In late September and October, A local stream usually has some frequently fished over large Brown Trout in the 3+ pound range. They are every bit as wary as wild trout and indeed its possible that that's what they are. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to hook one of these on three occasions but got broken off each time. Had to fish downstream with an extremely long 7x tippet since a conventional approach would send him from his "spot" of only a foot or less depth into the depths. I was able to get fairly close and observe that devil's antics only once when it was raining but I could see his back out of the water when on the feed. When I made my most stealthy cast he saw me and moved slowly to the side and into his hole. I'm sure that he got a good look at me and gave me the rasberry as he did so. He couldn't be approached from below because of stream side growth. Fishing from the opposite side was a tough cast, but a friend who lives in the area gave it a try and told me of this! He had been frustrated by this fish to the point of getting tired so he lay down to rest and still watch from a high bank. Soon the old fish moved into the shallows (on the opposite side from him which is his usual position) and began his belly on the bottom and back out of the water midge grabbing routine. Suddenly the fish made a teriffic commotion and minnows ran up on the beach which slanted upward for about a foot. AS the minnows flopped back into the water he picked them off one by one then went back to the midging again. I've seen Mackerel drive bait fish up onto the shore at Black Point in Conn but never saw these antics from a Brown Trout. What unusual trout behavior have you seen?

Ol' Bill