i-bay 3/12/12 a success! + 3/14/12

[MadPerry]

headed towards webster. 2mph or less. water temp about 38. our first run of the year was good, and could have been great if i had my act together. dropped 2 lines straight out the back and immediately had a double before i could even start feeding out the planer. an 8lber and 7lber. started feeding a line out again and got smacked right by the boat by a 4lber. had a lull of about 45 mins and had some more cookie cutter sized. no real monsters but steady action. one of those browns had a TON of spots, including the entire tail. i've never seen a brown with an all spotted tail. i don't believe it is a steelhead. looks like a hybrid. i'll post a pic if anyone is interested. all stickbaits and every color/size/type produced fish.

3/14/12. had only 2 hours this evening but it turned out good again. solo pulling 3 lines. 5 for 7. same speed. water temp up to 43 out of the bay and shipbuilders. 2 in-line planers each side and 1 straight out the back. everything took hits, but clown colored matzuo 3.5" took 4 on it's own. all but 1 of the browns tonight were in the 3-4lb class. 1 for 6-7lbs. nice even hits, except a double that i couldn't manage and dropped.

i can't figure out if i'm getting better at this or the bite is even better than last year. i will say that using big boards or in-line planers appear to be paying off.

[ryanrobb52]

Please post a pic of that fish

[MadPerry]

the more i look at this fish, i think it may be a steelhead. just looks so much like a brown...

[stoutner]

The head looks a lot like a steelhead but the flat tail (no fork) says Brown all the way to me.

[Tim Bromund]

that's 100% brown trout. What's the confusion, it looks nothing like a steelhead?

Tim

[Tim Bromund]

real pretty brownie by the way

Tim

[MadPerry]

that's 100% brown trout. What's the confusion, it looks nothing like a steelhead?

Tim

the small picture doesn't really emphasize the tail and top fin spots. they are both completely spotted. that would be typical with a rainbow/steelie. not a brown. as i said above, i've never seen a brown with a completely spotted tail. you always see them with a few along the top or none at all. fish id's all show browns with a few or no spots, rainbows with completely spotted tails.

[panfisher]

Brown, down, brown....no doubt, you can bet your bottom dollar!

[143447]

looks like brown for sure that just left a creek in the last few days...nice!!

[MadPerry]

thanks to you all for clarification. only 2 years into this so i still have a lot to learn...

[stoutner]

that's 100% brown trout. What's the confusion, it looks nothing like a steelhead?

Tim

the small picture doesn't really emphasize the tail and top fin spots. they are both completely spotted. that would be typical with a rainbow/steelie. not a brown. as i said above, i've never seen a brown with a completely spotted tail. you always see them with a few along the top or none at all. fish id's all show browns with a few or no spots, rainbows with completely spotted tails.

I agree about the spots. Don't know if I've ever seen a Brown with a spotted tail like that. Pretty fish.

[Tim Bromund]

Here's a nice brown we got on the boat a couple years ago with the tail pretty spotted up

Tim

[fisherman21]

rich thats a sweet looking brown. when you taking me out lol

[adam2000]

that's 100% brown trout. What's the confusion, it looks nothing like a steelhead?

Tim

yup

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[lakebound88]

Looks like a Seneca Brown !!

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[scott111]

nice. hope to get out this weekend

can you say if you were in 15ft of water or less?

Thanks

[Pike Hunter]

Great job out there Madperry!

[MadPerry]

rich thats a sweet looking brown. when you taking me out lol

Manny, there is always a spot on my old floater for you!

[MadPerry]

nice. hope to get out this weekend

can you say if you were in 15ft of water or less?

Thanks

yes. stayed pretty tight to 10 fow. didn't feel a need to wander because the bite was so good.

[Reeldeal24]

Hi there I was wondering what depth you were fishing or distance from shore. I heard people were trolling close to shore about 30 ft for browns. Would like to go out within the next day or two. Thanks a lot sounds like your getting good at this!!

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[LOSTFROMFLORIDA]

I have a question.... i am used to fishing in florida and some of the fish as they get bigger in size we have been taught to steer away from eating them. ( reasons of hig mercury levels, and such) does this hold true for the trout and also is one species better to eat than another? Just wondering what popular opinion is here? Thanks

[Mortigan]

It's the same here - but discussed often: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29242&hilit=mercury

Personally, mercury poisoning's gonna have to wait in line...

[ReelPower]

Personally, mercury poisoning's gonna have to wait in line...

Lol that's hilarious. My sentiments exactly.

[LOSTFROMFLORIDA]

Thanks for the link. That helped alot. Any preferences on which species or are they all generally good to eat? I know the lakers aren't great table fare, are there any others to steer away from and throw back?

Thanks again guys!!

Should be out there tomorrow before the st patty's day festivities begin!!!!

[Mortigan]

You know, I've read that but I've eaten spring laker and it was delicious. Could be a seasonal thing, maybe, like spawning salmon? I know a lot of people love smoking a few lakers each season.

There's a thread here somewhere that said spring coho is the best eating fish you can catch. Maybe I'll stage a taste test this year and compare all six species...