# question on steely's



## cobaintrapper (Mar 24, 2012)

Do they stay in the rivers from fall til late spring? Do they stay in the smaller rivers from fall to spring? do the browns run in the spring? Thanks to anyone that can answer these questions.


----------



## optimax115 (Feb 26, 2010)

Yes
Maybe
No, never saw a spring run lake brown


----------



## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

Some steelhead will come into the river systems in the fall and stay till they spawn in the early spring. Browns spawn mostly in the later fall and early winter. 

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Larger systems hold fish when smaller one's don't. I have caught some Spring run LRB's... though not many recently. The Au SAble used to get lots of them, bouncing minnows was the ticket, you would not get them on spawn, but they would be all over the minnows....


----------



## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

About every year we get 1-2 lake run browns in the spring, almost always 2-3# males for some odd reason or another.

We started last year on the 'z00 with four browns in a row, two lake run and two natives, one about 5.5# and the other just smaller. I love hearing people tell stories about their first 20" stream brown trout. "Yeah, mine came on 30# test mono, and a hot and tot, 25' away from a chugging 2-stroke motor...."


----------



## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

cobaintrapper said:


> *Do they stay in the rivers from fall til late spring? Do they stay in the smaller rivers from fall to spring? do the browns run in the spring? Thanks to anyone that can answer these questions*.


As far as fish staying in the river, they kind of do all of the above. Some will stay, others will come into a river and then leave, especially if conditions become too extreme. A few will nose into rivers other than where they were born/stocked, then drop back out to the lake before making their way to their natal river. And a few will wander into, stay and spawn in a river other than their own (moreso with hatchery produced steelhead). Lastly, some will stay in the lake until they run in the spring and also some won't run the river at all, especially if conditions aren't to their liking. Alot of what they do from year to year is dictated by water/weather conditions.

As far as the smaller rivers, yes they will stay in some smaller rivers. But as mentioned above, conditions are key.

Regarding browns, there are two situations I have seen regarding LRB's in the spring. There are a few browns (or sometimes more than a few) that have remained in the river since fall and stick around. These kind also mix in with browns that appear to mature and spawn late winter- Seeforellen strain browns seem to exhibit a tendency for this. You will usually run into these in late winter or early in the spring if the winter is cold. Then, you can run into an occasional brown toward the end of the steelhead run in the spring. These are usually dime bright and feisty when you do run into them. I would speculate they are there to feed. A large caveat is the bulk of the LRB observations as noted above is based on WI rivers, where they are much more abundant.


----------



## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

I saw a salmon sized brown on a small NW river in July, def not resident ( maybe I guess but it was 30+") Definitely a brown, and it was definitely July..... pretty wild.


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> About every year we get 1-2 lake run browns in the spring, almost always 2-3# males for some odd reason or another.





> do the browns run in the spring?


Yes I have seen a few from the Grand and the PM as well, light colored nearly silver with some spots. Nothing that appeared to be a resident or fall hold over. Those fish are usually deeply colored. They come into the shoreline in the Spring and it makes sense a few would shoot up the river.


----------



## flytiedan (Mar 21, 2011)

Roger... some browns dont go back just like steelies. I fish a small feeder that has this problem.. giant brownie ive seen 3 seasons in a row. Hooked the first season almost stepped on her the second n last year i didnt even fish her. Watched as she sipped mayflies off the surface. Personally didnt think that creek was capable of holding fish that size but since ive caught several 20"ers n missed n lost many more over the 5# mark. 

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Roger That said:


> I saw a salmon sized brown on a small NW river in July, def not resident ( maybe I guess but it was 30+") Definitely a brown, and it was definitely July..... pretty wild.


I seen a Brown over 20 pounds on a guys stringer during the July skam run a few years back in the river. He planned on eating the dam thing :coco:


----------



## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

That is what most people do with meat, they eat it.


----------



## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

Roger That said:


> That is what most people do with meat, they eat it.


 

LMFAO


----------



## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Roger That said:


> That is what most people do with meat, they eat it.


This reminds me of a picture of a guy eating a brown. He ate the fins, skin, and alot of bones. Remember that guy?


----------



## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Roger That said:


> That is what most people do with meat, they eat it.


Dam meat hogs.


----------



## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

Multispeciestamer said:


> Dam meat hogs.


No different than you putting trouts on your wall..

damn trophy hogs..


----------



## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

troutguy26 said:


> This reminds me of a picture of a guy eating a brown. He ate the fins, skin, and alot of bones. Remember that guy?


post the pic, i dont recall.


----------



## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Multispeciestamer said:


> I seen a Brown over 20 pounds on a guys stringer during the July skam run a few years back in the river. He planned on eating the dam thing :coco:


i fillet 20 inch residents, and id do it to a 20 lb lk run too...well i might mount it, or replica then i get best of both worlds. big browns are delicious (not joking), better than kangs.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

Multispeciestamer said:


> I seen a Brown over 20 pounds on a guys stringer during the July skam run a few years back in the river. He planned on eating the dam thing :coco:


July trout will die in the heat. Skamania, or brown trout will die from water too warm. Probably would have died on the release.


----------



## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

quest32a said:


> July trout will die in the heat. Skamania, or brown trout will die from water too warm. Probably would have died on the release.


3 and out!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Real talk though, if you swallow a whole live chub.... Will it swim in your stomach?

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------

