i have found that i cant get the action i desire out of the #13 rap so i stick to the #11 and have caught multiple fish over 20″ with it. nothing over that 25″ mark though. my biggest to date is a 24.5″ off a rap. there are a fair amount of trout out there between 20-22″ but once you get over that 22″ mark they are few and far between. now that doesnt mean that they arent out there, there is just not that many of them.

i guess i was under the impression that you couldnt. thought that was one of the things that changed when the new regs went into effect five or more years ago. i stand corrected.

not to mention that all non designated streams/rivers are catch and release only for trout.

i think well be seeing more and more tigers in the future. at least here in minnesota. im sure wis. isnt much different but having never fished it i cant say.

it seems to me that here in mn. since the 07 floods streams are flowing faster and cooler than they were before the flood. in 2008 i caught a brookie in a stream that dosnt hold brookies. it was also caught right where a spring runs into the stream. ive walked the spring for a short distance in the past but never saw any fish. that dosnt mean they werent in there though.

in 2009 i caught a bunch of brookies the same morning in a stream that isnt know for holding them. there are a few feeder streams known for brookies but this was quite a distance from any of them. again they prob washed out in a flood and again there were a few springs within a relatively short distance of where i was catching them. this goes to show that the quality of our streams is improving and its only a mater of time before a male brookie fertilizes a female browns eggs.

well said cutthroat. end of debate.

the decline in trout anglers debate happening on a few of the forums that some of us frequent to me seems SOMEWHAT b.s. a couple of my favorite spots have been fished by multitudes of anglers the past couple seasons when a short 10 years ago i could spend 3-4 days a week down there (and i did) and not run into a single person.

has anyone ever thought that there is as many people fishing or not much less than there used to be but a lot of them opt out of buying a license?

there has never before been so many special regs. in the outdoor sporting world as there is today. people are getting tired of our big fascist government telling us what we can and cant do. there are many land owners down here (and i say down here because i live and work here every day not just come down on the weekends) that have quit buying hunting and fishing licenses to harvest game on their own property.

give me a F-ing break their trying to pass a law that is going to make people buy a license to have a garage sale because the government isnt getting any sales tax money from it. like they dont steel enough of our money the way it is. then what i suppose theyll hire a few dozen people and pay them in excess of $40K to enforce it. what the hell is wrong with this place.

this rant may sound like im the biggest anti on earth but i am not. i believe that sound conservation practices need to be used today more than ever. i fish bait from time to time and dont harm too many fish because of it. i hold the rod in my hand at all times. i dont stick it in the mud so i can drink beer and smoke cigarettes. if i do hook one bad o-well frying pan it goes the license fees, gas money, and all the money spent on gear has to buy me something more than an enjoyable time on the water (which for me usually isnt because i hunt for 20″+ fish and when things arent going my way i get worked up and dont even enjoy it) but thats my problem.

anyway thats part of my $0.02 could keep rambling about this kind of stuff for hours.

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im not opposed to helping out a rookie. what im using bait/lures/lure colors that sort of thing. there is no way im ever going to give specific spots up.

i made that mistake before and a couple of my favorite spots have been over fished the past couple of years. tell one or two people they tell one or two people they tell one or two people…. you get the point.

ill give up a stream name if its not a small stream that could easily be over harvested by one person over the course of the season. there maybe a few streams out there with plenty of trout in them. however, there are plenty of rookies out there that if you would put them on a hot spot and they catch even an 18″ trout they keep it for the wall or to show off to friends and family. these trout streams are way to fragile for us “hardcore” trout fisherman to let that happen.

in my opinion even the maps make it way too easy to find good spots. just look on the maps for streams that have the longest distance between access points walk till the footprints stop and bingo good fishing. there are also plenty of deep holes under bridges that get pounded so much that the fish wont even look at your presentation. some of these places hold monsters. try fishing them in the cover of darkness it may lead to a fish of a life time.

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mark what are u using for braided?

nice fish mark. what did it measure? looks like fun. i havent cast a line for a few weeks now, having some major withdraws.

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ive been fishing power pro the last two years. love the way it casts and love to bait fish with it. what i dont like is this year i build a new rod that has titanium guides and when i fish raps the line makes a lot of noise. caught three fish over 20″ on it with braid last year but on a different rod with different guides. wonder if this has to do with the low numbers of fish and size of fish ive been catching lately. think ill go back to the gamma 6# mono next year.

ive also used the gamakatsu. i have mixed feelings on the circle hook but also have not used them that many times. i wish they had a bait holder. im sure that i just need a bit more practice with them. i lip hooked a 22″ male brown a few years ago on them.

8#2oz. would qualify for master angler. im sure your fish is close to that if not over.

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