World Record Mounts

Sunday, August 29, 2010

White River trout fishing during winter shad kills produces big trout!

Big trout do things they don't any other time of year, or in any other condition. It is not unusual for the big browns to porpoise out of the water coming... Read the article...

Monday, August 16, 2010

It's official!

Roger Hellen officially has his name attached to a world record...
Check out the report.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Potential new Brown Trout World Record!

Fishing the waters off Racine Friday morning, Roger Hellen of Franksville landed a 41.5-pound brown trout. The fish is more than a whopper - it's a potential world record... Read the rest...

Friday, July 2, 2010

July Fishing Report

Congratulations to my Grandson, Alec, on his biggest brown to date. We released this nice 8 LB. hookjaw right after this photo...
Check out the report.

Monday, June 21, 2010

A new South Dakota brook trout record

Whatever he is doing out on the water, Dennis LaRive should keep it up. LaRive broke the previous state record by almost a pound... Read the rest...

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

World Record Kokanee from Wallowa Lake!

A story began circulating a couple of decades ago that Wallowa Lake was inhabited by a monster. It was all tongue in cheek, of course, but the gem-like northeastern Oregon lake now has lots of monsters called kokanee... Read more

Monday, June 21, 2010

A new South Dakota brook trout record

Whatever he is doing out on the water, Dennis LaRive should keep it up. LaRive broke the previous state record by almost a pound... Read the rest...

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Another Record-Size Kokanee from Wallowa Lake

Six weeks after Wan Teece of Enterprise broke the Oregon state record for kokanee with a mammoth catch at Wallowa Lake - the sixth time since 1999 an angler pulled a fish of unprecedented size and weight from the lake - Bob Both of Lostine took his turn at the top... Read more

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Volcano Ash Leads to Giant Brown Trout

Here's one good thing to come out of the recent troubles with that volcano in Iceland: the biggest brown trout in Ireland in over a century...
Read the rest...

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Fish of the week

Oregon's state record for lake trout already is over 40 pounds, but an even bigger mackinaw may very well be swimming in Odell, Crescent or another deep mountain lake... Read more

Monday, April 12, 2010

New World Record Salmon?

Ken May of Williamsburg, Michigan, reeled in a 29-pound 11-ounce fish from Torch Lake in Northern Michigan. When he first caught the fish, he thought he had landed the new all-tackle world record for landlocked Atlantic salmon. There was just one problem... Read the rest...

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Fish of the week

Scott Garrison's catch almost topples the Indiana state brown trout record... Read more

Thursday, March 18, 2010

It's in the books!

Tom Healy's new World Record brown trout is official! Congratulations Tom! To read about the whole story on his amazing "catch of a lifetime"! check it out...

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Pennsylvania Hotspots for Trophy Browns

If you're looking for a real angling challenge this season, consider breaking Pennsylvania's brown trout record... Read more

Friday, February 5, 2010

Local guide catches 10 Lb. brook trout

Osprey Lake produces trophy trout... A legitimate shot at 5-10 LB. brook trout if you can make it to Labrador. check out the article...

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

New Brook Trout Record for State of Maine!

The 8 pound, 8 ounce Brook Trout record that stood for 30 years is finally broken. A Waterboro man took it down on Jan. 8, 2010.

Monday, December 21, 2009

More Haataja love...

If you haven't heard of Eric Haataja yet then you haven't been paying close enough attention to the great lakes trophy brown trout scene. This guide puts more giant browns in the boat than perhaps any in the nation. Multiple 10 pound fish in a day is the norm for him. Anyhow, it looks like he took Mike Iaconelli out and put him into a slew of nice fish recently... check out the article...

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

New World Record Brown Trout is "officially certified" by IGFA

Well, the 41.45-pound brown trout caught in Michigan's Manistee River in September has been certified by the International Game Fish Association as a world record. Hopefully we can get all of the exact details about which line class it ended up in, etc.

Monday, November 23, 2009

New state record brown trout...

I can think back and recall several huge brown trout that were "flukes". Power bait, kids casting from shore, fishing for kokanee and hooking a giant, first time anglers getting a 20 pounder, etc. Check out this beautiful hen caught in Missouri...

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Largest lake trout ever?

This fish was caught in the 60s but I never get tired of looking at it. What a beast!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

New strain of trout for great lakes region...

Interesting read about DNR looking for a new strain of brown trout to replace the seeforellen. Guess I better stick a big seeforellen before they disappear!

Monday, September 28th, 2009

More White River goodness.

I will never get tired of reading about the White River. Perhaps your best shot at a 10 pound resident river brown in the nation, this fast flowing river is all about flow. Here is a little picture and caption talking about it...

Monday, September 21, 2009

Two all tackle world record trout landed ...

Most of you have already heard about the giant rainbow and brown recently landed. You remember Adam Konrad landed the world record rainbow trout of 43.6 pounds two years ago. Well, his twin brother Sean landed a GIANT 48 pound rainbow this past week. Check out the pictures in our photo gallery. Incredibly, a potential world record brown trout was landed just a few days later. Google away for all of the details...

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

New Idaho state record rainbow?

How is this a new state record when Pend Oreille has pumped out literally hundreds of 20 pound plus fish over the years? Confused...

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Huge CA brown trout landed...

You just never know what is lurking down in the depths. Check out this story (bottom of page) of an unknowing kokanee angler who latched onto a fish of a lifetime at a local lake. Cool story!

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

More trout records...

Here is a link to a post that talks about some old trout records that were broken. I think I have said this before and will say it again... it is amazing with all of the pressure and changing regulations that records are still falling the way they are. It is a good thing!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

More New Jersey trophy trout...

When I think of New Jersey, big trout isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But, apparently there are some nice fish to be caught. That is the beauty of trophy trout fishing... there are fish all over the place if you look hard enough.

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

17 years ago the largest documented brown was landed...

I traveled thousands of miles to see the spot that Rip landed his big brown. Even though we saw browns over 10 pounds swimming in the white river and hooked several nice browns to 7 pounds, the highlight of my trip was making a cast to the exact spot that Rip hooked his fish. It is hard to believe it has been 17 years...

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Flaming Gorge Mackinaw...

The Flaming Gorge was once the premiere trophy brown trout fishery in the nation... perhaps the world. Now, it is one of the best locations to try for that 40 pound mackinaw in the lower 48 states. Here is a quickie on how to target the big boys....

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Get ready for the trout openers...

I used to really look forward to the big trout openers. I remember how big of a deal they were when I was younger. Now, I actually try to avoid lakes that are opening, instead waiting until 4 or 5 days after the opener to head to those lakes. The crowds get to me. I try my best to avoid them at all costs. That being said, thousands of CA and OR anglers are gearing up this minute for the big opener. Hundreds of big trout that haven't seen any lures for many months are starting to get hungry. So let's go get em!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

More on Colorado...

