New To Boating Taneycomo, Help Please

[hillbillyflyshack]

Glad you had a good time. Sounds like a trip of a lifetime for a 9 year old boy! Although some may disagree with me, and I would have liked to see that big fish go back in so that I would have a chance at him in a tournament this weekend (LOL), I think the memories and story that mount will bring for the rest of his life is worth it.

In the future, remember that the Branson chapter of Trout Unlimited give out a pin and nice award certificate for trout over 20" that are released unharmed. I always have my camera with me so I can get a quick pic, release the fish, and tell Phil about it to get the pin and certificate.

Sounds like this trip might just have you and your family coming back more often. Hope so!

Bob

Well said indeed. I for one agree with you.

[Thom]

Bob

Sunday afternoon he hooked and landed a 7.5lb 23 inch Rainbow near Short Creek. I was dumbfounded after we got it into the boat. I asked him if he wanted to turn it loose so it could grow bigger and he reminded me that I told him he could keep a big one if he caught it. So unfortunately I had to keep my word

Hey Bob:

I am happy to hear that you did so well on your trip. Something to keep in mind is that all you need for a mounted fish is a picture. You will not be able to tell the difference and to know that your son caught the fish and it is swimming around in the same water as the exact replic is on his wall will make the memory even better.

I was staying at Stetson's on the white in Arkansas and was playfully chiding the owner there about the 8 or so Big Browns on his wall in the lodge waiting for the anglers that caught them to pick them up. He told me that only one of them was actually from the fish carcass and all of the others were replicas from pictures. He told me that if I could pick out the real fish he would give me a free dinner. After 3 guesses I bought my own lunch. They are that real. Just food for thought in the future.

Thanks for the report.

Thom

Thom

[catfish307]

That fish is all he has talked about since he caught it and he's so proud of it. I also agree that the larger fish should be released for the most part. If we do ever catch a trophy such as this again, it will be released and a replica will be used for the wall. I was so unprepared for any of us to actually catch a fish like this that I was just in shock when he got it into the boat. I'll post this picture of it but I can't get it any bigger for some reason.

Chris

[Trout Commander]

Oh man what a fish!

Good on him!