Last night I went to my favorite stream after dinner. I arrived at 5:30 and hiked into the first decent looking pool and started fishing worms. On my third cast the trout hit. My drag screamed and as I stepped out into the crick the fish saw me and bolted past me downstream underneath a large tree branch hanging over. I had no choice but to follow this monster, climbing up over the tree branch and my rod underneath. Next thing you know the fish went for a log jam in front and got tangled up in that. The water was fast and deep and I was in a real panic now. I had this sick to my feeling in my stomach that this fish was going to get away. I frantically pulled on these branches trying to dislodge but one would not budge. Finally I got one branch off but the fish was still tangled. I went for the second and moved it enough to spook the fish out and he bolted downstream. Then the line felt limp and I got really sad. I instantly felt certain the fish broke off. I lost my chance at a monster. Well reeling in it turns out there much have been more slack line out. Now there was a big stick wrapped around my line but was that all? Suddenly I felt weight again and trying to tug the fish upstream at me we were at a standstill. I could tell I was wearing the fish out and finally after a few more pulses around the creek a 23 1/4 male gets swooped up in my big [censored] net.
This is #8 for me for fish over 20″ this season. Big trout love worms! Note 10 lb braided and my big [censored] Frabil net came in quite handy once again. Also thanks to Ted on DTA for recommending my camera tripod, it works well. I stick the butt of my net in the bank and hold the fish underwater (Frabil has 24″ depth). Then when tripod is set up I click the 10 second self timer, grab my fish and smile. One quality fish and I headed back to my car with noodle legs from the excitement of landing a new personal best PIG brown trout.