The more I read about Colorado, the more I want to head over there and try to stick some big trout. Here is an article about some of the rivers that I look forward to fishing some day.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

What do you call a large trout??

One of these days we will have an article up titled "What Makes a Trophy Trout". We all go through this journey in different ways, at different times and with different expectations. I remember catching a "trophy" trout when I was a kid that was 16" long out of a tiny trickle of a stream. At the time this fish was HUGE. If you go to Lake Diefenbaker up in Canada it takes a 30 pound plus rainbow to get anyone excited. An 18" fish out of many hike in lakes is a true giant. That is the beauty of this game... the size of the fish is relative to the body of water and your personal goals. Here is a picture of a fish that gets called a trophy anywhere!

Sunday, February 17, 2009

Cool video...

Thanks to Mark O. for this link...super cool video. It is amazing to think that every year, many of the trophies we target head up tiny tributaries to do their thing. Bull trout are particularly interesting because they prefer to spawn in tiny tributaries...sometimes less than a few feet deep!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Largest brown trout ever caught on the fly??

This is one pig of a brown trout! What is really cool is to see how quickly these fish can grow in salt water versus fresh water. Anyhow, check it out...

Monday, December 17, 2008

North Delaney Butte Lake...

Another lake to add to your list of hot spots in Colorado... I need to head this way next spring!

Friday, December 5, 2008

More Trout Eye Candy...

This is one cool looking rainbow trout! I didn't even know that Georgia had fish like this.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Huge Montana River Brownie...

Every once in a while as I am scouring the web for TTG news items I run across a real gem. This is a perfect example. To pull a fish like this out of a heavily pressured river on the fly.... SICK!

Friday, October 25, 2008

Top Trophy Trout Waters...

There are soooo many great places to catch big trout. Just reading down through this list makes me start dreaming about future trips. Omak and its giant cutthroat, Hebgen and its gulper brownies, Upper Klamath rainbows chasing tuis in the fall, the list goes on and on.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Patience the key to Lake Tahoe trout...

Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite trophy trout lakes. Its beauty transcends the fishing... and the fishing often doesn't disappoint. This is a VERY general article...but it got me thinking about Tahoe at least...time for another trip...

Friday, October 17, 2008

Colorado trophy trout

Colorado has so many opportunities available to pursue that trout of a lifetime. Here is a list of the "gold medal waters", which are waters designated by the Colorado Division of Wildlife as locations that offer anglers a good shot at a big fish. There are many locations which are not listed as gold medal locations that you can find giants in, but this list offers you a quick starting point to get out there and start looking.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Bull trout migrations on the Clark Fork...

This is an interesting article about how resilient bull trout can be. It also gives you a bit of a feel for how some of the biology goes down when it comes to tracking adfluvial species like the bull trout.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Fall trophy trout fishing...

Here is a good lil article about two trophy trout lakes with different species in them. Hey, I think I know that expert talking about East Lake! =)

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Caples Lake fish rescue...

TTG friend Mark Wiza gave me a call the other day to tell me about his experience helping California Fish and Game capture fish from Caples Lake. Much of his time was spent on one of the electrofishing boats. Another group had managed to capture a GIANT 18.5 pound brown trout in a small mesh gill net. It reminded me...you just never know what lurks in some of these lakes. Caples gets a LOT of pressure throughout the season due to its proximity to Tahoe and it always amazes me to think that a 7-10 year old fish like that could survive all of those seasons without getting slapped onto someone's BBQ. Here is an article talking a little about what went down...

Wednesday, August 3, 2008

New Zealand dreaming...

Team TTG is tentatively setting up a spring 2009 shoot for Monster Trout #5. We will focus on the Taupo and Rotorua regions of the North Island. These fish have never seen our west coast techniques and there are several lakes that I cannot wait to pound. In the meantime, check out this site which focuses on the Taupo area...

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Metolius River...

I remember reading about the Metolius River up in Oregon when I lived near Eugene. I fished it a few times for some rainbows before I decided to dedicate one whole day targeting the big bull trout that lurked in the deep holes throughout the system. I pulled out some of my big saltwater swimbaits (this was in the early 90s, before the detailed swimbaits of today) and dredged the deep holes downstream of the special regulation waters. I finally managed to hook one of the beasts in a particularly juicy looking spot. This river also has some HUGE rainbows that are very difficult to catch. Here is a brief article talking about the river...

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Remove trout to help frogs...

Ugh...

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Clarity of Lake Tahoe...

In the last 40 years the clarity in Lake Tahoe has gone from an amazing 100 feet to 70 feet. I can tell you personally that it is pretty crazy to be able to watch large trout swim below you as you troll the lake edges. Here is a brief article talking about the impacts over the last few years...

Friday, August 8, 2008

What is electroshocking and how is it used in relation to trout?

I will never forget an electroshocking survey that I did on a tributary of the Deschutes river a few years back. I couldn't believe the size of browns that were coming from this small stream. But, I also couldn't believe how many fish my partner was injuring during the process. Electroshocking is a controversial sampling technique that, if not done properly, can hurt or kill the sampled fish. I personally wish that electroshocking would be a last resort and other methods were pushed more aggressively. Anyhow, here is an article about how it goes down...

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Fun article about chasing trophies...

Well most of this article is the author tooting his own horn, it is a fun read and will keep you thinking about your next goal or trip. We all go through different phases of our trophy trout life and reap different rewards. Some of us are in it for the glory, some for the relationships, some for the interaction with God and nature and some for the allure for big fish. It is a winding journey, full of pitfalls and challenges. But, there is good that can be made from this as well...

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

New Tahoe Lake Record Brown Trout Landed!

TTG guide partner Mike Nielson just put his client Dan Hananouchi onto a HUGE 15.2 pound brown trout. This is the largest documented brown trout out of Lake Tahoe and will qualify as the new lake record. Here is an article with the details... Congrats Mike and Dan!!

Monday, June 30, 2008

Flooded White River brings in some exotic fish...

White bass and walleye are swimming with the monster browns of the white river. Even monster stripers to 20 pounds were shocked up recently. Hopefully this will only be a short term issue...

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Record tiger trout landed in Washington

Dang...this is crazy. The state record tiger trout was 6.26 pounds...until a 13.75 pounder was landed recently! This is a pretty cool story...check it out...

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

40 year old brook trout record smashed!

Check out this little story about a 10 pound plus brook trout landed in MA. The old record was over 6 pounds...so the new fish was over 4 pounds heavier. That is an amazing feat considering all of the brook trout anglers in MA. Wow...

Friday, May 30, 2008

Article on trophy trout in Oregon...

Oregon has some of the best trophy trout waters in the nation. Here is a little article about a trip taken by former Oregon brown trout record holder Guy Carl. He heads to Klamath, Wickiup, East and Paulina...check it out.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

See some of the largest rainbows on earth...

