# Big Brookie



## Bearblade (Dec 30, 2005)

Was up on the UP fishing for brookies and a friend of mine caught an 18 incher in a tributary stream. Not a hatchery fish as I can usually recognize those, and the area is not stocked. It looked like something out of Canada when we finally got a look at it. I was impressed and haven't been around a bigger fish. Am wondering if others think that it's a pretty good brookie for the U.P.? I can't imagine a fish that size is too common but I 'd love to hear I'm wrong!!


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

You are not wrong! That is a large brook trout in anybody's league.

Do you have a photo to share?


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## PurePerfection (May 30, 2006)

In my opinion a 16inch brookie is big so yeah you did very well.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

Definatly a big fish for the UP. I hooked into one I feel what close to that about a week ago. It lasted all of 30 seconds and he was off again. Would of loved to catch a native that large.

I landed a 15 incher today and considered it a large fish made the day worth it for sure. 18 inches would need some pictures and who knows maybe it would end up on the wall along with the fly I caught it on.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Very nice fish for Michigan!


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## secondgear (Nov 19, 2003)

Where is the picture? Yes! great fish, did you release it?


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## ottertrapper (Jan 6, 2006)

18" brookie is huge no matter where you are at!! My biggest ever in the UP is 18 1/2". Great job to your friend!!


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## Dedge (Sep 22, 2004)

LIved here my whole life and never caught one that big. He11 yes that is a big brookie. My friends and I consider anything over 13.5 - 14 ish to be worth some bragging rights. I too, would love to see some pics of this hog.

Dan


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## born2fish (Aug 1, 2005)

Awsume Fish! I hope you let it go because one that big is probably one of the endangered coasters.


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## U.P. Whackmaster (Oct 13, 2005)

Congrats! That is a nice fish! I have lived in the U.P. all of my life and we have caught some in the17 to 20" range. Those fish are the exception and not the rule! On average, the Brookies here are from 7 to 12 inches long. 
I`m sure what I`m going to say will catch some skeptics but my father-in-law raised 10 Brook Trout to be, now get this, 30" + and he has one mounted on the wall that is 23#! NO B.S. !
I wished that he would have had them alive since I have become a part of the family. He built two ponds back in the 1950`s that have a small brook that runs thru Marquette that also runs thru his property and ponds. He used to have both ponds stocked with rainbows and the Brooks got there when the water was high. They were native Brook trout. His rainbows were in excess of 20+ pounds! 
Unfortunately in the 80`s, the City of Marquette built a thoroughfare named McClellan Ave. and in the process didn`t follow the proper soil retention practices. After a series of heavy rainfall combined w/ remaining snowmelt, caused siltation that filled in both ponds. 
To this day, we still have one pond that was cleaned out but the Rainbows are gone. We have half a dozen native Brookies in there now. Hopefully, we can keep the herons and local kids out and maybe raise a few more giant Brooks. Sorry for rambling, just thought I would share. I will try to post some pics of the Brookie.
 Whack


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## Ansel (Mar 30, 2002)

born2fish said:


> Awsume Fish! I hope you let it go because one that big is probably one of the endangered coasters.


I'm not a fish biologist or anything close but don't coaster live in Lake Superior until it's time to spawn in the fall? I've caught numbers of coaster in Lake Superior just as the ice is out in the spring. 

I caught a 16 incher last June and was very proud. If I caught 18 incher, I'd for sure get it mounted. In my opinion that's a 170 class buck..oh there I go thinking about deer again.

Please post pic - would love to see what an 18incher looks like.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

born2fish said:


> Awsume Fish! I hope you let it go because one that big is probably one of the endangered coasters.


Being caught in a "tributary stream" at this time of year would make it an upland, stream trout rather than a migratory brookie. Whether or not he kept the fish is his business as long as it was legal. Let's not get into the everlasting hassle of catch and release vs. catch and keep. To put back or to keep is a choice each of us makes.


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## Bearblade (Dec 30, 2005)

Thanks all for the compliments! I knew he had a big one. I promise to post a pic as soon as the film gets developed, probably next week. I took an "old fashioned" camera with me. Carrying the digital over water scares me. To those wondering about the fate of the fish, trust me, it was well respected. There is no finer example of a sportsman than the person who caught it. You would all be proud to have this person in the outdoor fraternity.


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## tedshunter (Dec 27, 2004)

I know if I caught that fish it would be on my wall no matter anybody thought about it as long as it was legally taken.That's a once in a lifetime catch in Michigan.Please get us a pic of this beast...............


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Most excellent, a wall hanger for sure, if not on the wall, back in the stream with it...............


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## Bearblade (Dec 30, 2005)

I just posted a pic of that 18" Yooper brookie for those of you that wanted to see the pic. Man, that is one beautiful fish! Enjoy and tight lines to all!


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

There you go

Nice fish!


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Oh My!!!!


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## joefsu (Jan 9, 2005)

AWESOME FISH!!!! Even more amazing is that it came from a stream.... a small stream.


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## MEL (Jul 17, 2005)

U.P. Whackmaster said:


> I`m sure what I`m going to say will catch some skeptics but my father-in-law raised 10 Brook Trout to be, now get this, 30" + and he has one mounted on the wall that is 23#! NO B.S. !
> 
> 23#. That should be 23" ? right? # is a pound sign as in 23 pounds!!!


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