# Trophy Quest #2



## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Tuesday morning I awoke to birds chirping, signifying that I once again missed the internal alarm to go chase turkeys. It was already 10 am before I decided that I would go trout It was a bright sunny day and getting warm already. I didn't have time to make a trip to any of my favorite spots and mulled over in my head where to go. I decided I was going to go dabble in a stream I haven't bothered with in about ten years. I hadn't really fished it much because I used to be dropped off by my mom and trudge for hours with little success, mostly on small steelhead smolts and never caught a brown trout. I knew that the DNR had been planting it again with browns for the last two years, so I though maybe I'd get lucky and catch a couple eaters. 

The gear was loaded and I headed in the opposite direction most of my trips usually begin. This was more of a recon trip than a serious fish. A pinch of Kodiak Wintergreen temporarely fixed my slight addiction to tobacco. I was going trout fishing I thought, I didn't have any trout cigars, which have become a ritual. I looked at the sky and didn't see a single cloud, I though it was going to be a tough day. I decided to go way upstream from where I had fished when I was younger, I arrived at the bridge and it looked more like a drainage ditch than a trout stream. I looked at the water, low and clear...yep tough times ahead. 

I chose my ultralight 5'6" trout rod loaded with 6lb test. I didn't bother with the spinner box, I just kept the panther martin I had used on my last brookie excursion on. I casted off the bridge, sure enough a small brown struck the spinner. I snuck under the bridge and landed a 10" brown which I quickly released. I headed to the car to get into my waders. Maybe I would get lucky and get a couple of the fish that held over and were sizable enough to eat.

I worked upstream my second cast was met by a 12 inch brown which jumped like his couterpart bows further downstream, soon he was in the creel.







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Just a few casts later I was into the twin of the first brown, once again he showed some acrobatics, not the bulldog brown fight I'm accusomed to. He hit the creel with his brother. I finally worked my way out of the bright sun and into a shaded area, losing a couple smaller fish and catching a plump chub. I came to a deep pool just below a neckdown in the stream. I negotiated a sandbar with deeper water on bother sides after not getting a reaction in the pool. My first cast to the bottleneck produced a bulldog battle with yet another brown about the same size as the other two. 

During the fight I caught the movement of a LARGE fish following and taking a couple runs at the fish while it was being brought to hand. My first thought was that it was just a late, aggressive steelhead, then I remembered the obstruction a couple miles downstream which make it very difficult for adranamous fish to negotiate. I was truly puzzled with what it may have been. The very next cast I was about to find out, the spinner dropped between the brush in the bottleneck and after a short retrieve the rod loaded almost to capacity and the drag broke, straining my 6lb trilene (which hadn't been changed since last summer). I instantly thought dropback steelhead, but this fish had no interest in arial displays. It was a typical big brown fight, as I finally got it near the surface I saw the trademark spots and knew what it was. My anxiety level raised as I tried to guide her away from logs and brush. I wore her down and slipped a finger under her gillplate. I slapped the tape on quickly and it read 24 on the nose. It was one of my trouting goals for the year! 







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I abruplty ended my trip to go prep her for the taxidermist, it was certainly a great day of fishing though it onl lasted about a half hour.







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After I arrived home I had my girlfriend snap a picture of this happy and very proud fisherman...







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I've killed some nice deer and caught some big browns, also landed a few 15#+ steelhead, but this was by far my happiest outdoor moment.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

What a great fish dawgy!!! see you in Oct!


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

That's awesome. I have had a tough year so far. Nothing over 20 yet. 

I get those big followers when i have a smaller one one, but i can never seem to get a strike out of it. The last one actually bit into a 12 inch brown I had on, and fought on my line for a bit. It's nice when you see the trout before you catch it. Very rare. Good job.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

Very nice fish!! Will make a beautiful mount for sure!!


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

Awesome some big browns being caught this year.


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

That is a dam fine fish


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## nbair (Nov 9, 2011)

Nice work man! Must've been a great day!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

after only spending half hour on this stream in the upper reaches im kind of wondering whay else lurks in there...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! Congrats on fulfilling Trophy QUEST #2!! What a chunky brownie. Great story & cool pics.


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## limpinglogan (Sep 23, 2009)

great job and nice fish!


PS
I am still waiting for the PM with the GPS coordinates to all of your favorite giant resident brown spots...why is it taking so long?


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## Multispeciestamer (Jan 27, 2010)

So TK whats your next quest fishing wise? Mine is a 17+ pound summer steelhead for the wall.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Multispeciestamer said:


> So TK whats your next quest fishing wise? Mine is a 17+ pound summer steelhead for the wall.


for this year its a 18 inch brook. last year it was a 15 lb lm steelie and got that and a 16 lb skam. 18inch brookie is what i want this trout season!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Trout King said:


> for this year its a 18 inch brook. last year it was a 15 lb lm steelie and got that and a 16 lb skam. 18inch brookie is what i want this trout season!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


So when ya wanna slay some brookies? I heard from a little bird about a stream that popped out an 18 last year. I have a real good feeling it isnt a lie.


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## Roger That (Nov 18, 2010)

Don't be tempted Alex! He's just a tease! He makes all these promises about taking you to his #3 spot and then just stops answering your texts when you start asking when and where to meet up!!! SCANDALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Hahaha. Oh roger i think more than one person had a little bit to much to drink that night and slept a little late. I will tell ya what openly on here so ya can blast me against my word if i fault. Monday @ daylight in the swamp my house. Since your bout a stone throw away shouldnt be a problem. Game?


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Nice fish and great story. Thanks for sharing.


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## TroutStlkr (Aug 5, 2008)

Well done! Nice Brown!


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

tg26 im game ill even swap streamsand show you a big fish haunt
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

Thanks for all the compliments guys. Just biding my time until the weekend, headed north for some brookies. Working my way to Mission Point Sate and plan on fishing some this weekend, especially the drive up. Then back to explore a bit more of this stream next week! Second shifting it...gotta love it!


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## chris_kreiner (Sep 6, 2006)

Wow awesome fish TK!!! That toad makes the other browns look tiny!!! He'll make an awesome mount for sure!!


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