# Mid-September UP Trout Report



## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Sorry. My camera is being repaired, there will be no pictures. (_I know. Loud boos can be heard._)

I'll try and keep this short and sweet.

We spent a few days chasing trout in the UP. Our first spot was a Type A lake stocked with Brookies. The lake maps indicate that it's around 35 feet deep. But the surface temps were pretty warm. So we tried to fish our spinners a bit deep but the weeds must have been about 30 feet high because each and every cast that sunk for more than a second or two resulted in reeling in a slimy salad. We caught exactly zero trout. Maybe in the Spring before the weeds grow and the water temps are better the fishing will improve.

The next day we fished our favorite stream and once again we caught _zilch_. Our luck must have been transferred to someone else. Specifically the two guys we met where we parked our car who reported catching a 16 inch Brook Trout and his buddy catching a 24 inch Brown. They were super cool and we chatted for a bit and decided to share the stretch of river with us walking the road down and fishing upstream back to the car. These were the first anglers we have ever seen on the river in 5 years of fishing there.

We decided to give it one more try for the season and fished an area we had never been to. It required a 1/4 mile hike through the forest. (One of the best purchases I have made is a good handheld GPS unit. These things are amazing for getting into and out of a remote fishing spot.) We were pretty confident that this area rarely sees any anglers. And unsurprisingly, the fishing turned out pretty good. We caught numerous keeper sized Brookies that we released and @Big Medicine caught a solid 18 inch Brown.

All in all it was a good trip. I can hardly wait until we return again.


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

Glad you got into some fish.
Maybe hit that lake again in the spring now that you found it.
There are a few other creeks and streams in the general area that receive little to no pressure.
A 18 inch Brown ???!!!!!
Tell Big Medicine that's a loaf of bread for sure!
Glad you enjoyed your time up here.


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## Gamechanger (Sep 26, 2014)

PunyTrout said:


> Sorry. My camera is being repaired, there will be no pictures. (_I know. Loud boos can be heard._)
> 
> I'll try and keep this short and sweet.
> 
> ...


I am sooooo jealous. Great post!


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Gamechanger said:


> I am sooooo jealous. Great post!


Would you believe me if I told you that the guy who caught the 16 inch Brookie said he was jealous of his buddy's 24 inch Brown?

I tried telling him that a 16 inch Brook Trout was more impressive but he didn't seem convinced.

@Gamechanger : As a totally unrelated aside, I recently attended a wedding in Hagerstown, MD. I wish I had more time to spend in the area. It seemed like a nice place.


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## Quig7557 (Dec 31, 2008)

I tried telling him that a 16 inch Brook Trout was more impressive but he didn't seem convinced.

IMO, the big brook trout are a product of their environment where they live, lots of food, low pressure.

A big brown is a wizard that you have to trick!


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Quig7557 said:


> A big brown is a wizard that you have to trick!


Yeah, I've been fortunate enough to trick a few over the years.





















So what does that make one who can trick a wizard? 



Quig7557 said:


> IMO, the big brook trout are a product of their environment where they live, lots of food, low pressure.


This wasn't from a lake. It was from a Type 1 stream.

Believe me, I get it. I just have been fortunate to have caught many big resident Brown Trout. But catching a really larger Brook Trout in a small stream is more special, _for me_ personally.

Everyone is entitled to their own preference and opinion.

And I would be lying if I didn't admit to spending a lot of my time of the trout season chasing a resident Brown Trout over 30 inches.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Nice write up. I was up nearish @#$%^^ and found the water too high on the river. The fishermen I spoke to said the same thing. 

Glad you had better luck!


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

PunyTrout said:


> Yeah, I've been fortunate enough to trick a few over the years.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Beautiful pictures.... you have been blessed in your pursuit of trout!..... whether they be Brooks or Browns..... most of us can only dream of catching such beauties!


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

zzcop302 said:


> most of us can only dream of catching such beauties!


You, my good Sir are able to leave your driveway and be at a trout stream in 5 minutes or less of traveling. We still have until the end of the month. Get out there and catch some.

Seriously, it's time to get out and fish while you still can. You can sit behind a computer all Winter long if you like but now is the time to make the time to get out for trout.


