Lunker Release Program

[laker67]

I most certainly am. We have HOLDOVER fish in Kansas in at least three locations. One is Lake Shawnee where fish are known to at least summer over for two summers, probably more. The state record bow was over 9# from Shawnee. Is a gut feeder a large trout? Sure is.

Now...I consider a trophy rainbow from a park 25", from a stream that isn't a park, 20" or 18" in some waters like Crane. For brown trout, a true trophy is 30"+. Smallmouth, anything over 20" is nearly trophy size. Largemouth, add about four inches to that and it's close, depends upon location.

How many 15# browns have you caught? Enough to become jaded by them? I doubt it. Fish like that are rare most places. 10# rainbows are not near as rare as one might think. They can be caught in MANY streams around Missouri, definitely all along the west coast from Oregon through Alaska. Asia holds many streams harboring rainbows of that size, many of which have no names.

15# browns, on the other hand are not common anywhere. You can undoubtedly catch them in Europe, probably the Isles, and occasionally in the Smokies, foothills of the Rockies, spring creeks in the Driftless Region and tailwaters. The brown is also more skittish by nature than the rainbow.

Seriously, I had no idea that you had any trout in Kansas. In Missouri, 10 pound rainbows are getting harder to come by every year. I think brownieman was refering to Missouri fish, at least I was. You will definately see more 15 pound browns in one year than you will 10 pound rainbow. I'm not talking caught, I am talking seeing them in the water. Once again I am talking MIssouri. I have only caught one brown over 15 pounds. I have hooked and lost two others that size. All in Missouri. As far as browns being "skittish", you got that right. They are the most difficult fish for me to fool.

[drew03cmc]

Seriously, I had no idea that you had any trout in Kansas. In Missouri, 10 pound rainbows are getting harder to come by every year. I think brownieman was refering to Missouri fish, at least I was. You will definately see more 15 pound browns in one year than you will 10 pound rainbow. I'm not talking caught, I am talking seeing them in the water. Once again I am talking MIssouri. I have only caught one brown over 15 pounds. I have hooked and lost two others that size. All in Missouri. As far as browns being "skittish", you got that right. They are the most difficult fish for me to fool.

I have caught ONE brown in Missouri, but rainbows are about like brookies elsewhere.

Yeah, in Kansas, they stock trout in winter, but fish summer over in the Mined Land Wildlife Area in Cherokee County, browns included, Lake Shawnee in Topeka holds a lot of fish all year (100-400 or so I would guess, all rainbows), and the Kanopolis Seep Stream is being renovated, and they are experimenting with browns this year to see if they can summer, some rainbows do.

[laker67]

I have caught ONE brown in Missouri, but rainbows are about like brookies elsewhere.

Yeah, in Kansas, they stock trout in winter, but fish summer over in the Mined Land Wildlife Area in Cherokee County, browns included, Lake Shawnee in Topeka holds a lot of fish all year (100-400 or so I would guess, all rainbows), and the Kanopolis Seep Stream is being renovated, and they are experimenting with browns this year to see if they can summer, some rainbows do.

I bet the browns make it, thanks for the info.

[drew03cmc]

I hope they make it. They could make for some fun fishing, but I don't think I could drive the three hours over there to chase them when I have better fishing just one more hour away down in the Ozarks.

[DD'sMC]

Hey everyone. I'm probley a day late but I just found this and thought everyone would enjoy this. It's a catch and release program my MDC for catching and releasing a fish over 18" in all four parks. I've attached a web site to check it out. The application icon isn't working yet but check it out!

http://www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/sport/trout/lunker.htm

SNAP!

[brownieman]

Didn't mean to hijack your thread, sorry about that.

I was refering to Mo. waters. I mainly fish the current and never fish the parks and a 15 lb bow or brown is not common at all.

Waters like Taney, the White etc. are big enouph to support better numbers of larger fish. I have never landed any trout period that will go 15...have seen some in Taney and a few on the current that would be around that but on the Current a fish that size is rare.

In all my years of fishing the Current I hooked 1 that I lost and have seen probably 2 or 3 more that would push that mark...few and far between.

Guess we all have our definition of what a lunker is...we all have different standards and probably depends alot on the water we frequent...to me a 10 lb. trout of any color is a hog on the Current.

[laker67]

The snob in me thinks the idea is downright silly..Who cares about trout park "Lunkers" and "Lunker Patches". The cynic in me makes me wonder if somebody had a friend in the patch business. The rational me says I should be doing something more productive with my time . Cheers.

Are you saying that you care nothing about catching a large trout? Every time I go out, I'm thinking "lunker". Here is some "lunker patches" trivia. Back in the 60's and early 70's, lunker patches were metal buttons like a campaign button. Bssp gave green buttons, and I think that Montauk had red. Until the mid=70's, the old fall creek boat dock use to give metal lunker buttons for fish caught at Taney. Phil probably remembers that.

[brownieman]

I may be mistaken but I believe Gavin is saying he could care less about fishing the trout parks and all the hype that goes along with it.

[Danoinark]

The snob in me thinks the idea is downright silly..Who cares about trout park "Lunkers" and "Lunker Patches". The cynic in me makes me wonder if somebody had a friend in the patch business. The rational me says I should be doing something more productive with my time . Cheers.

[bigredbirdfan]

A patch on my arm or bow on my wall or in my belly??

I fish sleeve less. Taxi?