The abundance and size of the Brown trout in the Salmon River this season is astonishing. I have heard several theories why but none of them really interest me. The fact is that they are present and majestic. Instead of flying to Tierra Del Fuego or Russian Kamchatka, I can hop in the car, head 30 minutes North and have a shot at a my own 2 ½ foot Brownie. As much as my buddies and I joke about another “dirty german fish” the reality is that the days of seeing them as an auxillary or filler fish may be over. They can bridge the gap between hours and hours of fishless drifts. Many recent outings have yielded numbers of Browns that I won’t even mention because no one would believe it. Despite the early American stigma I am really starting to develop a strong reverence for this species. Their appetite is voracious and attitude aggressive. Survivors in the face of adversity and they may not fight quite as long and hard as a Steelhead but I can assure you when they get into the double digits they will give the best fly fisherman a run for their money. I notice as I get older my views on a lot of things in life are changing including my views on “the other trout”. This fishery has really come into its own over the past few years and I am pleased to be a part of the new management practices. In the future I will enjoy the Brown trout of the Great Lakes and the Salmon River just as much as the chrome missiles that I so desire. VIVA MARRON TRUCHA!
Just knock it off!!!! this is starting to get a little crazy:>) Nice work Whip glad you were able to bring that beast to hand. What a good looking fish. I will say it again you are having a great year keep up he good work.
j-
wow – uhhhh yaaaa – when you measure brown trout in feet – you got something that most people don’t.
witht hat said – and being an outsider to your home fishery – i never knew they had a negative stigma??? meaning – of course i knew that the steelhead was on the top of the todem pole – and certainly the most prized fish of the great lakes….from a fly rod perspective…
however – believe me – when i go to your neck of the woods and tie into browns like that — it is something very foreign to me – because i could fish 24/7 365 for my entire life and probably NEVER hook a fish like that in Maine – and the funny think is that I know that your brown is certainly HUGE – but I know you would agree that fish of that size are actually fairly common – everything be relative.
So – can you explain a bit more of why the Brown Trout acquired a negative stigma and a little bit about the history of the Brown Trout species as it relates to the great lakes — thanks whip.
what is next — a Great White Shark from the Salmon River —- ??? wouldn’t surprise me at this point.:)
Nice, very nice…Yeah, I’m w/Jeremy on this, never catch a brown of that size in maine..EVER.
When we were out on the tribs in Nov. we had more browns that steele, but, seeing that any trout over 5lbs is a bonus, we didn’t care which species they were.
Do you think the stigma comes from the need/want of others in the past for the brown trout eggs for steel fishing?
Regardless, between your site SRS, Jeremy’s site the stories and photos you share always put a smile on my face. Looks like you are having a banner year.
I’m sure you can’t wait for April and 40* water!
I’ll be back out in April fishing some of the Erie Tribs, can’t wait to lay into that teen sized chromer!
Thanks for sharing,
James
EXACTLY – and just to make an added point that I would like to share and that I firmly believe – SIZE is CERTAINLY not the only factor that determines the quality of a fly fishing outing. But let’s be honest – it certainly doesn’t hurt the experience to catch a 2 1/2 foot trout:)
sorry – one final thing — what does this mean
“VIVA MARRON TRUCHA!”
Whippa as I said on salmonriverspecialists, that fish is just incredible. I was comparing the photo with some of the photos of the steelhead you caught to do a size comparison. I was thinking the camera angle may give that photo a false impression that the fish is larger than it is. Mainly because I just can’t imagine catching a brown of that proportion. But after comparing the photos the only conclusion is that is one monsterous brown trout. Thanks for sharing. Oh yeah, is that the largest brown you’ve landed out there?
It is not really the Great Lakes that the stigma is attached to. It is more of a Catskills area thing. From what I have read it seems that the Europeans are responsible for introducing the species into all sorts of waterways all over the world. After the Browns were put into the streams in the Catskills they devastated the Native Brook trout population and the hard core locals were not very happy.
LONG LIVE BROWN TROUT
It is one of the largest for sure Chris.
I can say not so proudly that I have accused the brown trout of the demise of the local brook trout population. While I’m still not happy about it I think blame goes to the NYS stocking program. They haven’t balanced the stocking properly in my opinion and leaned more toward the stocking of brown trout. I’m not exactly sure why. Perhaps they are cheaper and easier to raise than brook trout. Other states have successfully stocked both species so they can live together. I wish NY could do the same. Another trend I’m starting to see is stocking of mixed breed fish like palamino and tiger trout. The palamino is just basically a golden variety of rainbow trout they started breeding in Ohio. From what I heard the tiger trout is a cross between a brown and a brook trout. Interesting looking fish. I don’t know what kind of effect introducing them into the streams and rivers would have. I do know the palamino’s don’t have the odds in their favor because they stand out like a sore thumb and quickly get caught by predators and fishermen alike.
wouldn’t matter to me if that pic was taken through a magnifying glass – it is a big brown – period.
you’re my heero Dave 😉
p.s. everyone, Dave has very small hands, that’s why that fish looks so big
I see it more like this; on the lake, fisherman usually target kings. In the tribs, the target fish in the fall is again, kings and later on steel. Therefore in a way, browns become bycatch.
They don’t get the attention or respect that they deserve.
nice fish dave. all of us catching 14 inch trout envy the browns in the Salmon River.
I hope they are plentiful when I get back out there in the spring. I imagine in warmer water they will have a chance to show the power the possess.
Pat, I hope you get a chance to get down here for another spring outing. It was a lot of fun, I look forward to doing it again.
one thing I’ve been wondering about. If anyone has seen or caught any of the browns directly from the lake, they look like footballs. They are nothing like these sleek torpedos. Any ideas?
Ridiculous! Is that a “Domestic Brown” or a “German Brown” HA, HA, HA
yah jas — i was wondering is it stocked, wild or native::::::)))))))))))
the colorings would leave me to believe it is wild but its snout makes me think its native then again its dorsal fin makes me think its stocked…………….. VIVA LA BROWN TROUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ps……just for the record — this thread about domestic, stocked, native, wild etc…is just a little inside joke….not serious by any means…..cya