For those of you who haven't had the privilege of watching large trout spawn...it is truly an amazing site. I have personally spent many hours studying them while doing spawning surveys for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is raw nature at its wildest. Here is an article talking about the gerrards of the Arrow Lake region. Apparently there are viewing platforms that allow folks to observe these magnificent creatures while they spawn. If I am ever up in this area during the spring...this is something that I would love to see.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Flaming gorge 40 pound lake trout...

A 40 pound lake trout landed in US waters is the epoch of a mainland lake trout angler's goals. I never get tired of looking at fish like this...

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Why triploids are the future of trophy trout...

As a fish biology major and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife employee for four years, I understand the complexities of stocking hatchery fish in bodies of water where wild populations exist. Triploidy solves much of this dilemma. You simply do not want a hatchery fish that attempts to spawn with the naturally reproducing populations. If you have a fish that doesn't spawn and continues to grow throughout the year...this is the "perfect" hatchery fish! I am glad to see states like Utah, Idaho and Oregon continue to implement triploid trout programs. Folks have a tendency to fear the term "triploid", but much of that fear is based on a lack of knowledge regarding exactly what triploidy is. Here is a brief article that covers the basics...

Friday, May 9, 2008

*** UPDATE, new link with pics - 15 pound river brown caught...

We all know how difficult it is to catch a brown over 10 pounds. Add moving water and it makes it 20x more difficult. Apparently a 15 pound brown was caught out of the Truckee River in CA. There isn't a picture to confirm the report...which is unfortunate. I live in the "see" generation... here is the pic!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Spinney puts out nice cutbow for the opener!

A 9.5 pound cutbow was landed by a Colorado angler at the Spinney opener. Spinney continues to produce some of the largest cutbows in the nation...

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Lake Ontario Brown Trout...

Lake Ontario browns grow fast. Sometimes called "football" browns, many of the seeforellen strain brown trout of Lake Ontario take on amazing length to girth proportions. Here is an article about chasing these fat fish...

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Monster Trout Derby!

TTG has a monster trout derby in the works for the future. In the mean time, check out this one in PA. Sounds like fun =)

Thursday, April 17, 2008

BIG brook trout...

Most of us will have that "once in a lifetime" moment where we hook that fish we have been after for many years. This is a neat little story of one man's journey and reward of that perfect catch...

Friday, April 4, 2008

More Cumberland goodness...

Team TTG will make it to the Cumberland some day...maybe a White River/Cumberland combo trip. Both rivers offer the legitimate shot at a lifetime moving water brown...something that is on my list of must haves for the wall. Check out another article on the Cumberland...

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Team USA takes 8th in the world fly fishing championships...

Well, we got beat. You can check out the results here... But, the good news is...we ended up ahead of a lot of other countries with much more international experience.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Great Bear lake macks...DANG!

What You know you have a big mack to the boat when you have to bear hug it for your picture. Macks can live to ridiculously old ages...and some of the leviathans of Great Bear might be over 50 years old! Here is an article talking about the largest mack ever landed on rod and reel...taping out to 72 pounds!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

More White River goodness...

Yes, the White River in Arkansas is the premiere, moving water, big brown fishery in the nation. Here are a couple more articles about the infamous "shad kill" and a 10 pound plus brown coming to the net. Dang...I think team TTG needs to head east to sample some of these toads!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Possible line class, catch and release fly fishing record brown trout caught...

What a killer looking hookjaw...and on four pound class tippet none the less!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Oregon fly fishing guide chosen as American team captain in upcoming competition...

Anytime you are talking about New Zealand trout...there is the potential for a 10 pound fish. This year's World Fly Fishing Championships are going to be held in New Zealand...and there WILL be some big fish landed. The captain of the team is Scott Robertson, a Bend Oregon guide and friend of TTG. Good luck guys!

Friday, March 7, 2008

Trophy trout of.... New Jersey??

New Jersey isn't a location that we usually talk about here at TTG. But, after reading this article, I was reminded that each state in our nation has little pockets of "trophy trout" waters. Remember, the word "trophy" is entirely subjective and depends on many factors including, but not limited to, location and where you are at as a trophy trout angler. We all have stories of when we were kids and caught that "trophy" 14 inch native rainbow out of that stream you had fished on your family vacations. A "trophy" mackinaw in California is anything over 20 pounds, while a "trophy" mackinaw out of Great Slave might be 50 pounds. Thoughts to ponder...

Monday, March 3, 2008

More you tube vids...

The Cumberland is one of those rivers that you don't hear too much about...but it has some big browns. This video doesn't feature big browns...but does give you a little feel for what the river looks like...

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Speaking of trout through the ice...

One of the things I kinda get a kick out of is reading the comments on you tube videos. Many times, the "discussions" that occur are more entertaining that the video itself. Here is a video of some guys catching nice brook trout through the ice. It looks like they have a killer spot with some nice fish coming through the hole. Of course somebody has to try and ruin it for them by posting some comments about how they are fish killers, etc. We support CPR at TTG but are not going to pooh pooh some guys for keeping a few fish for the table...

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Catch trout through the floor of your ice hotel room???

I had to put this up. Sounds like my kind of vacation...kind of. Might be a little chilly sleeping though! Anyhow, check this out...

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Past records can help pinpoint big fish locations...

The internet is a very powerful tool. I call it the encyclopedia of everything. It has changed the face of fishing forever in many ways...some good and some bad. One of the good ways that is has changed things is the availability of record fish locations. This can be VERY valuable info. Here is a little article talking about all of this...

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Six new trout records broken in 2007!

It is always good when old records are being broken. That means that some of our management policies are working, and there are still big fish around! Last year there were six different trout records that were broken in the US. Here is a link to the details...

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Big Rainbow from Idaho...

I don't know how many times I have heard this story... Guy catches big trout, guy thinks hmmmmmm...dinner, guy cleans fish and takes it home, guy hears from buddy that he might have landed some kind of record fish, guy feels stupid. Here is another one of these stories...this time a toad rainbow from Idaho... **This is NOT a record for Idaho...Pend Oreille has kicked out many larger fish than this**

Monday, December 31, 2007

Bunch of good reads ...

I initially found this article about Pass Lake rainbow fishing. Then I happened to find this whole batch of articles... Some good stuff in here!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Trophy trout on ice!

I am personally not a huge fan of ice fishing because the fish are usually pretty lethargic with the brutally cold water. But, some giants are pulled through the ice every year. Antero reservoir in Colorado has been pumping out some HUGE cuttbows of late. Here is an article with a picture of a nice 13 pound hybrid. Here is another article on Antero that talks about some ridiculous growth rates...crazy!

Friday, December 7, 2007

Diamond Lake back on track for giants...

