# Resident Browns 2016



## swamp buck (Jul 23, 2006)

Thought it would be neat to share pics of your best resident Browns so far this year. I'll start. This is my sixteen-year-old daughter that I took out fishing on one of our local trout streams. Definitely her biggest Brown, a very exciting experience for the both of us.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Wow, that is a beast! The smile says it all. Nice going, Dad.


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## laserstraight (Jun 17, 2004)

That is a heck of a fish!


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Wow!!!! Now it is time to fork over about $500 to pay the taxidermist. That is a dandy


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

What river , Congrats on one heck of a brown.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Heck of a fish and congrats to you two! I am in aww. Many people fish their entire lives and never catch a beast like that.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

What an awesome fish. Here is my best from opening day but it looks like a minnow compared to that hog.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Nice!


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

How big was it? I have to guess from the picture thinking 25" 6 lbs


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## glucas (Aug 27, 2013)

Robert Holmes said:


> How big was it? I have to guess from the picture thinking 25" 6 lbs


All I could say was WOW! I would hope that goes on the wall so she can look at it for years and years.
thanks for taking her with you it is most important.


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## swamp buck (Jul 23, 2006)

Thanks guys. It was experience we will both remember for the rest of our lives. My daughter already has a place picked out on the wall. He was 24 inches long. I wasn't able to get a weight on it. I will say this though, I've been very fortunate to catch a good number of 20 + inch Browns and this is one of the fattest ones I've ever personally seen from this area.


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

Here's one from the rainy opener. Haven't had much time out. That is one hell of a brown! that hog looks like it's over 24"! Way to go!


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

Boardman Brookies said:


> What an awesome fish. Here is my best from opening day but it looks like a minnow compared to that hog.
> 
> View attachment 213929


That's some real eye candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll bet for sure that one is a native. Don't get many nice size natives anymore it seems like. But that fish is sure a dandy. If you got any more pictures please post. Do you get many colored that well?


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

gonewest said:


> That's some real eye candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll bet for sure that one is a native. Don't get many nice size natives anymore it seems like. But that fish is sure a dandy. If you got any more pictures please post. Do you get many colored that well?


Thanks! All of the other small ones were colored nicely. I didn't take any pics of them.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

gonewest said:


> That's some real eye candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll bet for sure that one is a native. Don't get many nice size natives anymore it seems like. But that fish is sure a dandy. If you got any more pictures please post. Do you get many colored that well?


What is a native brown trout? Brown trout are not native to Michigan. They originally came from Europe.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

skipper34 said:


> What is a native brown trout? Brown trout are not native to Michigan. They originally came from Europe.


Native as in "not lake-run"


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

If it was caught in the NLP there is a good possibility that it could be a lake run brown. Either way it is a very nice brown trout and I am sure that the young lady and her dad are very happy. Thanks for posting the picture and good luck when you get back out there on the water.


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## swamp buck (Jul 23, 2006)

Robert Holmes said:


> If it was caught in the NLP there is a good possibility that it could be a lake run brown. Either way it is a very nice brown trout and I am sure that the young lady and her dad are very happy. Thanks for posting the picture and good luck when you get back out there on the water.


 It was caught in Crawford County.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

swamp buck said:


> It was caught in Crawford County.


Nice to see those big trout in the NLP. Last year I caught a 31 inch 12 pound brown out of Burt Lake on May 1. I thought this one may have come out of one of the tributaries.


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

Robert Holmes said:


> If it was caught in the NLP there is a good possibility that it could be a lake run brown. Either way it is a very nice brown trout and I am sure that the young lady and her dad are very happy. Thanks for posting the picture and good luck when you get back out there on the water.


Just by looking at the fish it has too much color to be lake run plus it has the look of a river brown. Lake browns look like footballs.


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

skipper34 said:


> What is a native brown trout? Brown trout are not native to Michigan. They originally came from Europe.


What I mean when I say native is that it is from natural reproduction not a planter.


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

gonewest said:


> What I mean when I say native is that it is from natural reproduction not a planter.


We all knew what you meant dude. Honestly I was just waiting for some Richard know it all to come along and "correct" your post lol


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## noley20 (Dec 3, 2011)

This was my resident brown I caught on opening day! Definetely my biggest brown to date, the thrill of that fish taking the rapala right as it hits the surface of the water was awesome!!


