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Browns Are Always Pretty In Fall, But...

2312 Views 22 Replies 15 Participants Last post by  SERE Nate
5
...I've never noticed this blue patch behind the eye before...

Been a busy couple months with my son's football schedule (and still in the playoffs), but finally snuck out Sunday evening in a steady rain, and every fish I caught the other night had this blue spot...looked it up and it seems to be considered an indicator of wild fish.

Went back and looked at all the pics I've taken of browns this spring and summer and all have the blue patch (although it's more pronounced in these); I just never noticed before...Sheesh.

The last pic shows how a great night of fishing became an unforgettable one...

Underwater Marine biology Fish Fluid Terrestrial animal


Vertebrate Salmon-like fish Organism Oncorhynchus Fisherman


Water Salmon-like fish Organism Fish Oncorhynchus


Salmon-like fish Oncorhynchus Fish Trout Coastal cutthroat trout


The "unforgettable" is this last fish below...While fishing a different section, I heard a splash that sounded like a Kia being dropped into the water from the clouds...then, I heard it again...It was right around sundown and rainy, but I walked over to where I heard the crash and pitched the #12 soft hackle into the corner with my 3 wt...Third cast caught one of the better fish of the evening, but I didn't think it was the one I heard earlier, so, one more cast...

The line jerked and there was just enough light for me to see him explode out of the water and wet my pants...He made a couple runs that screamed line off my reel and then settled onto the bottom just moving back and forth 5 yards in front of me, like a rock that could swim.

15 minutes later, soaked and with my arm actually tired, I was able to bring him into the net...Held him in there in the water till I could get my phone for a pic...My battery was dead...Tried turning it on and just got the dead battery image...So, I prayed: "Please God, just one picture...Please."

Phone flashed the Apple icon at me, screen came up, and I frantically turned the flash on my camera, aimed at where I thought the fish was on my arm and hit the button...Twice. This was the best of the two...He swam away and I went home.

Plant Salmon-like fish Underwater Water Terrestrial plant


I know people have caught bigger, but to have landed this fish in the dim, in the rain, with flights of honking geese dropping on the water all around me, on 5x tippet and a T&T 3wt...I could have died happy right there :)
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Great fish! The size of that adipose fin is insanely large!
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Wow! Looks like a big fish and a monster on a 3wt. :)
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Great fish! The size of that adipose fin is insanely large!
I noticed that after taking the pic...it was dim enough when I got him to net that I could only see details clearly from the pic...
Wow! Looks like a big fish and a monster on a 3wt. :)
A lot of fun, but living with the expectation your tippet could snap any second is a little unnerving :)
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Cool photo. I've seen the blue dot on some Browns. One in particular at Warm Springs that my wife happened to get a great picture of and uses it in her photo stock collection. The sun caught the color just right and it really jumps out at you. Not sure if this coloration is unique to certain regions or just one of those random things. Perhaps one of the fishy guy's will weigh in.
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That's a good one. All of them.
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Steve, nice fish! I'd call it good karma from helping build Ezra's rod!!
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Nice!

Fall = BDB

(Big Dumb Browns)
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Cool photo. I've seen the blue dot on some Browns. One in particular at Warm Springs that my wife happened to get a great picture of and uses it in her photo stock collection. The sun caught the color just right and it really jumps out at you. Not sure if this coloration is unique to certain regions or just one of those random things. Perhaps one of the fishy guy's will weigh in.
I fished Warm Springs once… Got skunked and swore I go back and avenge myself ; that was about 20 years ago… Place just looks very fishy.
Steve, nice fish! I'd call it good karma from helping build Ezra's rod!!
That was a rare privilege, even though I messed up the transit of guides :)

Every fish caught on that rod will be unforgettable ...
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15 min fight seems way too long. Might want to consider a heavier rod if your intention is to C&R.
15 min fight seems way too long. Might want to consider a heavier rod if your intention is to C&R.
When your fishing with a 3 wt you don't expect that big of a fish. I use a 3 wt all summer long and catch big fish with it. I 5X tippet has the strength of a wet noodle. But I use that size all summer long. About 5 lbs of strength. Only had one fish break me off.
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Beautiful Fish! I've seen that on sea-run browns, never noticed on a resident but will look for it now.
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When your fishing with a 3 wt you don't expect that big of a fish. I use a 3 wt all summer long and catch big fish with it. I 5X tippet has the strength of a wet noodle. But I use that size all summer long. About 5 lbs of strength. Only had one fish break me off.
Exactly.
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Both the wild browns I've caught this fall in Washington had a blue spot.
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I think browns look best mid July. fat from eating big bugs and gulping every caddis they see.
I think browns look best mid July. fat from eating big bugs and gulping every caddis they see.
No way. Fall oranges and gold's, the spots really pop.
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