Diamond lake in Oregon used to produce some of the largest rainbows on the west coast. After a MAJOR tui chub invasion, the rainbow population took a nose dive. Check out this article to see what may lay ahead for Diamond Lake...

Sunday, November 25, 2007

More Henry's Lake info...with a video clip =)

This lake is one that I have dreamed of fishing for many years. I haven't made it there yet....but will in the upcoming years. This lake is your best shot at a 10 pound plus cuttbow. These fish are beautiful, and grow rapidly in this extremely eutrophic body of water. Here, fish put on pounds, not inches, every year. Check out this great little article and video clip talking about the lake.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Big brown landed in England...

I just thought you guys would like to see the picture of this fish. This thing is such a short fish for its weight! I love the broad tail on this fish as well. Check it out here...

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

2nd Largest west coast brown of all time landed!

A new Idaho state record brown trout was landed last week. The beast weighed an incredible 27.3 pounds!!! As far as we know...this is the second largest brown ever landed on the west coast (excluding gorge fish). What is really amazing is that the guy reportedly landed the fish on 6 pound test...from shore! You can read more details here...

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Oregon angler lands big brown trout...

Our friends over at Trophy Trout Hunter are hot! Angler Dan McAllister landed another big hookjaw brown, this one at just over 10 pounds. The unique thing about this fish was that he caught it on FOUR pound test! Read the full story and check out more pics over at their website.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Lake Davis, California poisoned...for the second time...

In some areas of the world pike are considered the ultimate fish to catch. At Lake Davis they are a scourge. Typical story...bucket bio puts pike in the lake thinking he would create a cool fishery, but instead ends up costing taxpayers millions of dollars and hurting the local economy.

Well, they tried it once before without success...but are going to poison the lake again for the second time. This lake does have the potential to produce a very nice rainbow fishery if the lake could stabilize for a reasonable amount of time.

Anyhow, here is the story of the second poisoning, beginning, middle and end. IMHO the pike will be back =(

Monday, October 22, 2007

New Zealand trout going off!

Dang I want to fish New Zealand! Big browns, monster rainbows...many in the 5 to 10 pound range. An 18 pound brown was landed opening day over there... with loads of other big fish. Here is a short story talking about some of the north island lakes that are producing... got to get me some!

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Big California Golden Trout...

Golden trout are the most beautiful of all trout IMHO. Their beauty is really hard to put into words. My largest golden is in the 18" range...but I have seen larger. If you are after that elusive 20" golden...then you need to head to the Cottonwood Lakes in California. Although this article is very general...trust me when I say that there are 20" goldens in some of the Cottonwoods.

Friday, October 5, 2007

40 pound lake trout landed from shore!

This is a neat story of a guy who landed a 40 pound lake trout...casting from shore! I remember hearing of a 20 pound brown caught from a youngster casting from shore at Paulina up in Oregon. Cool stuff!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Lower Sacramento River rainbows...

One of the few times I have ever been spooled in fresh water was on a Sacramento River rainbow (Don't ask me about the estimated 200 pound big eye tuna that spooled me on 30 pound after a brutal, multiple hour battle). Granted, I had lost probably half a spool of my Maxima ultra-green 4 pound to a tangle earlier in the day and had been too lazy to re-spool. But, the estimated 7 pound native bow still took over 150 feet of line in one sizzling run and busted the spool knot on my ultralight spinning setup like it was thread.

If you ever get a chance to fish either the upper or lower river...you should. They are totally different in much of the angling strategies, but share one thing in common...big, beautiful, native rainbows! The "Sac" needs to be on everyone's short list of "Trophy rainbow rivers that I fish before I die". Here is a short article that talks a little about the lower Sac fishery...

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Fall = spawning brown trout...

Yes, it is that time again. The leaves are turning colors...yadda, yadda. Even though fall can be a tough time for lake browns, in many different areas this is the time to head for the tribs that these fish will be moving through. Here is a little blurb on where you might go in Colorado to chase some autumn brownies...

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Former trophy trout fishery taken over by bass...

I will never forget that day 9 years ago. It was one of the best fishing days of my life. My buddy Derek and I were fishing Davis Lake in Oregon and the big bows were pushing tui chub into the shallows and fish were busting everywhere. We had tied up some tui chub patterns the night before...and they were working well. The Klamath lake strain rainbows had adapted well to the lake and were growing to ridiculous sizes in a very short time. We had seen pictures of a 20 pound fish landed that spring and I had personally netted a 12 pound fish for Derek earlier in the season. That crazy day in 1998 I landed three fish in the 7-9 pound range and broke 2 more off on hard strikes. What a fishery.... it used to be...

Monday, September 17, 2007

Regulation changes are official at Pyramid...

Ok, some of these changes make sense...and some don't. At least they didn't outlaw downriggers! I think the March 15 to May 16 closure from Sutcliffe to the south nets is a HUGE mistake. That is going to cost the tribe a lot of revenue...and for what? Anyhow, we will see how things play out...

Friday, September 7, 2007

Oregon 12 pound plus brown trout...

Here is a neat story of one angler's 12 pound plus Oregon brown trout. It is the largest caught out of East Lake this year. The guys over at Trophy Trout Hunter are a great group of younger anglers and we expect to hear of lots more big browns coming from their camp down the road!

Friday, August 31, 2007

Big brook trout at Igloo Lake...

Here is a great 2 part article on big brook trout at Igloo Lake. Most of us dream of a giant brook trout, so big that it won't fit into our net!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

More Osprey fodder...

Ever since Bernie Taylor's book came out a while back, I have been dreaming of a 10 pound brook trout from Osprey Lake. Here is a cool story of someone that actually pulled a 10 out!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Would you relocate to a new area just for the fishing??? You bet!

I have been planning on purchasing a "fishing cabin" up in Oregon for many years. This would be a vacation spot for my family to escape from our "trout lacking" digs on the central coast of California. A true junky would relocate to an area JUST for the fishing. I have heard stories from some of the diehard "BrownBagger" trout club members of total family relocations just to get closer to a brown trout bite. Here is an article on a lake trout destination that some people found good enough to move near.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

More Pyramid cutthroat stuff...

Every trophy trout nut should get to Pyramid lake a couple of times in their lifetime for a shot at a 10 pound lahontan. In March and April they exhibit some beautiful spawning colors. Action can be fast and furious, doubles are pretty common at this lake. Here is another article on this unique fishery...

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Fun lil article on mixing it up for browns...

Casting for browns is almost a lost art for many trophy brown trout anglers. Don't be afraid to set up a wind drift along a shore line and fish stick baits just like you would for bass. Watch Mike Iaconelli next time he is fishing crank baits for ideas on how to work your lure. Here is a quick read on mixing it up for browns...

Sunday, July 22, 2007

One of those unique trophy trout opportunities...