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## swamp buck (Jul 23, 2006)

noley20 said:


> This was my resident brown I caught on opening day! Definetely my biggest brown to date, the thrill of that fish taking the rapala right as it hits the surface of the water was awesome!!


Great pic and beautiful fish! I love catching those big ol Browns on a Rapala also.


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

I use husky jerks a lot and do well. What amazes me is the hooks are razor sharp and grab anything that gets close to them. But a lot of times the 13-16in fish nail it then start jumping and throw the hook rather easily. I have tried different hooks it doesn't matter. The bigger browns seem to engulf them and stay on if you can keep them out of the log jams and snags.


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## abbatoys (Sep 3, 2005)

Great pictures everyone...


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Excellent! One you will remember for many years.


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## nimrod4 (Mar 20, 2009)

I trophy hunted in home run waters the last two days. Slow fishing but so extremely blessed to land two great fish, the second being an absolute beauty! A slow slow morning gave way to mostly sun, 1230PM clouds rolled in 1245PM I made "the cast" lulled into complacency by the lack luster action for hours, the last thing I was expecting was to hook into a trophy fish at this point, had already counted up the day as a win for them. That when it happened, He came racing out of a shallow water log jam and absolutely smoked my presentation before immediately going into three jumps to try and throw the hook. That must have used up most of his energy because not long after I jumped out of the drift boat he found his way into the net. After a few pics both him and her from the day before they both strongly swam off from
whence they came. Can't wait to get out there again next week! Pre bug hatch these big trophies like meat, efficient hunters they want as many calories as they can get per energy expelled. Love Michigan!


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

Beautiful browns I commend you on letting them go. It just shows with digital you can get such detail of the fish you can have a replica made.


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## BUGBOAT (Oct 25, 2005)

Yes, digital pictures are nice. Even a phone has great detail today. This is a nice one that went back last year.


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## Fishman95 (Jan 25, 2015)

BUGBOAT said:


> Yes, digital pictures are nice. Even a phone has great detail today. This is a nice one that went back last year.
> View attachment 214546


Beautiful fish and beautiful picture!


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## hockeymania2 (Apr 10, 2011)

What a nice looking fish BUGBOAT! The shoulders on that brown; just wow.

Had a pretty trouty day today hooking and landing 20+ browns, and brookies. Missed the biggest brown of my lifetime today, but I have his address and will hopefully get em sooner than later. (ALMOST a great "best resident brown" haha).

Anyways, here's some decent fishporn today from the trip to my favorite up north unmentionable.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Nice fish there hockey. 20 fish days are a blast.


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## busket (Jan 5, 2009)

Aprlbrn3




__
busket


__
Sep 21, 2015


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## detroitmurph (Sep 4, 2015)

man those are some nice fish! I am not having that good of luck but will persist!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Only been on the trout stream four times this year in Michigan. Haven't broke 20" yet this year, but the fish seem healthy and fat. I have seen my share of big fish though. These two went 18 and 19".


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Found a good one to join the few already on the wall.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Trout King said:


> Found a good one to join the few already on the wall.


WOW! Awesome fish.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Duke! Congrats.


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## salmo'dog (Aug 24, 2007)

Pimp!


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

Nice fish! How long was he?


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

MIfishslayer91 said:


> Nice fish! How long was he?


Yes, please tell length! That's a beast. Nice work.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

zig said:


> Yes, please tell length! That's a beast.


I will find out when I get the taxidermist bill. He went straight there. I felt he was bigger than the last one I got mounted a few years ago which went 24, maybe about the same length-wise, but this fish was definitely heavier. 

I think this fish was one that I encountered last year in the same exact little hiding spot. There is a blowdown with 3 good cuts under it and I was shocked last year that the brookies had vacated this spot (it used to produce some nice ones). I had him turn on the spinner last year and retreat back under his root section. This time I banged the spinner off the roots and as soon as it hit the water i saw a big shadow turn and he chased it out of the hole and over a sandbar taking it 10 ft from me. Here is a pic just after the catch.


