The 20" Brook Trout Club

[troutchaser]

So I took a week and went into the S****r L***e Wilderness for some for a 17 mile 4 pond brook trout fishing trip. This seasons goal was to catch a brook trout over 20". Not an easy task.
The trip started off slow at the first pond, huge pain even getting on the pond. Fished it one night and I took more pictures that I did casts. I didn't catch anything on this pond but did see the trout at the surface eating jaws style with their dorsal fin sticking out of the water. The next pond was more productive. Catching 5 brook trout ranging in size from 8" up to about 16". Didn't fish the pond really hard, relaxation got the best of me. I was on vacation after all.
After packing up and heading in another few miles I finally got to the namesake lake. I finally got close and bushwacked down to the lake shore and trolled the lake before setting up camp in the lean to. After a very short troll BOOM my first hit. The canoe pulled around and the drag screamed. Then bloop out came the hook. Total excitement then total let down. I know it was a monster. So on I went and repeat that again. No other action the rest of the day. The next day I would spend about 10 hours on the lake. Action had been slow. So I switched from the trusty wabbler to a spoon that I've had some luck with. That's when it happened the first fish on the lake was a 21" brook trout. The lake also produced a 17" and a 19".

Also was joined by the State Police. The last pond I didn't make it to fish but I'll be back there again. The fishing isn't the greatest in this area but there are some huge fish. Good luck getting in there though its a solid 8 miles to get to the lake and rugged.

[Stillhunter]

Congratulations on a great outing. You will never forget that one.

[troutchaser]

Thanks. And no I won't forget that one. Not the fish not the State Police and certainly not the people I met on the trail and those I've met off the trail. The fish made the day but whole experience made the trip.

[bioguide]

Congratulations on an epic trip...

[tombaisley]

Nice trip, did u haul a canoe or float tube?

[bmike-vt]

Originally Posted by tombaisley

Nice trip, did u haul a canoe or float tube?

Originally Posted by troutchaser

The canoe pulled around and the drag screamed. Then bloop out came the hook.

Did the State Police stop and chat? Or just fly by?

[Stillhunter]

Might have been the DEC fisheries folks. Last fall I had the state helicopter come right over me from just over the tree tops while in my tube. It was quite an experience to see and I nearly lost my hat with all the prop wash. They landed about 300 yards from me. Sat there for a while (stocked?) and then took off again.

[gmorin71]

Originally Posted by troutchaser

Also was joined by the State Police. The last pond I didn't make it to fish but I'll be back there again. The fishing isn't the greatest in this area but there are some huge fish. Good luck getting in there though its a solid 8 miles to get to the lake and rugged.

Any contact/convo with them? I hope that they were checking your license. Please understand that tone is hard to tell when you are reading text I am NOT implying that they should have been checking you, but I have always wished that there was more of a DEC presence in a number of places. I fish as much or more as most people that you would meet and I literally have never, not even once, been asked for my license. Sad that the DEC is understaffed to the extent that they are.

on a serious note, awesome fish! bruiser. What kind of gear did you haul that far in?

[Wilderness Brookies]

Congrats...gorgeous trout. I'm curious, are you having it mounted and how much did it weigh?

That helicopter looks a lot like the one I saw stocking while I was fishing a pond last fall.

[vtflyfish]

Very nice Brookie indeed!

[troutchaser]

Originally Posted by Wilderness Brookies

Congrats...gorgeous trout. I'm curious, are you having it mounted and how much did it weigh?

That helicopter looks a lot like the one I saw stocking while I was fishing a pond last fall.

Thanks. No I'm not having it mounted. A picture is good enough for me and the fish was successfully released. The water temps were still in the low 50's so I felt comfortable putting him on a stringer and setting up the camera on the canoe for a few pics. Otherwise I probably would have just released him back without a picture like I do most of my fish. Or taken a pic with the tape measure in the canoe. Kind of hard to mount up a DSLR for quick pictures like I've done before with a point and shoot. I don't like to stress the fish any more than I have to. Catch, admire, release. (Most of the time) Sometimes fish make it to the freezer or the smoker.