Every once in a while something special happens that, if possible, you should do anything in your power to get a shot at. In California this year, the East Walker river opened early for the first time in many many years. Those in the know spanked lots of big browns and bows...it was epic. I heard about another one of those cool situations in Colorado. Antero Reservoir, which has been closed for the last 5 years, just reopened. ...and guess what happened? Yes, a PIG was landed...check this pic out!

Monday, July 9, 2007

Great lakes browny tips...

I never get tired of looking at these fat Great Lake brown trout. This is a place that we all dream about fishing one day...in hopes of that elusive 20 pounder. Here is a little article with some tips on sticking a pig in spring!

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Big browns lurk at Twin Lakes in California ...

The twin lakes near Bridgeport have produced some of the largest browns in California over the years. Here is a cool article that talks about some toads pulled out of there in recent years. Add to this list a 14 pounder caught by Allan Cole this year and you can see why so many people make the trek to pound the famed lakes for that shot at a 20 pounder.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

More big trout from England...

Here is a hot brown report from our friend Steve Yeomans over at Midlands Flyfishing:

Our spring fishing here has been fantastic. The brown trout fishing has never been better, with clients landing several fish of 6-8lbs all on small nymphs. The picture attached is Vic Burford (on the left) and me with his 8lb brownie, caught using a tiny midge pattern, having watched the fish cruising and feeding in the margins. Vic also had a 7lb fish on the same day!

Best Regards Steve Yeomans!!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Just to show how lucky we are...

Sometimes I think we get a bit jaded. Even with everything we have done to hurt fisheries over the years...we still have phenomenal fishing here in the US and Canada. In this article, a 10 pound plus brown is hailed as the largest brown ever taken from a particular loch in Europe. A 10 pounder would hardly raise an eyebrow in many western trophy brown lakes...

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

New WORLD RECORD rainbow trout landed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TTG has obtained EXCLUSIVE photos of the new WORLD RECORD rainbow trout! We are breaking the news to the world. Canadian Adam Konrad landed this monster 43.6 pound rainbow trout out of Lake Diefenbaker on 6/6/07! The fish was landed on six pound, yes I said SIX pound test. This fish is over one pound larger than the existing rainbow record which has stood for over 30 years! We will have an audio interview with Adam up soon. What an amazing catch!!!!!!

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Henry's Lake hybrids are biting...

Henry's lake is one of the top trophy trout destinations in the nation. I just got off the phone with the hatchery manager and some nice fish have already been landed since the opener including a 13 pound hybrid and a legitimate 5 pound brook trout. Here is an article that talks a little about the new winter fishery that has started.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

New Colorado state record Mackinaw...50 pounds!

Talk about a pig! Check out the girth on this monster. Officially weighing in at 50.35 with a 35.5 inch girth the laker shattered the old Colorado state record by almost 6 pounds.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Monster 25 pound brown trout landed at Wickiup Reservoir in Oregon...

Wow, wow...what a fish! We all dream of a fish like this...and they always seem to be caught by guys fishing with bait that have tiny nets! Anyhow, congrats to the angler who landed this fish of many lifetimes. Check at the article and picture here. In my opinion, Wickiup Reservoir has produced more monster browns over 20 pounds than any other reservoir on the west side of the US in recent years.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Fishermen un-friendly regulation changes, hardware restrictions and loss of season planned for Pyramid Lake

I always hate to see license fees and other costs increase for no apparent reason. I also hate to see hardware restrictions and loss of season unless justified. All of these things are apparently going down at Pyramid Lake in Nevada. This is the premiere trophy trout cutthroat fishery in the nation. During prime time 10 pound fish are caught every week. You can read about the proposed changes here. I am sure we will be hearing more about this in the coming weeks.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Proper trophy trout catch and release techniques...

Here is an interesting article talking about holding certain species of fish by their jaw in a vertical position. Almost all of us are guilty of holding trout that we are going to release vertically either by the gill plate or with grippers. Although grippers are nice, they were not designed for trout and they actually can do a lot of damage to the fish.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

3rd largest brown trout ever documented just caught!

This is HOT off of the presses. A new Michigan state record brown was just landed on Monday that is said to be the third largest brown ever documented being landed in the US on rod and reel. What a toad...that is one funky looking brown =) Check out details here...

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Great Lakes LOC tournament ends with last minute heroics...

This tourney sounds like fun. You know when a 20 pound brown takes first place that some quality fish are coming to the scale. The great lakes are one fishery where a catch and release tourney isn't really needed. Some quality macks came to the scale as well...check out the story here...

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Giant White River brown trout found dying...

Cool story...someone sees a flopping, giant brown near the shoreline and notifies fish and game. They come and try to revive the fish...but it is too late. My guess is that the fish simply died of old age. That fish will probably age out around 13 years old...which is very old for a brown trout. Check out the girth on this brown! This is one of the girthiest browns I have ever seen! Think about it...this is one of the largest browns ever seen...

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

California and Oregon trout openers are almost upon us!

Every year trophy trout hunters on the west coast prep their gear for the big trout openers. Every year some big browns are landed in the Bishop/Bridgeport area of California and the lakes of Central Oregon. This year is unique in that the openers fall on the same weekend...which isn't usually the case. There should be some nice browns caught in the next two weeks...can't wait to hear the reports!

Here is a little article on some of the California lakes that are know to produce toad browns. Should get your heart pumping!

Sunday, April 22, 2007

More big trout from England...

Our friends over at Midlands Flyfishing in England sent us this recent report and picture of a nice 12 pound rainbow:

Ernest Duggar landed the 12.5lb rainbow during a day's guided fly fishing in the Cotswolds. The rainbow took a white/silver tadpole lure around 6 feet down within 5 meters of the bank. Ernest also landed a 6lb 12oz rainbow, and had another estimated at 11lbs reject the fly at the very last second, the fish having followed the lure for several meters.

Exciting fishing in clear water! Further details of service at www.midlands-flyfishing/big-trout.htm

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Nice river rainbow caught in New York...

According to this story, the giant rainbow came out of a small creek and is NOT a great lakes "steelhead". At any rate, it is a nice rainbow for that small stream and I am sure anyone would be thrilled to catch it. Neat story!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Big Trout tournaments...

Any tournament called the "Monster Trout Tournament" gets my attention. I received a press release recently to announce this neat sounding contest. The fish are large, stocked fish...but it still sounds like fun. Check out the details here...

Another big tourney going on is "Mack Days" on Flathead Lake in Montana. With over $22,000 in cash and prizes it is one of the larger "trophy trout" events in the nation. Looks like a toad was landed recently to take over the lead in the contest...

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Utah reservoirs going ice free...

Keeping the Utah theme going for another day... Strawberry is starting to see some of the ice melting along the edges. Many of the other "trophy" reservoirs have gone ice free as well. We have heard additional rumors of some giant trout being landed in Utah waters.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Nice brown landed in Utah..