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Trout King said:


> I will find out when I get the taxidermist bill. He went straight there. I felt he was bigger than the last one I got mounted a few years ago which went 24, maybe about the same length-wise, but this fish was definitely heavier.
> 
> I think this fish was one that I encountered last year in the same exact little hiding spot. There is a blowdown with 3 good cuts under it and I was shocked last year that the brookies had vacated this spot (it used to produce some nice ones). I had him turn on the spinner last year and retreat back under his root section. This time I banged the spinner off the roots and as soon as it hit the water i saw a big shadow turn and he chased it out of the hole and over a sandbar taking it 10 ft from me. Here is a pic just after the catch.


Wow. Awesome. I know it's just a pic, but I was going to say 25" maybe 26" from the picture. I swear over the years I've learned to spot the difference of an inch when they start getting over 22-23 inches. When you get up in that region an inch starts to become pretty darn valuable... I've caught quite a few over the years in that 24-25 range. Just can't Seem to hit that 26 mark......Congrats. Awesome fish.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

zig said:


> Wow. Awesome. I know it's just a pic, but I was going to say 25" maybe 26" from the picture. I swear over the years I've learned to spot the difference of an inch when they start getting over 22-23 inches. When you get up in that region an inch starts to become pretty darn valuable... I've caught quite a few over the years in that 24-25 range. Just can't Seem to hit that 26 mark......Congrats. Awesome fish.


I have only caught one that I know for sure was over 25 and I was sterlhead fishing. Just downstream of where I caught this fish i moved a legitimate 30+" last year. In this very section my dad's best friend took a 29 incher about 25 yrs ago. It is one of those places where when you get to a good run or hole and nothing comes out to look you have thr feeling something monstrous is the reason.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Trout King said:


> I have only caught one that I know for sure was over 25 and I was sterlhead fishing. Just downstream of where I caught this fish i moved a legitimate 30+" last year. In this very section my dad's best friend took a 29 incher about 25 yrs ago. It is one of those places where when you get to a good run or hole and nothing comes out to look you have thr feeling something monstrous is the reason.


Obviously you don't need to name it but what type of place did this come from? Well know river? Small creek? Again no name but just curious where a beast like that lived.


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## Rasputin (Jan 13, 2009)

I'm too jealous to post. JK, that is a beautiful fish, congrats. I struggle to catch 2 fish that together would be that long!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Boardman Brookies said:


> Obviously you don't need to name it but what type of place did this come from? Well know river? Small creek? Again no name but just curious where a beast like that lived.


Just some ditch that feeds a trib of a trib.


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Trout King said:


> I have only caught one that I know for sure was over 25 and I was sterlhead fishing. Just downstream of where I caught this fish i moved a legitimate 30+" last year. In this very section my dad's best friend took a 29 incher about 25 yrs ago. It is one of those places where when you get to a good run or hole and nothing comes out to look you have thr feeling something monstrous is the reason.


Wow... a 30 inch fish. A 29 inch fish caught. Your recent fish..... Sounds like a great stream. 90%+ of my browns over 20 inches have come from the same stream over the years. I don't think I saw where you mentioned where you were fishing. I must have missed it. I'll tell you what. You tell me where you're fishing, and I'll think about maybe telling you, sometime, a very long time from now, a stream sort of close to mine, not really at all like mine though. If you're into large suckers and sporting for chubs, then THIS is the stream for you. Deal?


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

zig said:


> Wow... a 30 inch fish. A 29 inch fish caught. Your recent fish..... Sounds like a great stream. 90%+ of my browns over 20 inches have come from the same stream over the years. I don't think I saw where you mentioned where you were fishing. I must have missed it. I'll tell you what. You tell me where you're fishing, and I'll think about maybe telling you, sometime, a very long time from now, a stream sort of close to mine, not really at all like mine though. If you're into large suckers and sporting for chubs, then THIS is the stream for you. Deal?


This fish was actually the first brown over 20 that I have ever landed in this stream. I have seen many, had them chase and spooked many very large fish, but never landed one. This is actually my favorite brook trout stream and regularly gives up 13-14" brook trout. 
Most of bigger browns have come from the more southern farm streams. I don't think people realize how many "trophy" brown trout we really have in Michigan. If my goal is to catch a 20+" fish I am usually fishing marginal water early in thr year before the bigger fish go to their lairs to beat the heat.


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## tcfishes (Oct 2, 2013)

Here's my catch from the weekend. It was 17" and a personal best in MI. Im still getting the hang of things. How can you know whether a fish is resident or lake-run?


