Trophy Area doesn't hold all the trophies on Taney anymore....

[Phil Lilley]

This past month or so, we've seen a trend that I think is interesting.  We're seeing almost as many trophies (20-inches-plus trout) being caught outside the trophy area compared to in it.

I believe this indicates a sort of maturing of the fishery.  I don't think the food base has changed (I'd say most times fish migrate besides during spawning weeks is when they need to move because their food is moving)... I believe if this is true, our trout are maturing and graduating to eating bigger things.

What do I mean by bigger things?  Mainly smaller trout.

Lately, we've seen alot of big browns caught between Fall and Short Creeks on night crawlers on morning trips with guides.  I've heard of big browns being caught on the Cooper Creek flats as well as down at Monkey Island.  There aren't as many big rainbows being caught below Fall Creek as browns but there are some.

This is just my observation.  I thought it was worth mentioning.

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Hands down the biggest brown I've ever personally seen activate on my lure was across from the Landing. Followed me for 10 seconds or so then back to the depths. It was enormous. My heart was pounding for 5 minutes.

And like I told you last night, the one I saw on the CC flats was a giant. Personally, I haven't fished above Lookout during the day all summer. I think the structure of the lake has changed a lot with the floods and they don't hold up there like they used to when the sun is out (or at least they aren't as active). Soon as darkness falls, they feed (the big ones, that is). Just my opinion, of course. 

 

[Phil Lilley]

Tony W. has been throwing Rapalas from FC down and hooking some really big browns lately.  Late PM evening when the water is running.

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Yep he's doing well. He had on a real giant about a month ago. Every big brown I've caught this year has been from FC to Cooper Creek. John N. with me had two browns at the same time (probably 24" each--looked identical) Saturday afternoon follow him back to the boat. I had two on that were 20-22" that spit it when they jumped. And I had the really big one follow the jig back to the boat. 

Tony fishes the docks, I fish the bluffs. Both are producing great, and have been for the last three years June-September. I know another guy that has been doing the same and he is landing big browns as well.  

It's intriguing for a few reasons. 1) it appears the same fish has been caught twice very rarely (based on shared pics, anyway) 2) there are that many big browns in a 2-3 mile stretch 3) they are willing to bite virtually the same bait every day and not get shy 4) I have yet to see a brown over 30" fall to the way we are throwing them. I wonder if it's too fast/energy depleting, too small or what? Because multiple have been caught at night working the jerkbaits slow or trolling them. I have had follows on streamers and jerkbaits, but they seem to be doing it out of inherent duty/territoriality rather than trying to get a meal. 

I don't know but it's fun to take observations from multiple folks and have the same data, so to speak, and analyze it.

[Phil Lilley]