What Happened To The Browns?

[laker67]

I don't think so. This should be in the middle or past the middle of the peak run. Here in two weeks, most of the browns will have moved back down.

I may be off though. I'll refer to Rick or others who are up there more than I.

Like Phil said, in about two weeks, normally, things would be coming to an end. By thanksgiving they will be completely gone except for a few resident browns.

[Phil Lilley]

Actually talked to Darrell today and asked him if he was seeing any browns- he said none.

All I saw the last couple of days being caught at #2 were rainbows. Fishing yesterday at the big hole I didn't see any browns.

Not saying there are none... should ask the guys who fish at light I guess.

Leonard?

[fly2fish]

I fished the north bank Sat. and Sun. nights from just above outlet 1 down to the second set of stairs between outlet 2 and 3, saw half dozen or so browns hugging the bank but nothing over 4-5 lbs. caught several that generally were smaller than the rainbows, under 12 ins. Caught several small rainbows in the 10-12 in. range that were dumping eggs in my hand. Sunday night caught 50+ mostly bows with a few in the 16-18 range all on scud and egg set up drifting within 10 foot of the bank. Look more forward to the rainbow run than the brown run.

F2F

[Center Punch 2]

Hey phil, also hasnt the shocking surveys showed us that the number of browns was way down since 08. I think the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit. If this is the case then how many browns are in the whole system right now. Should mdc make a stronger effort in releasing alot more browns than they plan? it seems in my little mind that it may take 10-20 years to see taney again the way it was in the mid 2000s

[laker67]

Hey phil, also hasnt the shocking surveys showed us that the number of browns was way down since 08. I think the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit. If this is the case then how many browns are in the whole system right now. Should mdc make a stronger effort in releasing alot more browns than they plan? it seems in my little mind that it may take 10-20 years to see taney again the way it was in the mid 2000s

We have centered this discussion mostly around "big" browns. But in looking back over the past 2 months, I honestly believe that the intermediate and smaller size brown populations are down as well. I think Center Punch has hit on something we have overlooked in our quest for huge and tremendous fish. As far as "how long to recover"? I honestly don't know, but I have a guess of 5 to 6 years before we get a good population of intermediate fish. Some of the intermediate fish left at present, would represent the huge and tremendous at the end of that same time period. This of course is barring anymore flood gate events late summer or early fall. Between 1988 and 04, I do not recall any high water events to interrupt the cycle. In that time period, starting about 94, taney produced several 20 plus fish. And I mean lbs not inches when I say 20 plus. 05 produced 3 fish over 23 lbs, that I am aware of. The ones I know of after 08, was a 25 and the current record at 28.