Second Brown This Week By This Young Angler

[laker67]

Exactly what Phil said, you have to crawl before you walk.

[ozark trout fisher]

Indeed, this guy is well within his rights. Taking two fish in a week ain't a problem. It's the people who keep two or three or four fish every week for a long period of time that cause the problems. When I was fishing the blue ribbon stretch of the Current almost on a weekly basis there for awhile, I'd see some of the same guys stringing up fish trip after trip. That's what gets me a little angry, though of course there's not much one can do provided they're 18+ inches.

So yeah, this guy didn't do anything wrong, and in fact appears to be a pretty darn good fisherman. Those good sized browns in the Blue Ribbon stretch take some skill to catch. That said, I guess there is just a certain sensitivity about this after what happened last summer on the upper Current.

[10pointer]

Nice fish but id rather see it live. I used to be like that (never did keep one outside the park) but it sure wears off after u get 10 on the wall. I released 4 or 5 20-25 inchers already since january but know some jackwagon is gonna fry em up here shortly. Its their own choice but it makes me sick to see one or two clowns turn in a brown every other day or twice a week all summer. And i know for a fact that they snag them had plenty of people tell me what i already had seen with my own eyes. Just wish the agents would get off certain peoples backs and go after the real problem. Ill quit that rant while i still have my breath. Anyways glad for the guy but hope he releases them in the future... Just ticks me off to see the bigguns hit the frying pan and not the water afterwards.

[Flyflinger]

If you are over the age of 12 and are still taking fish to the "Lunker Board" it's time to stop fishing.

[LunkerB]

A friend of mine caught one around 4lbs and another around 6lbs last week. Both released. If the catch and release fisherman catch those big fish and release them, they will be a little more finicky than the last time they were caught and might make it through. Not to mention this river is stocked by two different hatcheries so by winter when I like to fish it, It is prime and all the woMEN are at home because it is too cold to fish. No worries here.

[stlfisher]

I wish they would be released, but Phil makes a lot of good points.

[Jason R.]

Wise words Phil. I grew up releasing fish because of my dad. It just bothers me that most of those guys snag those browns. I've never fished the Current, but I've seen it all over AR and on Taney for sure. I have had words with several chumps at the Little Red after watching them snag huge beautiful browns off their redds- and with fly rods even... you just cannot help but get mad.

[ozark trout fisher]

You'd have to be dumb to snag trout on the Current, especially around Tan Vat, where this brown was supposedly caught. It gets checked often, and there are usually fisherman around who are more than willing to report those who choose to do it anyway.

I'll certainly give the guy the benefit of the doubt until there's some evidence that this fish wasn't taken legally.

[Flyflinger]

You'd have to be dumb to snag trout on the Current, especially around Tan Vat, where this brown was supposedly caught. It gets checked often, and there are usually fisherman around who are more than willing to report those who choose to do it anyway.

I'll certainly give the guy the benefit of the doubt until there's some evidence that this fish wasn't taken legally.

I don't know....that bleeding whole in the fishes side is very suspect.

[ozark trout fisher]

I don't know....that bleeding whole in the fishes side is very suspect.

Maybe, but it's certainly not enough for me to actually accuse someone of a crime. I've caught fish fish with gashes in their side like that one. So I'll reserve judgement.