I love stories like this... a guy who has fished a favorite lake for many, many years finally gets "the big one". Check out this article and picture of a beautiful 17 pound hookjaw brown landed out of a small lake in Utah...

Sunday, March 25, 2007

New Utah state record tiger trout landed...

This is hot off the press...yesterday, March 24, an angler landed a 29.5" tiger trout out of Utah's Palisade Reservoir. It weighed over 10 pounds which will shatter the existing record. As most of you know...the tiger trout is a brown-brook hybrid. This hybridization does occur naturally in the wild...but is VERY rare. All of the tiger trout that you hear about in certain reservoirs are artificially created in very controlled hatchery conditions. I will have a link to the press shortly...

Thursday, March 22, 2007

More Spoons for trophy trout...

Had the article a few weeks ago on using spoons for Mackinaw. Here is a little read on "spooning" for brown trout on the great lakes.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Pend Oreille Brown Trout?

Yes, we all know that Pend Oreille pumps out HUGE rainbows, quality lake trout and even the occasional fat bull trout. We have all heard stories of browns in years past...but you just don't run across a recent photograph that often. So, when I did...I figured I would post a link =) As many of you know, Lake Pend Oreille is embroiled in a nasty situation right now. Recently, some major members of the LPOIC resigned in disgust at what is going on with the management of the lake. Lake Trout "experts" have been brought in and they say things may rebound in 5-10 years...but are not looking good in the short term.

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Spoons for trophy trout?

Spoons are not talked about as much as they used to be when it comes to chasing monster trout. Here is a very general little article that talks about "spooning" for lake trout.

Monday, February 26, 2007

One cool looking giant rainbow!

I have always dreamed of fishing the Kootenai River in Montana below the Libby Dam. I can image the giants that are down there right now...gorging on dead fish getting flushed through the dam. I have some unique ideas on what might get gear down through the fast water and give me a shot at getting one to bite. In the mean time, I will look at pictures of fish like this and dream...

Friday, February 16, 2007

Released brook trout declared Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame world record!

Tim Matheson's monster brook trout caught in October of 2006 taped out to be between 14-16 pounds. Since it was released there was some question as to whether or not it would qualify for a new world record. While it won't be an IGFA record, it is officially the new Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame world record. Check out this article for more details...

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Wow...this rainbow is HUGE!

The first time I read this article...I had to re-read the weight of this fish twice to make sure I wasn't hallucinating! This truly is a giant. But, after doing a little research, I found out the reason that this fish got to this size was because there is a salmon hatchery in the vicinity and these huge rainbows sit near the outflows and feed on excrement and leftover food. It is a wild fish though...so this is a unique set of circumstances. I tell you what...I wouldn't mind that fish on the end of my line!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Lake Davis says, "bye bye" to its pike population...for now.

What do you do if someone puts an aggressive fish eating species like northern pike into a lake that drains downstream into rivers that have endangered salmonids? You try everything to get them out...and when that doesn't work, you try it again =) Here is the story of what the state of California is dealing with in this continuing saga...

Saturday, January 20, 2007

New travel restrictions to go into effect...

Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

Sounds like things are tightening up...better go get that passport if you are heading up to Canada! More details here...

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Strawberry Reservoir, Utah...

The American Fisheries Society has just named Strawberry Reservoir in Utah the "Sport Fishery Development and Management Outstanding Sport Fish Restoration Project of the Year for 2006". Here is an article talking about how it happened.

I have heard a lot about Strawberry and knew it had produced world class cutthroat trout in the past. But I didn't realize that it was still fishing so well. Here is a link to a page that will provide you with lots of great info on how to fish Strawberry.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

State record brook trout landed!

A giant 11 lb. 3 oz. brook trout has been landed in South Dakota. The huge fish may be the largest ever landed in the US and will most likely be a new IGFA line class world record. More amazing was the fact that the fish was hooked by two anglers at the same time! Check out more details here...

**TTG has obtained an exclusive interview with Ryan Rempfer, the angler who landed the fish. He was fishing with his good buddy David Busch who also had the fish hooked before it broke his line.

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Big trout can still be caught!

You know what is really interesting to think about? After all of these years and all the naysayers complaining about how our environmental practices are going to destroy mother nature... big trout are still around and records are still being broken! Here is a list of trout records broken in 2006. This gives me hope that big trout will still be swimming when my kids are old enough to chase after them.

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Great Lakes brown trout...

First off, Happy New Year from TTG! We hope '07 brings good times and big fish to all of our readers. Ok, I ran across a decent article discussing brown trout fishing on Lake Michigan. This should be on every trophy trout angler's short list of "dream destinations".

With fish over 30 pounds coming every year, it is widely believed that the next world record brown will come from the great lakes region. It is only a matter of time...

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

In keeping with the international theme...

I usually don't think of England when I talk about trophy trout fishing. That changed when I got an email from guide Steve Yoemans of Midlands flyfishing. He sent me this picture of a "cracking" 14 pound rainbow taken on a recent trip. We look forward to more reports and pics from Steve. Here is some background on the big fish:

Gary Bauer (on the left of the shot) took the 14lb rainbow during a guided day with me the other week. Funnily enough, Gary was taking a day off, having flown in from the USA on a business trip. Having spent the day sight fishing with one fish around 4lbs to show for our efforts, I spotted a pod of trout working bait fish close to an island at dusk.

That last hour was magic indeed! I swapped pattern to my own Midlands Fry, and Gary put out some good long casts to drop the fly across a drop off. We had 3 hits in that last hour of daylight, landing two of them. The first at 6lbs 10oz,while the last fish of the day was the big one. When it took the lure we certainly knew, the top half of the rod slammed round! Great fight with a well conditioned fish!

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all TTG readers!

The holiday season is a time to hang out with family...and if you are lucky, sneak off for a last minute trout trip! If you can find ice free waters that hold trout, this is an excellent time of year to get after them. Most folks are home in their warm houses, but a few of the die hard trophy trout hunters are freezing their toes off as we speak.

Anyhow, TTG would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holidays! 2007 should be a lot of fun. We hope it is a great year for your trophy trout hunting, see you out on the water!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Dream Destination = New Zealand...

New Zealand and Patagonia are perhaps two of the top "dream destinations" for any trophy trout angler. Patagonia is know for monster sea-run browns while New Zealand hosts a variety of big rainbow and brown fisheries. While the two destinations are very different in topography, style of fishing and other factors... they share a common bond...huge, wild trout!

Check out this short read out of a New Zealand paper talking about a tributary to a North Island lake. Sounds like a blast to me!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

If you live in Colorado...

One of the things any serious trophy trout angler should be doing is...researching. One of the first places one should go is your state's fish and game website. Scour EVERY page of the website and take notes on locations that may house large trout. Sometimes the best way to find that "secret" location is by looking at pictures of other angler's big trout.