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

tcfishes said:


> Here's my catch from the weekend. It was 17" and a personal best in MI. Im still getting the hang of things. How can you know whether a fish is resident or lake-run?


You can usually tell by the color and shape. That looks like a resident. The easiest way is the body of water it is caught in. If there are no dams it could be lake run, up river of a dam then it is a resident.


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## hockeymania2 (Apr 10, 2011)

Trout King, you always find the lunkers man, I envy your scouting skills. 

I know what you mean though, about finding good fish in a trib of a trib; ditches essentially. I came across a tiny trib that I knew fed into a great trout stream in SW Michigan that I have crossed over before, and decided to stop my car, get out, and toss a spinner or two into one or two of the holes. I had never fished this stream before, but I decided to try my luck while I was heading to the main stream.

I tossed a small 1/16oz Panther Martin back behind me in the hole underneath the road crossing (in the culvert) and BAM-my spinner stopped dead in its tracks. I was impressed by the size of the fish in this stream; I know it's not 20", but I think a majority of people would be both impressed and surprised that a fish of this size was in this ditch. I believe this is my personal best this year, and I lost two so far this year that were bigger than this.


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## tcfishes (Oct 2, 2013)

Boardman Brookies said:


> You can usually tell by the color and shape. That looks like a resident. The easiest way is the body of water it is caught in. If there are no dams it could be lake run, up river of a dam then it is a resident.


Thanks for that, this fish was caught up stream from a dam so I guess it was definitely a resident.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

hockeymania2 said:


> Trout King, you always find the lunkers man, I envy your scouting skills.
> 
> I know what you mean though, about finding good fish in a trib of a trib; ditches essentially. I came across a tiny trib that I knew fed into a great trout stream in SW Michigan that I have crossed over before, and decided to stop my car, get out, and toss a spinner or two into one or two of the holes. I had never fished this stream before, but I decided to try my luck while I was heading to the main stream.
> 
> ...


That is a sweet fish right there. I would take one of those every time I go, unfortunately that isn't always the case.


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## hockeymania2 (Apr 10, 2011)

Trout King said:


> That is a sweet fish right there. I would take one of those every time I go, unfortunately that isn't always the case.


Agreed. I've had to sort through quite a few dinks to get into some few, but decent fish


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

tcfishes said:


> Here's my catch from the weekend. It was 17" and a personal best in MI. Im still getting the hang of things. How can you know whether a fish is resident or lake-run?


That brown sure looks like he was eating good. His belly looks very full.


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

8


hockeymania2 said:


> Trout King, you always find the lunkers man, I envy your scouting skills.
> 
> I know what you mean though, about finding good fish in a trib of a trib; ditches essentially. I came across a tiny trib that I knew fed into a great trout stream in SW Michigan that I have crossed over before, and decided to stop my car, get out, and toss a spinner or two into one or two of the holes. I had never fished this stream before, but I decided to try my luck while I was heading to the main stream.
> 
> ...


That fish looks to me close to 20". Beautiful fish. I just got back from the cabin and I got some real nice browns. I will try to post pictures.


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## swamp buck (Jul 23, 2006)

Here is another decent one. Had a lot of fun bringing this one in on an ultra-light set up.


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## swamp buck (Jul 23, 2006)




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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Awesome fish swamp buck


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## drenthp (Jun 5, 2014)

So far this is the biggest brown I got this year. I am hoping to top this one soon. Just found a dandy of a trout stream that's close to the house!


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## steelfish365 (May 6, 2016)

Got a couple nice ones this weekend as well 19 and 17 inches. Along with too many Brookies to count.


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## lancenelson (Jun 10, 2009)

steelfish365 said:


> Got a couple nice ones this weekend as well 19 and 17 inches. Along with too many Brookies to count.
> View attachment 217027
> View attachment 217028


Hope you kept these fish, if not, they probably died.


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## steelfish365 (May 6, 2016)

Well I won't keep undersized Brookies or Browns for obvious reasons but the keeper Browns and brooks absolutely. Tasty morsels.


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Lance, worry about your own fish. Nice fish you guys!


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I got a decent one tonight


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

I got a late jump on the day Saturday and went to a stream I haven't bothered with in a few years. Put the truck in 4 wheel and made it back to a new spot to explore. It was so hot that I took pity on the fish I kept and released them into some cooler water.


