25 Pound Brown Caught

[Trav]

OK - that's a mildly impressive trout. But I caught a 15 inch rainbow the other day... grin

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once!

[Guest rwolfe]

wolfe,

I just don't find this thread as fly fisherman vs conventional anglers. I think its more about what one would do if he was in the same situation. Keep it, release it, stuff it, etc. Generally speaking I think there is just two trains of thought. Whether to keep it or release it. But most are in agreement that if the fish succumbed, then most would probably take it and make use of it in some form.

General reminder, Lets keep it civil, no name calling, no individual bashing and so far it appears every thing is running smoothly.

Dano

I may be wrong in directing my comment at fly fisherman in general, but the majority of the time, it is a fly fisherman/C&R guy that makes statements like the ones found in this thread. I am a fly fisherman myself and I choose to keep my limit every time I come down. But, I also drift fish with ultra-lights and when the conditions are right, I love to spend time on the end of the Fall Creek dock or Lilley's Dock fishing a drift rig with powerbait. I don't think you will find anybody that would consider me a fat kid or a hillbilly. I'm fairly sure that Lilley and Babler have been known to use powerbait as well. This is just one of the statments that I was referring to. I wasn't trying to point fingers as much as express my disappointment with the opinions/statements made by people that I thought were above that. I apologize to anyone that was offended.

[Danoinark]

Dano, there is hope for us flyfishers, the one in my picture was taken with a #20 nymph (who would figure?).

Because Don you are the man. Heck I have trouble with 15 inch fish on a size 20. How do you keep your adrenalin levels in check when you hook a fish like that?

[Danoinark]

I may be wrong in directing my comment at fly fisherman in general, but the majority of the time, it is a fly fisherman/C&R guy that makes statements like the ones found in this thread. I am a fly fisherman myself and I choose to keep my limit every time I come down. But, I also drift fish with ultra-lights and when the conditions are right, I love to spend time on the end of the Fall Creek dock or Lilley's Dock fishing a drift rig with powerbait. I don't think you will find anybody that would consider me white trash or a hillbilly. I'm fairly sure that Lilley and Babler have been known to use powerbait as well. This is just one of the statments that I was referring to. I wasn't trying to point fingers as much as express my disappointment with the opinions/statements made by people that I thought were above that. I apologize to anyone that was offended.

wolfe, you didn't offend anyone. And my comments are right on with yours. To each his own on how he wants to enjoy this great sport of ours. Thanks for your posts.

Also my General Reminder comments were not directed at anyone.

Dano

[Troutdude]

My hat is off to Rick and his catch of a lifetime. Regardless of how he took the fish or what he choose to do with it, those decisions were his to make, not ours. The catch and possession was legal, end of story.

The catch and release of such an enormous fish presents a catch 22 IMO. If the fish comes to net in what seems like a disproportional amount of time considering the enormity of the beast, I would think it might be ill or dying to begin with. Consequently, a drawn out battle on 6lb test would surely tax the fish's constitution to the extreme. Even the best revival efforts may not be adequate enough for the lunker to survive.

My catch of a lifetime to date happened at Taney in 98. After a 20 minute battle a fat rainbow as long as my arm came to net. Followed by a nearly equal amount of time ensuring the monster got a proper revival before releasing. I can only hope the fish made someone else as happy as it has made me. Then again, there is only one guarantee in life.

[John Smoot]

Dang nice fish! Even if the lucky guy was drifting a Power Bait and it somehow simply floated into the fish's mouth for a hookup...who cares? I have no doubt that we all started (no matter how "accomplished" you think you are) fishing about the same way...That would be using crude, newbie methods and hoping for a fish like that.

Come on.

Unless dynamite was in your first tackle box...

[Greg]

I think people just need to realize that a catch and release fisherman (I'm one) are just always going to wish that a fish like that was revived (if possible) and released. Most of us don't mean it as a critcism when we make statements that "we wish the fish had been released". It's just how we think. I think we all realize everyone's right to keep legal fish. I certainly do.

This argument gets old. Can we just put it to rest?

I congratulate the fisherman that is the subject of this thread on his catch of a lifetime.

Greg

[taxidermist]

I see some think I stepped ontheir toes, while some bait fisherman think their toes were step on too.

Really the statement wiether toongue in cheek or meant for real about fat kids and hillbillies using power bait has no place on this forum. Don't say it if you don't mean it.

Yes I am in favor of catch and release way more than many of you realize. You need to know how I feel about it so the facts are clear.

Yep if the fish could be released and live I am all for it!!

It could be caught several times, then maybe I would get to do one or two or more reproductions for that fish. More simply is it could mean more money in my pocket. Not that I would ever get rich doing taxidermy, Just one millionaire taxidermist I know of. But it could buy horse feed for me a couple time or evenpay for a short trip to Branson.

I have kept some nice fish to make my own personal molds of! Why this way I have molds of fish from White River and a couple from Taneyecomo. You bet our fish are different!!! Plus I have control over the quailty and materials used before I start on the finish work, that is different from painting also.

Yes I am for C&R maybe more so than the nay sayers on here. I know the value of the fish. I also fished Taney in the 1970's and 1980's and know the size of rainbows just don't exist that use to.

Pressure and water quality has much to do with it.

What you don't know is how many nice fish we release, we released some today that most people would have mounted. We had 3 browns at 22" and one really nice bow at almost 24' I did have a hard time with the bow, but I already have a 24" rainbow mold, don't have a left and right just a right taildown, but a female bow is a female bow at 24". So she was turned back. Matter of fact we did drag power bait and did not gut hook anything!! It how you setup for it. Plus Flourocrabon line helps a lot. Just have much much better feel and hooks that turn instead of straight shanked hooks.

We hooked all the fish either in the upper mandible or lower jaw dead center., same places flys would hook.

John

[laker67]

Congratulations to Mr. Rick Spegal! What a tremendous Brown!

It is a well proportioned fish, and will make an excellent mount.

I find it very disturbing that so many fellow anglers are so critical of this gentleman's catch of a lifetime.Do you want people to do this to you, when it's your record catch? This is probably #4 or #5

of the largest browns caught in Missouri. We have a right to be envious, but not critical.

[Danoinark]

Isn't the whole concept fishing, regardless of method used, except snagging and noodling, to fool the quarry in believing it is hungry and needs to eat your presentation for survival? That is the sport of it. Out foxing the fox.

Chief is spot on. Its the enjoyment of the hunt, not knowing what the next (fly, spin, bait) cast will bring. The gentlemen deserves all of the congratulations he is getting.

I appreciate everyones comments and there is no one on this thread that is wrong. Again its all personal preference and how we view our own fishing ethics.

I am almost positive with the high water, the age, size and other variables that old bruiser just would not have made it. I had rather see it on this guys wall than rotting belly up on the stream.

Lets go on to something else eh?

How bout that shufflin'

Dano