Yeah, we all know that trout like small stuff. Everyones always talking about Midges and 7X tippet. Well sometimes just the opposite is true. Big fish also like big flies. The Kennebec River is big water and the Shamut section holds some big fish. I had been fishing all that small stuff and that is what I was getting, small trout. Of course, every now and then a big trout would take my little fly, however, it seemed like I was really getting into the smaller sized browns and rainbows. Then, when I finally hooked into a nice fish, he would break me off. Light tippet is not always condusive when chasing big fish in big water. So anyway, I tied on straight 8 pound test fluorocarbon and a HUGE cone head olive wooly. I ripped out a double haul aross a deep hole with fast current. I mended twice and then lifted my rod tip on the swing and WHAM! This nice Raibow was on my line. He screamed line off my reel and headed for the other side of the pool. I knew I had him because I was prepared with stronger leader. Here is my train of thought. I drive a long way, walk across a raging river and cast thousands of times. I want to chase the bigger fish and when I get them on my line I want to keep them on the line. Nothing irritates me more than losing a big fish to light tippet. Now, I know that some guys pride themselves on catching big fish on light tippet. I am not one of those guys. Big fish on the fly will do just fine. I could care less about tippet. That’s just me.