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## DLHirst (Mar 14, 2009)

Well done, TK. That looks like a nice meal!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

DLHirst said:


> Well done, TK. That looks like a nice meal!


Thank you,
It was, the two biggest were grilled fillets that night. The three smaller fish were given to a elderly family friend who enjoys trout very much, but doesn't get them much anymore. 

This might be the last batch of browns that I eat for the year, I am ready for more brookies, and will take a brown if they decide to inhale a spinner or crank bait to the gills.


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## Fishman95 (Jan 25, 2015)

Trout King said:


> I got a late jump on the day Saturday and went to a stream I haven't bothered with in a few years. Put the truck in 4 wheel and made it back to a new spot to explore. It was so hot that I took pity on the fish I kept and released them into some cooler water.


I hope you kept these fish, putting them in ice water is very stressful for them and they probably died


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## swamp buck (Jul 23, 2006)

Nice job Trout king!! That's some mighty fine eating you had there.


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## Bighunther (Jan 28, 2012)

Fishman95 said:


> I hope you kept these fish, putting them in ice water is very stressful for them and they probably died


His name is trout king and he has been on here long enough to post 4,000 times. I'm sure he understands. 

I hate that I read my unread posts and almost everyone with a fish picture has some a-hole saying what they hope they did with the fish. Get off the couch and keep your rude comments to yourself. 

Beautiful fish Trout king way to put in some leg work!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Thanks guys.

I think fishman was joking, or so I hope. I usually don't even take pictures of the fish I release. If they are going back they usually not coming out of the water at all and get released immediately. 

Let's not turn this into a "you shouldn't do this" thread. I have really enjoyed the positivity and the great pictures everyone has posted. This thread is a good example of how this site was when I joined in 2002.

Also, I am happy that I did so much legwork when I was younger and had more time. Though I probably wasn't very efficient in my wilder days when it came to fishing, I did find a lot of awesome sections of trout water all over the state. Even some that aren't in "trout water". IMO if you want to catch decent numbers of decent fish you have to go where many won't or don't. I don't think it is a population thing, I think it is a conditioned and "education" thing.

This has been a absolute terrific year for nice browns from my experience and what I am seeing here and from friends. Keep it going guys!


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## Fishman95 (Jan 25, 2015)

Bighunther said:


> His name is trout king and he has been on here long enough to post 4,000 times. I'm sure he understands.
> 
> I hate that I read my unread posts and almost everyone with a fish picture has some a-hole saying what they hope they did with the fish. Get off the couch and keep your rude comments to yourself.
> 
> Beautiful fish Trout king way to put in some leg work!


I was being satirical and joking. It was obvious that trout king was keeping his fish, that's the only reason to put them in a cooler full of ice. I keep my browns as well. I have nothing against catch and release guys, I practice it myself, but I was making a joke about how some C&R guys get upset when others keep their fish.


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## DLHirst (Mar 14, 2009)

I laughed and laughed. Sometimes you gotta read things twice. Well done, fishman!


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## nimrod4 (Mar 20, 2009)

Uploading some of this years pictures for gonewest...


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## gonewest (Oct 3, 2014)

Thanks a lot for posting


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Awesome fish gonwest! I really like the one that is almost all red spots.


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## nimrod4 (Mar 20, 2009)

gonewest said:


> Thanks a lot for posting


Great fish Jo!! Well done


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## lancenelson (Jun 10, 2009)

Picked up my personal best brown last night on a NW MI stream. Lost a 15" brookie at the net on the same hole. Didn't get the tape on this bad boy but it easily went 5-6 inches longer than my net which measures 16".


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

lancenelson said:


> Picked up my personal best brown last night on a NW MI stream. Lost a 15" brookie at the net on the same hole. Didn't get the tape on this bad boy but it easily went 5-6 inches longer than my net which measures 16".


Nice looking fish.


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## Big ol FUPA (Jan 20, 2012)

My personal best, caught on a half a worm and split shot. Caught me off guard I was only there to chill really! Maple river


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Hawg!

Congrats!


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## grouse25 (Dec 28, 2010)

One from this past weekend.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

grouse25 said:


> View attachment 218562
> 
> One from this past weekend.


Nice fish.


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