As for the weight I'm not really sure I don't have a scale so I couldn't measure it. All I was able to get was the length. But if I had to guess a conservative figure maybe 4.5 lbs. and being a little more liberal 5.5 lbs. It was a hefty fish but I'm not that great a gestimating weights.

The helicopter in your picture looks almost identical to the one in mine. I would venture to say that you, Stillhunter, and Green Drake are right that the likely conclusion is that they were stocking fish. It was cool to watch them land and take off that's for sure. And unlike Stillhunter they didn't get that close to me. Thankfully.

[troutchaser]

Originally Posted by gmorin71

Any contact/convo with them? I hope that they were checking your license. Please understand that tone is hard to tell when you are reading text I am NOT implying that they should have been checking you, but I have always wished that there was more of a DEC presence in a number of places. I fish as much or more as most people that you would meet and I literally have never, not even once, been asked for my license. Sad that the DEC is understaffed to the extent that they are.

on a serious note, awesome fish! bruiser. What kind of gear did you haul that far in?

Gmorin
No I didn't have any contact with them except for a wave. And no I don't think your license check statement is in anyway offensive. I to a certain extent agree with you. In my 12 years of hunting and fishing as an adult I've only encountered one DEC officer in the field. He checked my paperwork after a duck hunt and made sure I didn't have any lead. I like you fish A LOT. Every weekend that the water isn't to warm. Last year was the first year venturing out into the wilderness. I hit up around 15 ponds and did about 150 total miles in and out of the back country and saw very few people let alone a single DEC officer.
As for my gear selection. My canoe is a 25 lb. We-no-nah Wee Lassie which I put a yoke on and carry it on my shoulders. I use a 7' spinning rod typically with a wabbler and a worm. But will switch to wooley buggers and various spoons. Thin flutter type spoons, think suttons or hinkley's. This was my first trip camping out of a hammock. Learned the lesson, know your gear before you use it. Makes things go much smoother. I use a Katadyn hiker pro to filter water. And your various other necessary camping gear like cook set, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, ect. All in all my pack was some where around 30-35 lbs. and with the canoe fully loaded with life jacket kayak paddle rod and reel, and sleeping pad stuffed in there its probably 28-30 lbs. So total weight some where around 60-65 lbs.

[EagleCrag]

Wow. I hiked in there once, not to fish but while hiking the NP Trail. Wouldn't want to haul all my gear that far. A pack is bad enough, not to mention a boat or float tube along with all the stuff for a multi day trip. Of course, I'm not as young as I once was. Beautiful fish and I'd say you earned it! Congratulations.

[Green Drake]

The state copter has been out stocking. The ALSC also takes monthly flights for water sampling.

[Stillhunter]

You could always have a replica mount done. Some of the work being these days is pretty amazing. You did a nice job on the picture so that is a great keepsake. My hat is off to you for releasing it. I would rather eat a few 10 to 12 inchers on a trip like that than a big trout. Easier to cook and taste much better I think.

[vtflyfish]

Another suggestion is to have adkbrooktrout (Preston) carve you one. He does outstanding work for a fair price.

[wildbrookies]

Very big beautiful Brookie TC !!! You succeeded in your goal and got to enjoy a lot of Adk`s fresh water and air and nice campfires at night.. Not a bad day no matter what.

[troutchaser]

Originally Posted by Stillhunter

You could always have a replica mount done. Some of the work being these days is pretty amazing. You did a nice job on the picture so that is a great keepsake. My hat is off to you for releasing it. I would rather eat a few 10 to 12 inchers on a trip like that than a big trout. Easier to cook and taste much better I think.

Your definitely right Stillhunter. The replicas I've seen do look good and they also last far longer than the real thing. Still probably won't go that route though. I also agree the smaller ones taste better. I did get to cook up some that I caught. Nothing like frying up some trout on a nice bed of coals.

Originally Posted by vtflyfish

Another suggestion is to have adkbrooktrout (Preston) carve you one. He does outstanding work for a fair price.

VT you have certainly peaked my interest with a wood carving of a brook trout. I just may contact him about it.

[Pauly D.]

That is an awesome fish! Congratulations!! It's cool that you got to see one of the stocking choppers in action too. Sounds like a great trip.

[troutchaser]

So if anyone else has any pictures of monster 20+ inch brookies they have caught I'd love to see them.