Colorado has something that more and more states are doing these days. It is called a "Master Angler Program" and lists top catches in the state by species. You can take a look at the species that we are interested in... trout... and find some waters that may hold some big fish. Another key feature is they are categorized by date so you can follow big fish trends.

Friday, December 8, 2006

Pend Oreille Thanksgiving Derby Results:

Every year hundreds of trophy trout enthusiasts travel many miles to enter into one the largest trout derbies on the west coast. With the Idaho Fish and Game encouraging anglers to kill trout this year to help the kokanee populations, it isn't as hard to "digest" all of the dead fish entered in the derby (although it still kills me).

Though I don't know much about the details of the kokanee collapse, I wish they would focus on bolstering juvenile kokanee numbers via net pen projects and plankton supplementation rather than kill these beautiful, apex predators. Anyhow, back to the derby! You can check out the final results over at our friend's site, the LPOIC. This club works to protect the Pend Oreille fishery and needs all the help they can get during this tough time. Most of the membership fees go directly back into protecting this unique fishery.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Montana's Blackfeet Reservation Trout!

Big trout of a variety of species in a beautiful setting...sounds good to me! The many lakes on the Blackfeet Reservation should be on any trophy trout hunter's short list of dream destinations. Rainbows to 10 pounds, browns to 15, big brookies...all within miles of each other? Can you say road trip?? Check out this article to get the juices flowing!

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Pyramid Lake Trophy Cutthroat Trout...

If at all possible, every trophy trout angler should fish this incredible fishery at least once in their lifetime. The fish are spectacular, the scenery is spectacular...what is not to love? If you are serious about achieving the ultimate cutthroat catch, (a fish over 10 pounds), then this is the place to be. Here is an article that covers the details about the lake and talks a bit about the 2006/2007 season.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Potential World Record Brook Trout Landed!

Every trophy trout angler dreams of a fish like this. What a beautiful specimen of a brook trout! Tim Matheson landed a 29" long by 21" girth brook trout on October 21, 2006. Most formulas put this fish 15 - 17 pounds. The current world record brook trout is 14 pounds 8 ounces, so this could shatter that mark. The unique thing about this catch...is that he released it.

Updated: ** TTG has obtained an exclusive audio interview with Tim Matheson of Kenanow Lodge. Check it out here ...

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Largest Lake Trout Ever Caught on Video...

It's a bird, it's a plane, no...it's a 70 pound lake trout! That is 2 pounds off the world record. Dang...that is one fat fish. Thought the TTG readers would get a kick out of this one. I wonder how old this fish was?

Friday, November 11, 2006

Some Neat Arkansas Trout Articles

Most trophy trout hunters dream of that one monster that grabs our bait or lure. Here is the story of the former world record brown trout, caught on a marshmallow and corn combo of all things! Here is another article that discusses jig fishing. Marabou jigs are an effective way to catch trout in many situations...but for some reason it is rarely talked about. The North Fork in Arkansas produces lots of big fish every year. Check out these articles that detail some tips and tricks to landing that fish of a lifetime.

Thursday, November 2, 2006

Trout Hatchery Info...

Many of us take the fingerling-planted hatchery fish we catch for granted. I can tell you from personal experience that raising fish is a LOT of work, and many small details have to be followed for things to go as planned. Here is a brief article from West Virginia that talks a bit about the cold water trout program in that state.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Southern California Brown Trout?

Yes, just minutes from "The OC", and "Laguna Beach", Diamond Valley Lake has been stocked with fingerling brown trout. This exploding fishery has the potential to grow very large fish, very quickly. It has produced rainbows over 10 pounds, and it wouldn't be a shock to see 10 pound browns in 3-4 years... Check out a short blurb on the stocking of the browns...

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Good News for Montana...

Much of the water that flows into western rivers and eventually down into the Pacific ocean comes from states like Montana. Many times, the focus is put on the coastal rivers and fish stocks, and the upstream water sources are left "high and dry". It looks like Montana is finally going to get some significant mitigation money for fish related work.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Monster Rainbow Trout Secret Location?

Every once in a while you stumble across a trout location that you have never heard of before and may offer a shot at a true monster trout. Lake Diefenbaker may or may not be one of those locations. After reading this article it appears to be a similar situation to Rufus Woods in Washington. If so, the real monsters won't last long...

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Brook Trout Destinations...

Brook trout, speckled trout, square tails... different names for the same fish. One of the most beautiful, native Salmonids in North America, they are certainly a species that most trophy trout hunters dream about catching. "Trophy" brook trout is a relative term. In many east coast streams, a 15" fish is a trophy. On the west coast, a four pounder is a fish of a lifetime. The largest brook trout in the world are found in the Minipi watershed, in Labrador, Canada. Some of the lakes boast an average catch of 5 pounds! Here is an article talking about some of the locations that one might choose for that brookie of a lifetime.

Sunday, October 8, 2006

Pyramid Lake Opener

Pyramid Lake, located near Reno Nevada, is the premiere cutthroat trout fishery in the nation. Last year, a MONSTER 24 pound fish was caught from shore by a fly fisherman. The lake opened October 1st and so far we have heard of two fish over 10 pounds landed. These are lahontan strain fish that are really beautiful to look at. One of the things that makes Pyramid a popular fishery is the fact that almost anybody can get out there and catch a lot of fish...with a legitimate shot at a trophy over 5 pounds.

Tuesday, October 3, 2006

Books you should own...

Ok, you call yourself a trophy trout junky? Then your bookshelves should be stocked with books about your quarry. Here are some titles that TTG would recommend: Big Trout by Bernie Taylor, The Mind of the Trout by Thomas Grubb, Big Trout: Catch and Release 20 lb. Trophy Trout by Ray Johnson, Fly Fishing Stillwaters for Trophy Trout by Denny Rickards, and Sierra Trout Guide by Ralph Cutter. These books will give you some insight into what makes big trout tick. There are many other regional publications that are excellent references for specific bodies of water, but the books listed above are some of the best general informational trophy trout reads available.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Problems at Pend Oreille

As most of you know...Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho is the premiere trophy rainbow fishery in the nation. For the last few years, the kokanee population has been in serious decline. The Idaho Fish and Game has been trying various methods to try and help increase adult kokanee numbers. Things are getting pretty bad and all the stops are being pulled out to figure out what to do to save this unique fishery. They are even hiring a mackinaw expert from the great lakes area. Here is another article discussing what is going on. Concerned trophy trout anglers should think about joining the LPOIC, a club which donates proceeds to help the fishery directly. Let's get involved!

Sunday September 17, 2006

Some Notable Big Trout...

