First Brown - WOW!

[raw69]

Got my first Mad River (Ohio) Brown Trout yesterday. A beautiful 18"er. What a gorgeous fish, dark gold on top and lightening up as it moves toward the belly, with ruby red spots bejeweling its body.
I was using a home made #4 Olive Strymph with a #12 light Hare's Ear beadhead dropper. I felt it, then I didn't, and then I did. It was hooked to one side of the nose with the dropper. I think it went for the Strymph, then dropped it, and then got snagged on the nose as I set the hook late. Another reason that I think it was after the larger bait is that when I netted it, it spit up a Sculpin the size of my fly.
I had spent the morning exploring in another spot with no luck. I still need help on reading trout water. I had taken a streamside class with the fly shop 2 years ago and remembered where we had practiced nymphing. I remembered Brian setting me up in a spot and saying that if anyone had a chance to catch a fish, my spot was the best. I moved up one bridge and found that area (a 30' run). I fished it up and down 3 times, losing flies, adding weight, moving the bobber, and really focusing on my drifts. Finally, the 4th time through, just above a fallen log where I had lost 3 flies, the snag pulled back. It was a great fight, the fish made 4 good runs into the current and had 2 net spooks before I got him.

[Gramps]

Nice job. I'm jealous. Everything is frozen here now.

[Helicopsyche]

Congrats!!

Sounds like a great early Christmas present.

Adam

[alra195]

Congrats! An 18" Brown on the Mad is a good fish. The Mad is a pretty tough little stream to learn to read. It's not what you'd consider classic trout water by most folks definitions. It's got very little classic structure to fish. You'll find most of the big fish, and yes there are some 20" plus fish in the creek, along undercut banks.

Streamers are a good bet this time of year but nymphing can be very effective. Try some small BH pheasant tails and copper johns (sizes 16, 18 and 20). You'll be surprized at how big a fish you can dredge up. Warm days like this and later in the winter try various midges (size 20, 22, and 24).

The Mad's a fun little creek, glad you got one of the good fish out of it!

Joe

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

Good for you. Remember to retire the fly to an appropriate place of Honor as your first Brown fly.

[Silverexpress]

trout in Ohio....mmmmmm......yum....snarl...garl....snarll. ..drooolll.....

[DARKSTAR]

Nice job. I'm jealous. Everything is frozen here now.

believe it or not, im jealous of the ice/snow... would love some soon...

[Ray]

Did I read this wrong or did you snag the fish???

[raw69]

I like to think of it as a highly skilled hook set that was a nanosecond late.

(anybody buying this?)

[raw69]

I like to think of it as a highly skilled hook set that was a nanosecond late.

(anybody buying this?)