First big fish

R
rchandler
0
Took off this Friday and went fishing at a local lake. It's a stocked lake and all I've caught has been small rainbow trout. I also just started fly fishing last Summer.

Beautiful day so I was just happy to be out on the water. Bad day fishing is better than a great day at work and all... Still pretty cold so didn't expect to catch anything. Mainly wanted to practice casting and get to know my new Orvis Access rod.

Fishing near the bank and I thought I got snagged. All of the sudden the rod started pulsing so I knew I was into a fish. What threw me was how bent over my rod was. Something big! I started remembering all the videos and training and started reeling in the excess. All of a sudden the head came up. I was confused by what I saw. I've never seen a fish this big before. Got it over to the float tube and pulled out my net. Looking at the fish and then at my net, I see I'm going to have a problem. Net is not big enough! But the fish isn't fighting which I figured is because the water is still pretty cold. Was able to get it in the net and was trying to lift this fat ******* into the boat when he shook hard and out he went. Going for my second landing attempt when he shook one more last time and got free. I was going to release him anyways but I would have liked to get a closer look at the beauty. I also didn't have a camera handy as again, I didn't expect to catch anything worth remembering.

Took a look at my fly (black woolybugger) and noticed he'd broken off my hook....

Let me tell you, I was JACKED UP!!! If anyone had been there they would have probably thought I was on drugs or something because I was giggling like a 9 year old girl with her first dolly. Man that was a rush. I'm seriously hooked (no pun intended) now.

Just wanted to share my story as nobody I know would appreciate it or understand it.

oh forgot to add, this was a monster rainbow.
 
Great story!
I'm sure all us fisherman can admit to the "little girl laugh"..
 
I can relate to the giggling. Thanks for sharing your story.
 
Thanks for the motivation :thumb:
 
it's my first year with the fly rod hopefully I'll have a story like this soon lol. love the adrenaline rushes
 
Some lakes are stocked, with what they call "surplus steelhead". So, that may be what you tangled with! Sounds like an epic fight. Well done.
 
troutdude said:
Some lakes are stocked, with what they call "surplus steelhead". So, that may be what you tangled with! Sounds like an epic fight. Well done.

Yeah, the club calls them "holdover trout". It makes me wonder though. Since they stock the lakes/ponds every Spring, does the trout generally not live past a year or two? This is a catch and release club. If so, maybe I should keep the "holdover" trout I catch....
 
Sounds like a good way to break your rod in.

Best,
 
rchandler said:
Yeah, the club calls them "holdover trout". It makes me wonder though. Since they stock the lakes/ponds every Spring, does the trout generally not live past a year or two? This is a catch and release club. If so, maybe I should keep the "holdover" trout I catch....

Hold-overs and steelhead, are NOT the same at all. Hold-overs, are stocked hatchery trout that remain uncaught. They can hold-over, in some lakes, for more than one year. You can tell how many years, by the bands (or colored stripes) on their tail fins. Surplus steelhead, are just that...TRUE steelhead. IDK for sure, if they also come from hatchery tanks (where they were bred and raised). Or, if they have been to sea, returned to their upstream hatcheries, and then taken and plopped into lakes. But, either way, they are steelhead stock.

Maybe you'll nab that beast, on your next visit? Fingers crossed.
 
I'm not a fly fisherman but from reading your story and how as you're kinda new to the fly fishing game I would say you did a hell of a good job fighting that beast on your fly rod! Like many of our fellow OFFers, I've fought many a big trout and steelhead on a spinning rod and lost them but it's always a good rush!
 
Awesome report, I was right there with you...still giggle like a girl every time I get a nice fish (a 200 lb 9 yr. old girl). Never think you won't catch anything, and always carry that camera, because we all love it when you share the fish porn!!!
 
That was an awesome story. I don't get around in float tubes too much anymore, but your story reminded me of trying to be self sufficient in landing a fish in a float tube. I feel like it's always going to be chaos. Not that chaos when landing a fish is a bad thing...
 
Hahaha Nice, I've been guilty of laughing like a little girl before as well!
 
Ya talk about inspiring! I want to learn to fly fish
 
yeah man! that's awesome to hear. Glad you're liking the fly rod.

I also got out on a lake last weekend and managed to land my first few good ones of the season. Nothing like a nice run on a fly rod.

Here's some inspiration to help you land the next one ;)

1DSCF0896.jpg
1DSCF0902.jpg
 

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