Here are some neat pictures to check out. They include the former world record brown, 2 former California record browns and the Utah record mackinaw. One thing that struck me was the girth of some of these fish. You just don't see fish shaped like these very often any more. Many reservoirs have a period where everything is "exploding" and the forage is abundant. This leads to apex predators that exhibit very extreme girth to length ratios. Both the Flaming Gorge and the Twin Lakes of California seemed to go through this phase. Anyhow, enjoy these unique pics...

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Lake Almanor Trout

Lake Almanor in California offers anglers a legitimate shot at a 3 species trophy day. With some research and a little bit of luck you would have a legitimate chance at a brown, rainbow and landlocked salmon over 4 pounds out of the same impoundment. How many other lakes do you know of that offer that opportunity? Overall fish size is down a bit in recent years due to the smelt forage base going downhill, but this is still a trophy fishery for sure. This is a small article to help familiarize you with the lake...

Sunday September 17, 2006

Tahoe Trophies

Lake Tahoe is not only one of the most beautiful lakes on the west coast...it is a dang good trophy mackinaw lake as well. Throw in the occasional large brown and rainbow and you have the makings for the perfect trophy trout lake. Mike Nielson is a trophy trout guide on the lake who puts clients into quality fish like the one pictured on a pretty regular basis. We will be working with Mike in the future so look for reports and pics. Any readers who are looking for a Tahoe guide who specializes in big fish should give him a call.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Monster Kokanee

Flaming Gorge Reservoir used to be known for its world class brown trout fishing. Now it pumps out large lake trout and VERY large kokanee. Case in point is this 5.9 pound beast that Ron Carey recently landed at "the gorge". Considering the Wyoming state record is 6.03 pounds....pretty close! At over 24" long this landlocked sockeye is larger than most trout!

Saturday September 9, 2006

Pend Oreille Derby

Lake Pend Oreille is home to the largest rainbows in North America. Twenty pounders hardly raise an eyebrow and it takes a "patch fish" of over 25 pounds to get people really excited. The Bayview chamber of commerce is proud to announce the 2006 "Oktoberfish" Derby. Sounds like there will be some serious prize money...check out the details here...

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Trophy Trout Taxidermy

Many big fish hunters dream of catching and mounting that once in a lifetime trout. Check out the work done on a giant brown that came out of California this year... beautiful! Some people work a lifetime for that one big fish, so if you are going to have the fish mounted, you might as well spend some money and get it done right. Folks who want to release their fish can have a replica made up that should match their catch to satisfaction. If any TTG readers have a fish they need mounted, you can check out Rick's services here.

Sunday September 3, 2006

Cutthroat Article ...

One of the most beautiful species of the genus Oncorhynchus, the cutthroat trout has many subspecies. This article focuses on the "Snake River Cutthroat". Check out this informative read that covers the basics of the CT.

Thursday, August 31, 2006

White River Browns

The White River in Arkansas is world renown for its monster browns. Most trophy trout nuts are familiar with the area, in part because the current world record brown was landed only miles away.The White River is your best shot at a 5 pound plus, moving water brown in the US. We have partnered with trophy trout specialist and guide Donald Cranor ... so look for his fishing reports and photos in the near future. If any TTG readers are thinking of traveling over to chase these fish, be sure to give Donald a call.

Saturday August 26, 2006

Dolly Varden Article ...

Technically a char, the dolly varden is the sea run version of the bull trout. They were technically the same species until 1978 when a biologist proved that there are distinct physiological differences between the two. A dolly varden in full spawning colors is one of the most beautiful fish one can imagine. This is a good read discussing many aspects of this unique species.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Monster Brown Caught!

Dan put his Dad onto a 10 LB.+ brown earlier this spring at Crescent Lake.  He was paid back in spades this past weekend with his first brown over 10 LB.  The monster went just over 11 LB. with a length of 29.5 in.  It was released after the photo.  Congrats Dan and I wish you many more!

Sunday August 20, 2006

New Cabela's® Opening ...

What I want to know is when we are going to get a Cabela's® on the west coast? Come on! Many trophy trout hunters have ordered online or via the mail order catalogues for years...but few on the west coast have actually been inside of a physical store. I imagine it is probably a little like going to Disneyland® for the first time =) Anyhow, here is a 'lil blurb on a new store opening in Wisconsin...

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Eagle Lake Rainbows

Eagle Lake is one of the most consistent producers of quality rainbow trout in the state of California. These trout are endemic to the lake and are know for their hard fighting ability. There is a hot bite going on right now at the lake...check out some of the details here...

Sunday August 13, 2006

Whirling Disease...

Doesn't seem like we hear as much about whirling disease as we once did. Well, it is something that any trout angler should be concerned about. This read will remind us what it is and a little about what is going on with the disease right now.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

40 Pound Rainbow Trout

This happened last year, but is still pertinent. How often do we hear of a 40 pound rainbow trout?? Perhaps the most amazing thing about this catch is that she landed the fish on six pound test. That is crazy. If you watch some of the Pend Oreille footage on this site you can watch anglers getting worked by 15-20 pound fish on much heavier tackle.

Monday August 7, 2006

Utah Brook Trout Article

Monster brook trout are hard to come by in most places. Here is a neat read that talks a little bit about a lake in Utah that holds some quality fish..

Saturday August 5, 2006

2 Giant Browns in 2 Days!

It has been a while since these fish were caught, but we finally have the pictures to see for ourselves what we had heard to be true. One brown over 10 pounds in a year is great for most...how about 2 in 2 days!! That is exactly what an angler did recently up in Oregon.

These two browns weighing 18 and 15 Lb. respectively, were caught on successive mornings around dawn. My guess is that no one has caught 2 browns over 15 Lb. in successive days since the glory days of Flaming Gorge in the 70's. The Great Lakes might be the only exception..but those are a totally different fish. They were photographed by guide Steve Kroll as he was awaiting his clients arrivals.

Chuck Jones is no stranger to catching trophy browns. His list stands at (25) browns over 10 LB. with at least 6 over 15 LB. in the last 30 years. We have seen most of his photos and can attest to this monumental feat. He is without a doubt, the most prolific trophy brown trout producer in the State of Oregon. As far as I know, only Rich Reinwald, Id. (34), Jim Bringhurst, Ca. (32), and Alan Cole, Nv. (29), all Brownbaggers, have amassed more total browns over 10 LB. than Chuck on the West Coast!.

Thursday August 3, 2006

Flaming Gorge Lake Trout Article

Ran across this Flaming Gorge article recently. It is pretty cool to hear about a youngster hooking big fish like that! It has some basic info on lake trout life history and habitat, etc.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006

Monster Rainbow Trout

Heard some rumors of a GIANT rainbow trout coming out of Lava Lake up in Oregon. After a little research we came up with a link to a small blurb that describes the catch. Rick was able to locate a grainy picture that shows the beast. The fins look like they are in pretty good shape which means...this fish has been around for a loooong time.