laker67

Gavin, The rod in the center, was it built by charlie reading?

A long time resident at bennett is one that survives opening day or derby day. Very few survive an entire season. There is only one fish there right now that would qualify. It was turned out at the same time of the record brown from last year. If the fish that oneshot hooked weighed upwards of 15 pounds, then it was the resident fish.

Way to go drew. Is the bottom picture of shoal or capps creek?

The evidence that I saw on friday indicates that the spawn is over on the current as well. All nests were abandoned.

Dad spots them and you get to catch em. How can you beat a deal like that? Good fish Matt. Thanks for the report on fishing and water conditions Bman.

If you are looking for answers or just interesting conversation, this is definately the site to come to. The members here cover the whole fishing spectrum. From countless years of experience and knowledge combined with common sense, to the fisherman beginning the whole learning process. The newcomers may not be new to fishing, but new to a particular style of fishing. This is the place for good, and common sense advice. My thanks to all members.

I read a forum, not sure where. One person stated that felt would not be the only issue with invasive ditymo or snails or whatever. One drop of water will transmit ditymo. Boot eyelets, gussiting, and laces could also transmit. The ventilation chamber on waders, wading belts, landing nets, and even flies could be added to the list. If these items are truly an issue, then we are screwed. If it's mostly a marketing ploy, then we have a choice.

DD, DD'sMC, and brother Dave. Great pics guys, glad you did well.

Everyone needs to report in and tell of your lunker catches today. Here is my report. Today I fished my 33rd consecutive winter trout season. And today made 33 consecutive years that I have caught one or more lunkers while fishing the winter season. At a undisclosed location, I hooked up with 9 lunkers today, and was fortunate enough to land 5. Everything was on the small side including the four that I lost. The fish ranged from 3.5 to 5 pounds. I only found one "good" fish, but she thumbed her nose at all my offerings. The water was high and slightly cloudy, making for difficult sight fishing. I would imagine others experience the same conditions in other locations. If you caught or lost a lunker today, tell the story.

The very first day of the winter trout season that we now enjoy so much, was 12/11/1976.

I can't help you with the rod conversion, but I can remind you to always carry your warranty papers with you. You will need them to wipe the tears from your eyes if you break the rod.

I have fished for them in private waters and they become quite wary in a short period of time. It will interesting to see if they do the same in the white. I am not sure how large they grow, but I did see one from Pa that appeared to be close to 10 pounds. The largest I have caught is four pounds. They do not lack in fighting skills, so I think they are a good addition to the white.

Thank you Duane, and my thanks and wishes to you and the other veterans.

That would sure beat fishing taney right now. You're on.

Geoff, Nice fish! Like a runaway torpedo on a flyrod. It has been years since I have flyfished for carp and buffalo. Don't know if it will work in your area, but my best fly was a grub worm. White body with a red head, just like the plastic ones you see in the trout parks. Any type of white and red dubbing will work, I used red and white yarn. You can even tie it all white and use a red magic marker for the head. Here at LOZ, in the springtime, the carp and buffalo cruise the shorelines. I tied the fly on a #10 mustad, 7948A. That seemed to be the size preferred. I would cast ahead of the fish and let it sink to the bottom. As the fish got within a foot or so, I would move it ever so slightly and most times they would go right to it. Using 5x tippet and a six weight rod, my largest carp was 18 pounds, and largest buffalo was 22 pounds. If you try this fly, let me know the results.

Don't be calling us ol'timers, ol'timers. That's not PC. We are merely youth impaired.

The one most visible in the basket looks like a largemouth. An impressive catch.

You can't compare the little piney to the other blue areas and make your decision based on that. NFOW, the current, and the eleven point have lots of water and lots of room for big fish. More specialized regs might need to apply to piney and crane and the other small creeks. I just don't see the poaching problem you describe. Maybe it's rampant on piney, but I don't see a major problem elsewhere other than trout parks. I'm sure public opion is considered by Mdc, and I encourage you to exercise that right. You might just come up with the solution necessary. Concerning your question about big fish, the answer would be yes.

Congrats and welcome to the life long hobby of fly fishing for trout.

The original term "lunker" referred to a trout that weighed 3 pounds or more. Now the trout parks have adopted a "release a lunker" program that says any trout 18 inches or longer. I don't agree because you will be hard pressed to find a rainbow of 18 inches that will weigh 3 pounds. 2 to 2.2 is more that average. It's more of a spin off from weaver's 2 pound lunker patch. A 20 inch rainbow would be more in the ball park.

I just don't see that there are any bigtime trout poachers out there. When MDC sets limits, I am sure they take into consideration hook mortality, creeled limits, poaching, and even natural predators. I would venture to say that blue herons, green herons, mink, eagles, and river otters consume more trout on a daily basis than any poacher could match. Like Zach said, MDC is evidently not concerned at this point. No kill, would be equivalent to taking away a person's right to harvest a legal fish. Plus I think "no kill" would eventually harm the overall heathy population. A creek or river can only support so many fish. As in natural predators, MDC has allowed seasons for otters and minks. In the future they may see the need to allow water fowl hunters to kill herons. Just like they allow deer hunters to kill a coyote. As far as it reducing poaching, a certain element of the population will always cheat no matter what the regs, whether it be hunting or fishing or everyday life. Our presence on the creek would hopefully deter most. I would say that MDC does a good job of protecting our resource of trout, because they know that 99 percent of us will abide by the regs they have set. Those regs being what they consider benefical to our trout population. Sure I would like to see longer length limits because I want to see larger trout. But if it is detrimental, causing overpopulation, then you have to let that idea go. I will trust my future fishing to MDC's decision making.

Get out there and get us a picture of one Drew. That would be a challenge worth the effort. Don't forget your camera, and don't come home empty handed.

Wow! Taney trout were only 5 years old back then.

You got me topped out on bennet Wayne. If you take away the 4 years that I was overseas, I have fished bennet every year for 44 years. Taney would top out at 34 years, and montauk and the current river an even 30 years.

I agree that you need the rules and especially enforcement. The enforcement starts with you and I. As far as a length limit, I would like to see that increased to at least 20 inches, and 24 inches if I could make the rules. At 18 inches, you are killing a fish in his prime. The majority of fishermen do not fish the blue area in hopes of killing a limit of 18 inch trout, but that certainly is their option, and I stand by their right to do so. They fish it in hopes of catching some quality fish and maybe a fish that would top their personal best. By increasing the length limit, you are putting the odds in the fisherman's favor. I don't like the idea of mandatory barbless hooks. If you chose to do so, okay. I do not think you should shove it down my throat like arkansas has done. If you would up the length limit in the blue area, you could afford to give the other areas a few more fish at stocking time. If it is a river with no supplementary stockings, you would be protecting more brood stock.