The Search for Big Trout
By
Bob Salerno
Anyone that has ever cast a line has dreamed of catching a really big fish. No matter the species, the angler that lands a big fish will never forget the experience.
For a good chance to catch a really big trout, anglers will travel to fabled waters and exotic locations. Certain waters have a reputation for producing large browns, rainbows or brook trout. New Zealand and Argentina offer terrific fishing for behemoth brown trout. The Bristol Bay area of Alaska is known for it’s tackle busting rainbows and brook trout don’t get any larger than the giants of Labrador. In the US there are a number of rivers that offer anglers an opportunity to hook trout with shoulders. In the east, the upper Delaware will give up big browns and rainbows on a regular basis. The White River in Arkansas not only has produced the largest brown trout ever caught on a hook and line, but has the densest population of trout per river mile than any other American river. Several of the Western Rivers, such as the Yellowstone, Big Horn, Green and the Gallatin sustain populations of large trout. In addition, there are a few creeks in Georgia and North Carolina that are managed as big trout fisheries.
The majority of trout anglers spend their angling careers casting for cookie cutter stockies on home waters. Trout ranging in size from 9 to 12 inches are the norm in Connecticut waters. Not counting the big dumb breeders that are dumped in at the start of every season, an occasional big trout measuring fifteen to eighteen inches is caught. Most good trout streams have numbers of fish that avoid being caught and survive Mother Nature’s seasons to attain trophy size. For a holdover or a wild trout to survive, there are a couple of needs that a trout must have for its well being. First, is a pool with sufficient depth, good water quality and consistent year round cold water temperatures. The second factor is a good hiding place with a healthy supply of food. In addition to not being caught by man, trout must avoid their natural enemies such as herons, ospreys, kingfishers and raccoons.
Equally as uncommon as a twenty inch plus trout in Connecticut steams, are the anglers that have developed the techniques to locate them. Fishermen that consistently catch big trout have an intimate relationship with the streams that they fish. To locate resident trophies, the angler has learned everything about undercut banks, flow rates, feeding habits and the attractive hiding places that harbor big trout. Reading water is essential to becoming a successful angler. On small to medium streams it’s relatively easy to see the deeper pools, undercut banks and submerged structure where a big trout could hide. In small environments the king of the pool will spend most of the time hiding and only feeding at night or during periods of low light. On larger rivers where a pool may be hundreds of yards long, there are plenty of big trout lies and it takes experience from time on the water to locate a big trout.
Most anglers will tell you that more big trout are caught after dark than at any other time. It is also true that during the period of first light in the early morning larger fish may still be in the hunt for a last meal before heading to the safety of their hiding place for the day.
In Connecticut, the Farmington and Housatonic are probably the best, but not the only rivers to catch big trout. The pools and sections that are furthest from the road and access points are the highest percentage spots to look for large trout. When a big trout is located the angler will need to use stealth, keeping a low profile while observing and studying the trout’s habits before casting. Patience and observation are the keys to success.
By
Bob Salerno
Anyone that has ever cast a line has dreamed of catching a really big fish. No matter the species, the angler that lands a big fish will never forget the experience.
For a good chance to catch a really big trout, anglers will travel to fabled waters and exotic locations. Certain waters have a reputation for producing large browns, rainbows or brook trout. New Zealand and Argentina offer terrific fishing for behemoth brown trout. The Bristol Bay area of Alaska is known for it’s tackle busting rainbows and brook trout don’t get any larger than the giants of Labrador. In the US there are a number of rivers that offer anglers an opportunity to hook trout with shoulders. In the east, the upper Delaware will give up big browns and rainbows on a regular basis. The White River in Arkansas not only has produced the largest brown trout ever caught on a hook and line, but has the densest population of trout per river mile than any other American river. Several of the Western Rivers, such as the Yellowstone, Big Horn, Green and the Gallatin sustain populations of large trout. In addition, there are a few creeks in Georgia and North Carolina that are managed as big trout fisheries.
The majority of trout anglers spend their angling careers casting for cookie cutter stockies on home waters. Trout ranging in size from 9 to 12 inches are the norm in Connecticut waters. Not counting the big dumb breeders that are dumped in at the start of every season, an occasional big trout measuring fifteen to eighteen inches is caught. Most good trout streams have numbers of fish that avoid being caught and survive Mother Nature’s seasons to attain trophy size. For a holdover or a wild trout to survive, there are a couple of needs that a trout must have for its well being. First, is a pool with sufficient depth, good water quality and consistent year round cold water temperatures. The second factor is a good hiding place with a healthy supply of food. In addition to not being caught by man, trout must avoid their natural enemies such as herons, ospreys, kingfishers and raccoons.
Equally as uncommon as a twenty inch plus trout in Connecticut steams, are the anglers that have developed the techniques to locate them. Fishermen that consistently catch big trout have an intimate relationship with the streams that they fish. To locate resident trophies, the angler has learned everything about undercut banks, flow rates, feeding habits and the attractive hiding places that harbor big trout. Reading water is essential to becoming a successful angler. On small to medium streams it’s relatively easy to see the deeper pools, undercut banks and submerged structure where a big trout could hide. In small environments the king of the pool will spend most of the time hiding and only feeding at night or during periods of low light. On larger rivers where a pool may be hundreds of yards long, there are plenty of big trout lies and it takes experience from time on the water to locate a big trout.
Most anglers will tell you that more big trout are caught after dark than at any other time. It is also true that during the period of first light in the early morning larger fish may still be in the hunt for a last meal before heading to the safety of their hiding place for the day.
In Connecticut, the Farmington and Housatonic are probably the best, but not the only rivers to catch big trout. The pools and sections that are furthest from the road and access points are the highest percentage spots to look for large trout. When a big trout is located the angler will need to use stealth, keeping a low profile while observing and studying the trout’s habits before casting. Patience and observation are the keys to success.
