the size of trout

[GrouseMan77]

Originally Posted by Maurer

I think there is a natural progression of a sportsman is: First Stage - catching a bunch of fish Second Stage - Head Hunting for big fish Third Stage - It's all about the experience and whom you spend it with.

Funny that you brought this up. I have been thinking about it a little lately. I somehow skipped the "head hunting" stage. I guess I just like to catch fish and have not had the urge to go after them big uns. I seem to be stuck in between the first and third stages. But, I don't really have any problem with it.

That said, I do keep a little journal that has the address of some big boys that I've run into.

[Chuckwalla]

Me too, I skipped number two and went straight to three.

[BlueRaiderFan]

I love to fly fish with my sister. She has only been a few times and has never caught a trout. Earlier this year she ran a single hairs ear nymph through the lip of a big deep pool with a large rock at the bottom. Just as the nymph floated by the rock, a nice brown (pretty sure it was a brown) that was at least 13-14" (I think it was probably bigger, but can't prove it) shot out and took the nymph. For about 10 seconds she had the largest trout I had ever seen personally, in the Smokies, on her line. What a thrill for her and me. She's my favorite fishing partner. Doesn't have a ton of stamina though.

[fishndoc]

I stayed and fished at Kelly's Slide Inn last week. Not only are the streamers they use very different (& BIGGER), but so is their technique: "swimming" the articulated streamers thru every eddy and around every rock, instead of the old "down and across retrieve" I had always done before.
Don't know how well it would work in the Smokies, but I plan to give it a try my next trip.

[psnapp]

Fishdoc -- I have bought and tied several of Kelly's patterns. Have watched his videos on trophy trout hunting. Have talked with him on the phone. Impressed with all his patterns I have tried -- they work on East TN tailwaters. Not so easy to tie, but great patterns and if you fish them as he recommends, they do work locally especially the sculpin patterns. Haven't had much success on his attractor patterns, but don't fish them as much as the sculpin patterns.

[fishndoc]

Originally Posted by psnapp

Fishdoc -- I have bought and tied several of Kelly's patterns. Have watched his videos on trophy trout hunting. Have talked with him on the phone. Impressed with all his patterns I have tried -- they work on East TN tailwaters. Not so easy to tie, but great patterns and if you fish them as he recommends, they do work locally especially the sculpin patterns. Haven't had much success on his attractor patterns, but don't fish them as much as the sculpin patterns.

A few years back, Georgia started a stocking program for shoal bass in the Chatahoochee north of Atlanta, and good size bass are now showing up regularly. I brought back a handful of Kelly's patterns to see how they will work - if you've never fished for these guys, a shoal bass strike is like an M-80 going off at the end of your line.