day

[HopBack]

I decided to take off from work today to help alleviate some serious cabin fever. I spent most of my time nymphing many small wild browns and brook trout on some absolutely gorgeous water. It was really the perfect day.

I was about to call it when I ran into a particularly juicy stretch of water to good to pass up.

I’m glad I didn’t as I landed my PB wild brown trout!! Some of my best fishing has been during the occasional warm winter day. Get out there and cure that cabin fever.

 

[rrt]

Good for you! I've been too chicken to go out -- afraid I'll fall on the hard snow/ice along the stream and get hurt. 'fraid the stuff will have to melt a little for me to walk to the stream safely.

Your trout are just lovely.

 

[raftman]

Well done dude.

 

[Dave_W]

Wow, that's just a spectacular fish - one you will remember for a lifetime.

I too got out today and agree it was very nice. The fish cooperated for me as well - many small wild browns in skinny water.

Winter days with a warming trend can indeed fish very well if you time it right.

 

[StreamBottom]

Man, that’s one beauty of a day.
Nice, Real Nice!!

 

[dc410]

Way to go, Brian, really beautiful fish!

 

[laszlo]

Good for you, I've had little success the few times I've been out this year

 

[allthingsfishing]

That big brown is a great looking fish. Well done.

 

[drakeking412]

Great fish man! I was getting out a good bit but I've been way too busy recently. Hopefully the warmer temps stick around in Feb

 

[riverwhy]

Wow, beautiful fish! Must not be Lancaster County as I see snow on the banks. People always say runoff from melting snow means poor fishing. Did you feel much was melting in the valley you were fishing? Pretty much all snow and ice gone from my yard in Hershey by end of the day yesterday (Friday).

 

[klingy]

Great start to the year!

 

[Swattie87]

Wow, really nice. Congrats. That’s awesome. I’ve caught some of my biggest wild Trout on (relatively) nice Winter days too.

Made it out New Years Day, but that will amount to my only January day out. Glad you scratched your cabin fever itch, but you’ve made mine worse!

 

[JeffP]

That is a beautiful brown. How big? I'm guessing that's not a Lancaster County brown.

 

[JeffP]

Sorry I didn't see Riverwhy's post! He just happens to be my twin brother. Really!

 

[HopBack]

Wow, beautiful fish! Must not be Lancaster County as I see snow on the banks. People always say runoff from melting snow means poor fishing. Did you feel much was melting in the valley you were fishing? Pretty much all snow and ice gone from my yard in Hershey by end of the day yesterday (Friday).

Fishing was as you would have expected, slow in the morning when the air temps were the coldest and much better as the air temps rose. I luckily didn’t experience much melt off due to it being a heavily forested area.

 

[HopBack]

That is a beautiful brown. How big? I'm guessing that's not a Lancaster County brown

I could be a Lancaster county brown but it’s not. You would be surprised, I’ve seen some pictures of some monsters from the area but I have t found them yet.

I taped it out at 21”, probably about 5lbs or so, I wish I could have gotten a better picture but it was an extremely strong fish and it was all I could do to get it to lay flat. Released it as quickly as possible and swam off like a rocket.

 

[HopBack]

Thanks everyone for all the replies and support. Wish everyone as as much success this year!

 

[ryansheehan]

What an awesome brown!!!!

 

[tomgamber]

You times it right. I drove Pittsburgh to Lancaster yesterday and everything was nearly over its banks.

 

[jifigz]

I love it. Nice job and great brown trout. I haven't caught a wild brown that big in quite a while. I think getting the fish back as quickly as possible is definitely more important than a great photo.