Last week I read a Walleye forum entry in which a gentleman caught an 18″ brown trout in pool #4. I was curious whether the regulations would include this, so looked through the Minn/Wisc boundary section as well as the stream & lake regulations. It seems to fall through the cracks, but one might suppose that it would simply be out of season for the taking of trout regardless of the location not being in a designated trout water? Anyone know?
If not in a designated trout water one would assume you would go by general regulations. But which state? is the question.
Ajs
I’m not up to speed on trout regulations but as for the which State’s regulations you would have to follow, that is based on the license. If the fisherman is holding a valid Minnesota license, then those are the reg’s he must follow.
A fisherman with a valid Wisconsin license would have to follow the reg’s of Wisconsin.
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gentleman caught an 18″ brown trout in pool #4
An 18 inch brown (stream) is about like catcing a 25-26 inch eye. I’m assuming most people would throw it back anyways.
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An 18 inch brown (stream) is about like catcing a 25-26 inch eye. I’m assuming most people would throw it back anyways.
Although it does happen, the odds of catching a 30in walleye are greater, I would think.
Joel nailed it. 
I wasn’t referring to the odds of catching a trout in pool 4. I realize that is rare. I was questioning why you would keep an 18′ brown out of pool 4 or a small stream for that matter. Saying it would be about like keeping a 25-26′ eye. Most stream trout fisherman that I know would throw it back. If your going to keep them most keep the 12-14 inch fish.
Kyle,I dont think that brownie was kept but if it was within the regulations why wouldn’t you keep it?
They are stocked with the assumption of put and take.
Brown trout in pool 4 who would have thought 
Lemon and butter Steve?
One additional thing about the regulations if you have both a MN and a WI license you have to follow your home states regulations on border waters.
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Kyle,I dont think that brownie was kept but if it was within the regulations why wouldn’t you keep it
Same reason you wouldn’t keep a 25-26 inch walleye. It’s in the regulations that you can keep them too, but most people throw them back to become a trophy. A trout that has made it to that size has the chance to make it to the 20+ mark and become a trophy. I understand it’s legal and to each his own. I enjoying catching big trout. I keep about 3-5 a year and they are in the 12-14 inch range. Just my two cents.
I appreciate people’s thoughts, but I think that silt and summer water temperature are not going to allow an 18″ brown trout to make it to 20+ in pool 4.
Based on responses, it seems that I would likely have to contact the DNR to find out.
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I appreciate people’s thoughts, but I think that silt and summer water temperature are not going to allow an 18″ brown trout to make it to 20+ in pool 4.
Based on responses, it seems that I would likely have to contact the DNR to find out.
Trout catches on pool 4, and other pools on the Mississippi River, are not uncommon. During the winter months trout migrate from the small spring fed creeks that flow into the big river. Come spring these fish return to the more classic looking trout waters as water temps rise.
How often does this type of catch happen? I would typically catch 1 – 3 per winter back in my guiding days. My largest was a nice 24″ brown. Dustin Stewart netted a 23″ and a 26″ trout on the same day 4 or 5 years back and I watched Steve Vick catch a 25″ brown off the dock at Everts. The largest brown I’ve personally seen taped over 27″ and I’ve seen pics of other fish in the upper 20’s.
Perhaps not so surprising since large trout are frequently caught at the mouths of streams where it enters larger water.
I am relatively new to fishing on the Mississippi, but enjoy fishing the trout streams which I have done for years. So when this came up, it occurred to me that I would have to do some soul searching to decide whether to throw it back or smoke & eat it!
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Perhaps not so surprising since large trout are frequently caught at the mouths of streams where it enters larger water.
I am relatively new to fishing on the Mississippi, but enjoy fishing the trout streams which I have done for years. So when this came up, it occurred to me that I would have to do some soul searching to decide whether to throw it back or smoke & eat it!
I honestly don’t know the legality of keeping one. I always just tossed them back. I do know that with all the dead and dying shad in the big river during the winter the larger fish we did catch were absolutely fit to bust they were so fat. Making the migration out to the Mississippi River during the winter had to beat eating little bugs all winter long up in some spring fed creek.
If you contact the DNR on this and get an answer be sure to post back and let us know. I guarantee someone else will be in the same position yet this winter and your info will prove helpful.
A number of years ago I caught one just upsteam from the Vermillion. Caught it in early spring casting a husky jerk on the rip rap. It measured 27″. Still hoping to get a reproduction made, someday.
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