Trophy? How Long is a Trophy Trout?

[Phil Lilley]

May be I should post this in Trout Talk.. but I think everyone will find it.

I know this poll is subjective... it depends on where you're fishing, I think, what's a nice trout when caught.  A 10-inch rainbow caught on Crane Creek would be a trophy to most people.

So this would be a rainbow trout in general.

[Phil Lilley]

Guess I should define a "trophy".

This would be a rainbow that you would feel real good about catching.  It's not a wall-hanger... just a trout that you would consider an above average, nice catch.

Again, this is very subjective.  I'm sure we won't even agree on what a trophy is.  But for the sake of this poll...  we'll try.

[Seth]

I chose 20" and then read your second post and wish I had selected 18". 

[Nick Williams]

Is the poll only to apply to Rainbows? Because you're right, a trophy at Crane vs. Taney vs. NFOW vs. The White is a vastly different set of standards. And then Browns are completely different. 

[fishinwrench]

9 minutes ago, Nick Williams said:

Is the poll only to apply to Rainbows? Because you're right, a trophy at Crane vs. Taney vs. NFOW vs. The White is a vastly different set of standards. And then Browns are completely different. 

I don't think about it that way.  To me a "trophy" is over 20".  

Some waters have trophy sized trout, and some waters don't.   A 6pt. Whitetail buck doesn't get trophy status just because you shot it inside the city limits.  

[Phil Lilley]

I tried to keep it as narrow as I could- hence rainbows only.  And I put MO/AR to cover the White too, even though you might consider it differently than other trout fisheries.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I can’t wait to see how the micro fishing guys vote 

[Greasy B]

I voted 24” but did so knowing that a fish that size might happen once or twice a lifetime and that these tailwaters are some of the few places in the country that can produce fish that size. I’m thrilled to catch fish much shorter as long as it looks and behaves like a real fish and not some genetic mutant or a sterile product of mass aquaculture. 

[Johnsfolly]

34 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I don't think about it that way.  To me a "trophy" is over 20".  

Some waters have trophy sized trout, and some waters don't.   A 6pt. Whitetail buck doesn't get trophy status just because you shot it inside the city limits.  

I agree that in general trophy rainbow would be over 20". I track the numbers of trout (separately for each species of trout that I am likely to encounter, i.e. rainbows and browns mostly) that I catch that fall between 12 and 15", 15" to 18" and > 18" and always identify those fish over 20".

I would politely disagree about not considering differences in the term "trophy" as they pertain to the waters that you are fishing. Waters that don't receive an influx of stockers should in my opinion be considered differently because those fish had to survive from egg to adulthood based upon the resources available to the stream that they live. Catching a 20+" rainbow at Bennett's may be as much about how many old pellet fed brood stock are being released than if that fish gained that size by what it could eat in the stream. I would rate catching a 14-15" rainbow in Crane or Barren Fork creek or Blue Springs creek as much more exciting of an accomplishment as catching a 2 lb lunker at Bennett's. I have never had a 12+" Bennett's rainbow break me off by fighting so hard like one that I fought in Barren Fork creek.

 

33 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I can’t wait to see how the micro fishing guys vote 

Now I would consider a 3" rainbow darter as a true trophy!

[Al Agnew]

There are simply so many qualifications to trophy status with trout.  As others have pointed out, it depends upon whether or not it's a wild fish and where it comes from, and also what you consider "trophy" to mean.  Basically, if it's 20 inches or better and has intact fins and a bright, hard body and comes from Ozark waters other than a trout park or other put and take fishery, I consider it a trophy rainbow.  Now if it comes from one of the small wild trout streams,  the size criteria goes down, but then you have to ask yourself if it's a trophy or a different category, like a great catch...can a 14 inch rainbow be a trophy?