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

PunyTrout said:


> You, my good Sir are able to leave your driveway and be at a trout stream in 5 minutes or less of traveling. We still have until the end of the month. Get out there and catch some.
> 
> Seriously, it's time to get out and fish while you still can. You can sit behind a computer all Winter long if you like but now is the time to make the time to get out for trout.


Yes!.... I'm blessed to live in such an area and will always be appreciative of that fact.
As far as winter, I am hoping to give ice fishing for trout a try at a few lakes near Gwinn....something new for me and help tide over my fishing addiction until spring arrives .
Hard to believe the end of September is almost here.... seems like it was just the end of April!
I will hit a few spots on the local creek before the season ends.
I know you primarily focus on trout but I'm looking forward to some panfishing and a few of the other usual suspects....until the snow flies!
Hope to catch you up here next year.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

great stuff, even if just archive pics

If I ever break the 14" barrier on Brook Trout I am immediately figuring out how to get a Master Angler patch for that. (Have no clue how that works right now, but I know the "# needed is 15 for Brook Trout).

I can never figure out Brook Trout lakes but I never have much time to fish in the Spring. I will be working on a Rainbow Trout Lake puzzle instead, probably mostly next year though.

heading back UP Sunday I hope. Too much work though...will be doing a rain dance some. It's not safe to work in the rain, now. 

And sure, Sep. 30th is a sad day ... but that's why there are Type 3 streams. And the good ole silver big-uns (or is it big-ole good-uns?) appearing at your local Type 4.


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

B.Jarvinen said:


> If I ever break the 14" barrier on Brook Trout I am immediately figuring out how to get a Master Angler patch for that. (Have no clue how that works right now, but I know the "# needed is 15 for Brook Trout).


I have no doubt that you will catch one. I also have no doubt you will find the application form as well. But you can use this link if you would like.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2017_MASTER-ANGLER_fillable_form_510402_7_548593_7.pdf

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10364_52261_10948---,00.html


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## Quig7557 (Dec 31, 2008)

PunyTrout said:


> Yeah, I've been fortunate enough to trick a few over the years.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Those are some big old fish, a ton of character in their heads.


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## Gamechanger (Sep 26, 2014)

PunyTrout said:


> Would you believe me if I told you that the guy who caught the 16 inch Brookie said he was jealous of his buddy's 24 inch Brown?
> 
> I tried telling him that a 16 inch Brook Trout was more impressive but he didn't seem convinced.
> 
> @Gamechanger : As a totally unrelated aside, I recently attended a wedding in Hagerstown, MD. I wish I had more time to spend in the area. It seemed like a nice place.


For someone with your fishing talents, the Hagerstown/Frederick area would be one of the best places in MD to reside. Just up I-81, you could be in some of the premiere spring creek fishing in PA, and just a little west or a little east is some great small stream fishing in MD. (you could be fishing right outside Camp David in no time, and I'm pretty sure it's been greatly under utilized over the last 8-9 years. ) 

Plus your far enough north of DC to avoid the crazies.


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## Big Medicine (Oct 31, 2002)

PunyTrout said:


> It required a 1/4 mile hike through the forest. (One of the best purchases I have made is a good handheld GPS unit. These things are amazing for getting into and out of a remote fishing spot.)


Dan I couldn't agree with you more. I know I've benefited from your purchase on several occasions.


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

Big Medicine said:


> Dan I couldn't agree with you more. I know I've benefited from your purchase on several occasions.


I know it was somewhat warm when you guys were here last week but today was 85 and possibly 88 tomorrow.... and humid !
Your timing was good!


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## Big Medicine (Oct 31, 2002)

Too bad puny trout's new camera had to be sent back. It really takes some nice pics and especially video. We did take a pic of the brown with my camera phone.










I ended up hitting a stream on the way home and caught 3 brook trout with the largest being a 13 incher but couldn't get a pic of it.


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

Big Medicine said:


> Too bad puny trout's new camera had to be sent back. It really takes some nice pics and especially video. We did take a pic of the brown with my camera phone.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice!
Great way to wrap up your trip.


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