duckydoty Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Got to Tanney about 3:45 and planned on fishing till 10:00 p.m Started just above outlet 2 with the red egg under a big eyed epoxy scud I got a Back Country Outfitters today. Nothing. fished there about 20 minutes and changed the dropper to a size 18 tan scud I picked up on the way in from River Run. Moved further up stream about 20 yards and saw a nice brown laying in the channel. Started casting above him and drifted down to him. Saw him open his mouth and my indicator went under. I set the hook and nothing. Ten more casts and strictly watching the indicator and not the fish-I saw the indicator go under again. With and instant set I had him. Leonard told me to chase down the big ones so thats what I started doing. Had to cut infront of a few people and was very appaulagetic to them for intruding on them. They were all very gracious and allowed me to chase the fish down. Finally got him in close enough to net but had one heck of a time getting him to fit in the net. Measured 25 inches. My largest ever! A kind gentleman took a few pictures with my camera and I cut the line because he was hooked hard in the tongue and I wanted to try and get him back in the water as quick as possable. Tried reviving him for over an hour and he just kept turning belly up. I could use some tips on how to revive the fish so they can be released I ended up leaving before dark with cathing only one Duckydoty A Little Rain Won't Hurt Them Fish.....They're Already Wet!! Visit my website at.. Ozark Trout Runners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Admin Phil Lilley Posted November 12, 2006 Root Admin Share Posted November 12, 2006 The only thing you could have done different (if you didn't) is take it to one of the outlets. The DO is high there. But even there, if you play a big fish too long, they still could die. I found a brown the other night below #2 drifting around in shallow water. It was still breathing so I took it right up in the outlet and held it there for 20 minutes. It continued to breathe but never would regain enough strength to keep upright. I ended up leaving it- it may have been 20 inches. I think sometime anything you do can't help- some are just going to die. But you know- there's alot more where they come from. Great story and catch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D.T. Posted November 13, 2006 Members Share Posted November 13, 2006 duckydoty, I was the guy that took the pictures for you and it was a beautiful fish. It was too bad that it didnt survive after you spent the rest of the evening trying to save it. I was there with several guys from our fly club and one of the guys is a fish biologist with the Kansas Fish and Game. He echoed what Phil said that for these big fish to survive you need to get them in the current because that is where all the oxygen is, and to face them up stream and keep them upright. I was going to start a post about this when I got back today. I wish they handed out a guide with your trout permit on the best way to handle these fish or have signs to educate people along the upper end on this. This was not the only fish of this size that didnt make it that we saw in the four days we were there. duckydoty was trying to get it back in the water as soon as he could to save it and Im not directing this toward him at all. But we saw other guys holding fish of this size up by their gills, dragging them up on the rocks and walking them around to show others with their party keeping them out for 10 minutes plus. We saw at least one fish a day that would be over the 6-10 lb range killed by blatant mishandling. Also on this trip I and another guy fishing there rescued 5 browns out of a shallow pool where outlet 3 is. After the water went down these fish were stranded in water that didnt cover their backs and no way out, two of these fish were 8-10 lbs and didnt make it the other 3 were 16" fish that swam off on there own when we got them back in the lake. It is too bad some one cant make the chute so the fish can get out when the water drops. I wonder how many other fish dont make it in this area every time they run water. Just a couple of thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckydoty Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 DT Thanks for the tips. Some kind of guide on handling would be a great idea. also some information on gear. What is the minimum tippet size you can get away with during the day? At night, I use straight 10 lb. test with and 8 wt. rod. During the day I usually use a 4 or 5 wt. with 6x tippet, but I've never had ahold of a big one during the day. I was really looking forward to using a new 8wt combo that my wife bought for me after the sun went down. Also, thanks for taking the pictures for me Duckydoty A Little Rain Won't Hurt Them Fish.....They're Already Wet!! Visit my website at.. Ozark Trout Runners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kansas Fly Fisher Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Good looking fish Ducky! Sorry it didn't make it. Sounds like you did everything possible to keep him alive. Like Phil said, sometimes it just doesn't happen. Tight lines . . . John Born to Fish, Forced to Work KSMEDIC.COM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffin Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 These fish that don't make it......do ya'll take it home and eat it or just leave it? I guess it's less then ideal to have the fish die if you had no intention of eating it or putting it on your wall.....but once that sucker is dead....it's just meat. And yeah.....I've heard how terrible the bigs ones are to eat....but that's only because you fellas spent all your money on Orvis gear and nobody taught you how to use a smoker. BTW - nice fish....congratulations!! griffin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillback Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 That is a nice fish, congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckydoty Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Its now in the freezer. And yes I can smoke some fish Duckydoty A Little Rain Won't Hurt Them Fish.....They're Already Wet!! Visit my website at.. Ozark Trout Runners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Beeson Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 But the ends are really hard to keep lit.... Nice fish, Duane. Sometimes all you can do is still not enough. Then you have to eat it.... Such a waste... Now excuse me... I have to go sell one of my Orvis caps on eBay so I can buy a $500 smoker... Hate to let it go so cheap... but it is kind of worn... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tuff Luck Hunter Posted November 13, 2006 Members Share Posted November 13, 2006 I had the same thing happen to me two years ago with a 12lb brown. One thing I have done since is move up to larger tippet. I usually use only florocarbon 5X or even 4X. You do not get as many hookups but you can land and release them sooner. I have not lost any fish in the last two years. I have found that the fish with the larger girth are the hardest to revive. Kind of like us fat guys getting winded on even a short run. You are fishing for the large browns the right way. They seem to want the lure right in front of their nose. When you get it there, the line weight does not seem to matter. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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