Renneberg

[Jim W]

You've got mail!!!

Time to catch that big brown!!!!

Jim W

[Renneberg]

I cann't wait!!!

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"Study to be quite"

[Jim W]

Renneberg and Sarge,

How about a friendly wager on the largest?

We could settle at the 4th Annual Trout Day?

One week away, not sure I am prepared, but am I really ever?

Jim W

[troutman]

I won't ask you guys where you're going but,will you report on you're success?I haven't been on a southeast mn.stream since June and haven't been on a stream period,(north shore)for a month.I'm getting the itch to get back out in some closer to home waters.Thanks,Mike

[Renneberg]

Jim, count me in.

What does the winner get?

Just be ready to walk. We're going to be doing a lot of that.

I just hope you two can last the entire day with me. Most people I take trout fishing can only last half the day.

Troutman, we'll report on how we do. I'm bring a camera to take pics, and I'll post the good pics on the web.

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"Study to be quite"

[Sarge]

We better start a list for Jim so he doesn't forget anything, 1-fishing pole, 2-waders

The standard case of beer to the winner would be fine with me. Whats your brew of chioce Renneberg? Just in case the moon is full, all the planets are aligned, the feeding charts are on, all the cows are laying down in the pasture, and you get really lucky to beat me? Not worrried about Jim, unless he gets some new line, he won't be landing anyting.(he got a bad spool of line last time we were out)

[Renneberg]

3. lures
4. sleeping bag

A case of Miller will do for me.

If all those things have to be just so then Jim and I are in real trouble.

Jim you better get some new line on that spool and bring some extra just in case.

5. extra line

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"Study to be quite"

[Jim W]

Renneberg and Sarge,

Renneberg, MILLER????? My odds have suddenly increased dramatically!

Keep up? Don't think that will be a problem here.

Sarge, better bring some extra lures for me, I stopped at Cabellas last week and spaced river/stream stuff out.

Renneberg will be worried about us keeping up and Sarge will be worried about how cold the beer will be. I'm a "shoe -in"!lol

Troutman,

Last weekend was my first time in a solid month, puttin' the waders on. Renneberg has asked that I keep my lips sealed, but if you ask nicely he might provide info!LOL

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[Jim W]

Renneberg,

I was trying to clean house and lost your mail.
I'll need directions again.
Jim

[Jim W]

It's interesting how I caught the biggest but no word of providing a case???
Leinies will do boys!

I'll let Renneberg give a stab at the report.

Thanks Steve, very good experience!!!!

Jim W

[Renneberg]

Jim, I would of posted yesterday but I went out the second spot we went to on saturday and had to spend the night out there.
I thought Sarge caught the biggest brown.

The weather was perfect on saturday. Off and on rain all day and big browns were bitting.

After a short walk to the river we started fishing a great lookin hole and it didn't take long for the first big brown to show itself. Sarge seen, then hooked a 20+ inch brown within a minute of starting. What a way to start the day, I thought.

As we moved upstream it didn't take me long to catch my first fish of the day. A small 10 inch brown. Jim then informed us that he was going to catch the first brown over 20 inches.

