Hebgen lake Brown Trout

[Snapshot]

Took the spinning rod down to a spot on Hebgen lake this evening where I can usually catch a few fish before dark.

 

This 20" Brown Trout crashed into the 3/8" oz. rainbow trout pattern crocodile lure.

 

Had a couple of good wacks on the lure from other fish, but this is the only one I hooked and landed tonight.

 

I pinch all the barbs down on my flies and lures. This fish was released to fight again another day.

 

 

[liv4coues]

Nice looking brown.

[Chef]

Yeah, pretty cool, especially when I enlarged the pic.

[CouesWhitetail]

Very nice! Is it only catch and release there? Man I would have wanted to eat that trout!

[Snapshot]

Very nice! Is it only catch and release there? Man I would have wanted to eat that trout!

 

I was tempted to keep him since he was around 3 to 3 1/4 pounds

 

But I catch so many fish up here that I can't eat them all, and my freezer in my RV is small, so I practice catch and release and keep one or two now and again to put on the grill.

 

The Brown trout spawning migration will start next month. The Brown trout in the lakes will head up the rivers and tributaries to spawn. I am on a quest to catch a 24" brown before season end. My best this year so far is 22 1/2".

[MangeyJoe]

Catch & Release Never Hurt Noone. It makes everyone happy .

[Snapshot]

I was headed to town this morning, and I was driving around Hebgen lake I noticed a big fish rise in the calm waters of a large cove. So I pulled over got out my rod and cast to the area the fish was working, and bang......I nailed him on the first cast.

 

The rod was bent in two and the reel drag was screaming and...................pop, the hook pulled free.

 

It was a good trout in the 5-6 pound range, but I did not get a good look at it.

 

The big fish are cruising right now.