Good to have ya back @BassSteve!!!

12 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Good to have ya back @BassSteve!!!

I appreciate it, all it takes is catching a nice fish to get me charged again 😎

Another 50 fish weekend with 2 borderline keepers to show for it.

Third double-up of the season on the rig

Did a trout trip up in the mtns with my wife and a friend yesterday, think we got 8-9 rainbows. It was pretty with some leftover snow from Monday. The 3 that I caught were with 3 different rods/reels . 2 on flies (one rubber legs, one egg pattern) and one with a helgrammite in-line spinner 
 

 

On 11/12/2025 at 7:06 AM, TnRiver46 said:

Did a trout trip up in the mtns 

 

Sorry if it's a dumb question, but are those wild?

 

On 11/11/2025 at 8:53 AM, Peacedivision said:

 

 

Is that a popper? Or a walking bait?

 

Pretty cool color pattern.

 

What brand/model is it?

 

Thanks

@HawkeyeSmallie duo realis bone pencil 130 white bone color. Hooks are owner stx-45s size 1.

56 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

Sorry if it's a dumb question, but are those wild?

 

My wife thinks they are, I think they are stockers haha. Both exist where we were 

5 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

My wife thinks they are, I think they are stockers haha. Both exist where we were 

 

That's pretty neat.

 

I had to just Google it, apparently the only native trout in Iowa is the Brook.

 

There's only ONE place here that has the native strain and is reproducing naturally.

 

Hopefully that place never gets "touched" by us dumb humans. 

55 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

I had to just Google it, apparently the only native trout in Iowa is the Brook.

Ya - Rainbows are native to the west coast, they got transported all over....I even caught a few back in Massachusetts when I lived there as a kid.

 

Browns aren't even native to North America - the Europeans brought them over to have 'something familiar' to fish for. So they can be considered an 'invasive species' - especially as they chase brookies out of their territory and take over.

@HawkeyeSmallie
 

We have “wild” rainbows and browns that reproduce naturally but they are not native. They were the ones stocked back in the railroad days of the late 1800s. Then we have sterile (triploid) stocked trout of modern day that maybe 1 in 1000 reproduce. The native southern Appalachian brook trout are ancient and have been threatened but are still kicking high in the mountains . 

Brief trip in the canoe after work, got 5-6. Yellow perch white bass and yellow bass. As I was taking a photo of one of the white bass, I laid my rod across my lap. Apparently my jig was dangling in the water over the side because the rod bent and there was a yellow bass on the line 😂 

 

@TnRiver46 is so good he catches fish without even trying. You da man!

FINALLY put a 40+ in the net today. First one since mid September. Been on decent numbers but quality fish have been scarce. That should improve as the water cools. We're getting there. Currently at 48 degrees. 

 42" and muskie #95 for the year. Closing in on that elusive century mark.

One solid striper today probably 5-6lbs on the spook

My crew and I hard at work catching dinner last week.

 

 

We going to 3 day trip next week, Great catch you have there. I count your post as good sign 😁. It would be last offshore trip in this season.

#96 41.5"  Worked hard for this one. 10hrs, one bite, and only raised two others. Front coming in tomorrow, hopefully it'll put 'em in a better mood.

Some cold water fish from Maine. The big lake Pike is the beast that has eluded me, through heart break and lofty fish tales, finally it has been captured. On a 1/4 oz spinner without wire nonetheless.

@T-Billy is about to get to get serious because there's THE HAT! Looking forward to seeing #100 soon.

Go, @T-Billy! We're all cheering for you.

On 11/16/2025 at 6:51 AM, king fisher said:

My crew and I hard at work catching dinner last week.

 

 

Nice Yellowfin ( Allison) after big cows at night?

On 11/16/2025 at 3:01 PM, ATA said:

We going to 3 day trip next week, Great catch you have there. I count your post as good sign 😁. It would be last offshore trip in this season.

Best time to is now Guadalupe south.

Tom

#97 was a skinny 36.5". No pic.

#98 was this fat 38.5".

#99 was this fat 38.5"

#100 Will have to wait till next week.  I spent about 9 hours on the water today trolling A-rigs around shad schools. I was around tons of muskie, but getting bit wasn't easy. I got one mid morning then no bites until the last hour when I picked up the two 38.5's about 20 minutes apart. Short windows this time of year. I easily trolled over a few dozen fish at my baits depth, and got three eaters.

 Back to the grind for four days, then vacation for ten. Forecast looks good. I think I've timed it right this year. 🤞

 

99...and counting!!!

 

Two from last week.

My fishing partner connected with this nice tiger musky.

...and I lost a 40"+ after a short tussle.

All three fish ate this fly:

 

...for perspective, the fly is about 11" long.