After fishing a few more great looking holes, and seeing a few pigs follow the lure out, and catching a few 12 to 15 inchers. We then came to the greatest looking hole yet. It didn't take long and Jim had a big 21 1/2 inch brown come flying off the bottom and hit his lure. The big brown put up a great fight and even jumped clear out of the water right in front of us. Sarge netted the big fish and after a picture, he was put back.
Next it was Sarges turn to take the lead, and it only took a few cast in the same hole before yet another big brown came up to bite his lure. This time ( if I remember right)the brown was a inch bigger then Jims. We took a picture of her and released her too.
Now, it was my turn to take the lead and fish the head of the hole. It didn't take long before we seen a long dark figure swimming behind my lure. Thou it never did bite my lure we did get a great look at it and we figured it was about the same size as Sarges last fish. As we moved upstream Sarge landed a nice 14 inch brown behind Jim and I in the same area I had seen that last big fish. Not long after Sarges fish I caught a nice brown in the teens.
As we moved upstream we had to cross areas so deep me and Sarge had to keep a eye on Jim to make sure he wouldn't get carried away by the current.
Fishing then cooled down a bit with only the smaller trout bitting. But that changed quickly when Jim and I watched as the biggest brown yet to be seen, followed Jim's lure out twice. That brown was easily in the upper 20 inch range. Jim told us that that had to be the biggest brown he'd ever seen in his life.
A few bends in the river later, and a few browns later, we came to a split in the river. On the left side was several trees laying in the water. On the other side one big tree that split the river. Sarge took the left side and Jim and I took the right side. By the time Jim and I had gotten to the other side, Sarge had moved up the left side and had seen a huge brown come up for his lure.
Jim and I were on the other side now with me in the lead. I made a few cast to the big tree laying in the water and seen nothing come out. We kept moving up and kept casting. Then as I watched the lure came out of the hole and across the sand I could make out not one but two browns about 20 inches come following my lure. I watched as they would flash at it but not hit. The very next cast only one followed the lure out. We all casted around that area but seen no more fish came out. As we kept moving upstream I watched as a bigger brown came running out and lightly hit my lure. Sadly she got off. After that fish got off Jim moved ahead of me and he too had a few follows and bites, but they too got off.
Sarge, then moved a little ways ahead of Jim and started fishing. Just down stream of a over hanging tree Sarge had a big brown about 25-26 inches flash several times at his lure then came sraight up and slammed it. This fish some how got off to. It was still fun to watch such a big trout come after his lure.
Jim some how got back in the lead and made his was upstream when he seen a 25 foot long log laying high in the water, about 6 feet from the bank, with over hanging trees. For whatever reason Jim let Sarge fish the log. Sarge bravely made a few cast over the log. Then on the third cast a huge brown in the upper 20 inch range, came up and grabbed his rapala. Sarge some how got the huge brown over the log without snagging it, only to have the monster come off. That browns tail fin was a good 10 inches from top to bottom. We figured it was 28 inches or so. Not long after that we watched as two canoes floated by. After that the fishing went south, so we headed in to rest and eat.

The second trip out for the day was alot slower then the first, since the rain had stopped and the sun came out, as did the canoers. We still seen a few nice trout, but it was the walk in and out that I feel Jim or Sarge should inform everyone on. I swear I never broke a sweat guys.

Go easy on me. I was the one that got us out before dark.

On Sunday morning we sleep in a bit before heading out. When we got up it was cloudy and rained once already. We'd hoped the weather would hold for most of the day, but by the time we got to the river there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The fishing was much slower then the day before, but once again the same hole that Jim and Sarge had caught their first two, produced one more big brown for Jim. Sadly, Jim didn't have his drag set tight and the 20+ inch brown got off. We made are way upstream. Then I seen Jim do something. Something I'd thought I'd never someone who loves to catch trout do. He poled the lure away from several 10 to 13 inch browns, and when he seen themfolowing his lure, he'd say "ahh it's just another 14 incher."
We did see a few more browns in the 20+ inch range, but called it a day earily before it got hot.

I had a great time Jim and Sarge,and I'd be more then happy to do it again next year.

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"Study to be quiet"

[This message has been edited by Renneberg (edited 08-25-2003).]

[troutman]

Sounds like you boys had some fun.Thanks for the excellent report...and now the itch MUST be scratched.Mike

[Jim W]

Renneberg,
If you say it was bigger that's all right by me. I know the fish Sarge HAD on was a mammoth brown!
As you mentioned while out fishing, it is all most as exciting watching those large browns follow as catching or hooking.....all most!lol

I have to give a bit of advice to all. If walking through extremely thick forest on over grown trails, please mark your route.

Fortunately for us, a prior visitor/fisherman had marked the trail. ALso, check your guides credentials and history/knowledge of waters your about to fish on!lol

Didn't break a sweat eh? Tell ya what, remember that comment in 14-15 years after you have lost some of your "baby fat" and put on a few like Sarge and I!!LOL

Again, thanks Renneberg for hosting us on some great Trout Waters I thoroughly enjoyed myself!!

Jim W

[Sarge]

With a case of beer on the line, I'll go with Rennebergs view of me landing the largest trout of the day.(we never did measure mine)LOL

Anyways I had a good time. The day started out fast, first cast I had a 20 inch class follow, and on the second cast it came back and smoked my lure, I had it on for a second or two before it threw the hook. Jim did land the first big one of the day, a 22" silvery male, and minutes later out of the same hole I landed a female of similar size. The first half of the day gave us some awesome fishing.

