Personal bests

[mushumatt]

WB- I hear ya man! I’ve been on a whiskey kick recently. Been able to get into a fair amount of them down here in WV. Landed a 23” wild brown, had its tail bitten off by another larger brown at some point. Still had enough power to almost break a 9’ 5wt. Not going back to that watershed till I get my 8wt in, going after a 30” wild brown this fall.

 

[wbranch]

Landmark wrote;

They say you will outgrow the interest in big ones but that isn't true for everyone.

I never read that book! It's kind of like saying I've outgrown my interest in looking at pretty woman.

 

[wbranch]

Mushumatt,

You might need an #8 for that 30" but all mine were landed on 9' #4 or #5.

 

[wbranch]

Drakeking412,

Obviously your chances of hooking any trout 22" and bigger, on a dry fly, are going to be enhanced if they exist in good numbers where you are fishing and that water has a prolific emergence of mayflies and/or caddis flies. Many western tailwaters have good populations of large trout. Henry's Fork has big browns. There are two rivers in SW Montana that have very large trout.

 

[mushumatt]

I wish we had the fisheries like they have out west. I’m moving to Bozeman when im done with production here in WV. The 23” almost broke a 5wt. There’s a few areas that hold monsters down here but you have to know the sections and drainages that hold them. It’s wild chucking a 8-10” musky fly and watching it get completely engulfed by a brown, I didn’t have enough power in the rod to set the hook. But still exhilarating watching it all happen.

 

[mushumatt]

Earlier in the day I was euro nymphing, caught a 6-8” wild bow and when I released it, a giant brown came up from the depths and swallowed it whole 4’ in front of me. Nature is wild, but it completely changed my perception of large trout feeding behavior.

 

[wbranch]

On numerous occasions, on both the WB and main stem Delaware, I have had very large trout come out of the depths and investigate the commotion a smaller trout I had on the line was doing. Once on the WB way up in Deposit just below the start of the Special Regs area I was playing a brown of about 16". The water was pretty clear and about 30" deep. Out of nowhere a monster brown, over 25", materialized about two feet behind my hooked fish. It hung around about 10 seconds and turned and went back into deeper water.

Another time in Stockport I was playing a nice rainbow, about 17" or 18", it was in the backing running close to shore below me. My buddy was down where my fish was fighting and all of a sudden there was a boil and my rod doubled over. My buddy yelled up that a huge striper had grabbed the rainbow and was swimming away with it. Well that felt good for about 10 seconds until the 5X broke.

Another time I was playing a really big rainbow in Cemetery. Actually it turned out to be the biggest rainbow I've ever landed on the Delaware. I was in the Hyde and while I was standing up with the net in one hand and the rod in the other a striper of about 30" swam right up behind my big rainbow and I guess it figured it was just too much of a meal and it turned and left. That rainbow measured 22".

 

[ColdBore]

Nice hat mushumatt!

I too participate and fish with that group.

 

[mushumatt]

WB- I wish I lived closer to the upper Delaware!!

Coldbore- thanks man, it’s an awesome organization. You’ll probably be hearing about a PHWFF feature doc being done this upcoming year, I am one of the producers on the film. We are aiming to enter Sundance in 2021 with it.

 

[troutpoop]

My personal best came on the WB just this season. A 20" brown on a size 20 sulpher dry on 7X. This was only about 3 weeks ago.
I was with another forum member and used a measure net to confirm. It was time to walk off the river that evening after landing that one.

 

[Dave_W]

wbranch wrote:
On numerous occasions, on both the WB and main stem Delaware, I have had very large trout come out of the depths and investigate the commotion a smaller trout I had on the line was doing. Once on the WB way up in Deposit just below the start of the Special Regs area I was playing a brown of about 16". The water was pretty clear and about 30" deep. Out of nowhere a monster brown, over 25", materialized about two feet behind my hooked fish. It hung around about 10 seconds and turned and went back into deeper water.

Another time in Stockport I was playing a nice rainbow, about 17" or 18", it was in the backing running close to shore below me. My buddy was down where my fish was fighting and all of a sudden there was a boil and my rod doubled over. My buddy yelled up that a huge striper had grabbed the rainbow and was swimming away with it. Well that felt good for about 10 seconds until the 5X broke.

Another time I was playing a really big rainbow in Cemetery. Actually it turned out to be the biggest rainbow I've ever landed on the Delaware. I was in the Hyde and while I was standing up with the net in one hand and the rod in the other a striper of about 30" swam right up behind my big rainbow and I guess it figured it was just too much of a meal and it turned and left. That rainbow measured 22".

Wow! Great stories.

 

[larkmark]

Two of my bigger dry fly trout. I didn't measure them. Probably among my best. One on caddis other on Coffin Fly

 

[wbranch]

Landmark, the brown in the top picture has to be close to, or at, 24" based on most cork grips being 7" long and reelseats about 3"long. Happy for you.

 

[larkmark]

wbranch wrote:
Landmark, the brown in the top picture has to be close to, or at, 24" based on most cork grips being 7" long and reelseats about 3"long. Happy for you.

Yes. I believe that is about right based on measuring marks on rod. Thank you. I have some more pics of nice ones but I can't locate them.
I also have seen intense cannibal stuff. I hooked a small trout about 10" and a huge one grabbed it. I almost landed it. i don't believe it was even hooked. Just holding onto the small trout and playing tug o war. Finally let go. I suspect a fish that came out of reservoir.

 

[rrt]

WB--

Those are cool stories. I have a couple similar ones, but yours are better and bigger.

Lark-

Those are two terrific brown trout, esp on dry flies. I think they will have made nice crystal memories for you.

 

[larkmark]

Thanks rrt. I only started carrying a camera last couple years.

 

[Acristickid]

Some big guys there- for me , it’s more of accomplishment catch those Invasive species on a dry than a streamer but splitting hairs.

I think the Henry’s Fork is more we’ll known for its invasive rainbows than brown at least near the ranch area. I caught some giant rainbows at the ranch during a western green drake hatch. Also the Bighorn.


Who would think to list your biggest bull trout , caught one 10 years ago and since then I’ve caught about 10 more and this one turned out to be a dandy it was a searun. Lastly there’s a big D brown with the streamer

 

[larkmark]

Nice ones! Bull Trout is cool.

 

[troutpout]

I am still after my first carp on the fly. I was chasing them in Ohio this weekend, but haven't gotten lucky. New to stillwater fly fishing this year, and having a blast with it and the ties it takes.

 

[jacob]

Carp are super fun. I particularly enjoy cussing at the big ones that snuff you after doing everything right haha. Keeps ya goin back!