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Fly Tying
Andrew

What do 25" + trout eat

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After work on Friday, I shot over to Mossy Creek. Mossy is an extremely fertile and productive stream in central VA. I fished for about an hour only moving one 10" fish on an egg pattern. I continued with the egg and hooked into another 10" brown. As I was playing this fish to shore, a monster appeared out of the depths and pounced on my hooked trout. This monster was actually the largest trout I have ever seen on Mossy. I was at least 25 inches. When this fish had my fish in its mouth, I could not move my line. I was eventually able to free the caught trout. I was unable, however, to draw the monster into striking.

 

My question what fly would you use for trout that eat and manhandle (oris that fishhandle) 10" trout?

 

Andrew

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I'm a rookie at this, but from what I have been reading in Field and Stream and in some other books is that bigger streamers are great in the fall for bigger trout.

 

Things like wooly buggers and clousers, and probably a million other streamers I've never heard of or seen before would be the ticket. Good luck!

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Sounds like a very large Brown wanted your live "imitation" - larger sculpins, clousers, deceivers or featherwing streamers in local forage fish patterns sound like favorable options.

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How about a large baitfish pattern, imitative of the browns in the creek? Something along the lines of these might work. They can be tied in various sizes and color variations. I've been working on smolt patterns for all of the common trout species for the past week or so. With a little imagination it shouldn't be too hard to come up with two or three color variations in various sizes to tempt that lunker. Look at the 2nd page of the thread for the recipe and instructions...

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Big Trout Book

 

I'm reading the above book. If you want big trout this book will tell you where, when, and how to catch them. It says trout over 14" begin to eat primarly other fish. It also gives you some information on the differences between migratory trout and what they eat vs trout that remain in the stream and or river all year round. Lots of information in there as well.

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A 10" Brown Trout apparently...

 

Its the classic lots of fish/one really big fish question

 

If you tie on a huge baitfish pattern you will most likely catch nothing...but its your best shot at that monster.

 

 

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I agree, head out at twilight with a bulky mouse fly and some large 4 or 5 inch streamers, some weighted, some not.

 

Remember you can get away with heavier tippet at low light wink.gif

Best of luck!

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Anglers are not allowed on Mossy after dark. The stream is public, but it flows through private farms and properties. The VA Fish Department is set to stock their annual 10,000 fingerling browns. This should ring the dinner bell of those larger fish. I tied up a dozen zonkers in various colors over the weekend, so maybe I have a chance. All the zonkers were 4 inches or longer in an attempt to catch those large fish.

 

I will keep everyone posted.

 

Andrew

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Pick up a book written by Bob Linesenman called "modern tactics for throphy trout" it deals with flies and tactics for catching 20"+ trout and big streamers are the order of the day.

 

SD

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Well, this if for what I've used here on the big ones. And mostly big rainbows in that size (rarely find browns that big here). But have had great success with muddlers stripped below the surface. Aggressive hits. Actually watched the flash and could see the flashing run towards my muddler.

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Now this is coming from primarily a bait dunker, but i use creek chubs... big ones. Biggest brown i caught in Michigan all summer came on a 6-7 inch creek chub. I caught the same fish on consecutive casts. Measured a hair under 20 inches. Big fish eat little fish, and really big fish(ie 25 inch trout) eat bigger fish. If he attacked a 10 inch trout i would be tying some streamers at least 7 inches long. Or if all else fails throw on a big old rapala when the water is real high and kinda muddy. You will get him then.

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I have always been under the impression that larger trout are not likely to use up the energy to strike something small unless there is an abundance of it infront of its nose. I know if I were a fish I would rather feed on something big and layz around and fatty up then chase after eggs but if an egg was on my nose I would not hessitate to eat it.

 

I wouldnt run a block to catch the ice cream truck but I would run a mile for a big steak and taters.

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Conventional wisdom is correct, BIG fish eat BIG flies - throw 'em a piece of meat.

 

However, there are those rare times, like early morning Trico spinner falls on quiet water, that big fish will slurp up a mouthful of little bugs. I am a proud member of the 20/20 club and working hard to make the 22/22 mark next year. With the expansion of tiny hooks into the size 32 range....bring it on!

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