Its the second half of the day that I want to expand on. And to help paint the picture I want to give, I will share with all, that we were fishing northern Packerland, probably the heart of bear country. Thick, fern filled woods, swap grass over your head in the meadows, and brush along the river so impermible that you almost always needed to stay in the stream.

So we head out to the second place of the day. Jim and I figured Renneberg knew where he was going, But deep in the woods almost a half hour later, and after backtracking at least once and taking a different fork in a "deer" trail, we still were not on the water. We finally found a dry run that we figured had to head to the river. It did, and we were finally fishing again. The fishing action had slowed, but we were still able to raise some really nice fish.

Here is where the day went south abit. Because of fast aproaching darkness, we scrapped our original plan of fishing down stream to an area, from which we knew the way out. We just didn't know how much further in river miles it was. So it was decided that we would head back the way we came. (as the sun kept getting lower)

So we headed back down stream, wading thigh deep water, allowing the current to help push along our tired legs, at least mine! Finally we came to the spot in the river we had put in. Now the hard part. Getting back to the truck. If you think it was a task for us to get to the river, it was all that and more to get back to the truck.

Here is some words of wisdom if you are fishing an area that is unfamiliar to you, bring a compass or gps with you, head back to your car well before dark,stay together with your group, and never, never let someone who has never been there, and is starting to panic lead the way.

It started ok, after abit we crossed a fence that we all remembered, but then all the forks in the barely beaten trail, started looking the same, should we go left, or should we go right? It wasn't long and we were no longer on the trail which we had came, And we all had slightly different opinions on which way was out. After yelling ahead to the "leader" of the pack, whom I and Steve could no longer see, as he raced against darkness to get back, I hear "But its the most worn trail" I started to get abit nervous myself.

Now we start heading back down a hill, and we all knew something was not right, and a few yards later it was confirmed, we had made a "U" and ended back almost at the river. Time to start back tracking again, as I cussed aloud at the forest. Time is now a factor, the sun will be down soon, and I am mentally preparing to find a big log to hunker down next to for the evening, I wasn't to worried, I had some water, beef jerky and a lighter, but the choice of roughing it or making it back to the camp, where a tent, cold beer and steaks awaited us, was obvious.

I will cut this story short and let everyone know that we made it out, before dark, and we learned something about each other. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything, because we learned something and made it out safe. We got back to camp, Jim started a fire, I cooked steak, we all drank a couple icey cold beers, and relived the adventure around the campfire.

Jim and I have been fishing together for over twenty years, many of the memories mix together, we each remember things the other has forgotten, but this is one I don't think either of us will forget. Thanks Steve and Jim, I had a good time, and I am ready to go again.

[scifisher]

Oh, wow, that sounds like an awesome trip. Don't fret about getting lost. Happens to me alot. In fact, I have spent a night or two trying to get myself out of the brule forest. Now, I wear a compass around my neck and I have an accurate map. Hopefully, someday, I won't need them.

[EBass]

Just wanted to say great story

[This message has been edited by EBass (edited 08-27-2003).]

[Renneberg]

Sarge took some pics. of those browns we caught, so keep a eye out for them in the near future.

Ya, we were making good time on our way back, but then speedy Jim got in front and things got bad after that. Jim left me and Sarge in the dust several times while fishing in the morning and evening.

Sarge, I wasn't scared of the bears coming after Jim or I. Meanly because you had the beef jerky on you.

I'll give the winner his beer at Trout Day '04 or if we meet up sometime before then.

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"Study to be quiet"

[Renneberg]

Sarge, how are those pics coming?

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"Study to be quiet"

[Sarge]

Hey Steve, Instead of trying to avoid bears, like last weekend, I just got back from my hunt trying to get as close as you can.

Have not taken that film in yet, still a dozen or so pics left to take on it.

And I am still waiting to hear JimW's version of our trip. Come on Jimbo, don't hold back on us!

[rushing]

Any pics of them piggies yet?

Rob

[Renneberg]

Sarge, when are we going to be able to see those pics???

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"Study to be quiet"