brook trout question.....

[bemidjibasser]

What do you all consider a big brookie for MN? Would 16" be a big one for MN?

[goblueM]

yes. huge.

i'd say anything over 13 or 14 would be a pretty darn nice fish most anywhere in the state

[Abrams]

Over 12"

[so haaad]

I think it depends on if you are talking stream or lake brookie. A 16" brookie is a nice fish for MN.

[flyfisher03]

I would say a stream brookie 12" would be big size. For a lake not sure. The state record Brook trout is 6 pounds, 5.6 ounces, 24 inches, Pigeon River (Cook County) probably close to Lake Superior.

[walleye365]

stream brookies on the stream i fish are from 8-10 inches. Last season my biggest ever was 13.5. id say 13+ for streamers. lake id say 15+

[deets22]

getting a brookie out of a stream over a foot is a really nice fish

[BRULEDRIFTER]

It really depends where in the state it comes from.

Inland streams and creeks, anything over 12" is a nice fish.

Lake Superior tribs can produce monsters topping 20+ inches (coasters), but I think anything over 15 is a pretty good fish in MN tribs.

Then there are the lakes that are stocked and I'd say anything over 15 is a nice fish (I saw a 17-3/4 incher come out of a lake this year myself).

[Steve Foss]

Brule, I gotta say that's one cool avatar.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Thanks! It's a self portrait.

[Steve Foss]

It's a self portrait.

Well DUH! So's mine.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

You dance the funky chicken well!

[JBMasterAngler]

Nothing prettier than a big brook trout! I'd have to agree with everyone else, pretty much anything over 12 inches.

[youngie22]

My goal this spring is 24", personal best so far @ 22". Hope the ice is gone by Memorial day, and Karl has the boat ready, and motor chained to it this year! Wouldn't be bad to beat Karls best of 9#'s and some change though.

[Scudly]

Quote:

Nothing prettier than a big brook trout! wink I'd have to agree with everyone else, pretty much anything over 12 inches.

Just used this photo in another thread but dang, this one is worth looking at again. Something about a brookie. They look so slick and greasy all the time. Their skin just shines.

Caught this one right away on Wisconsin's pre-season opener last Saturday right off the bridge.

[deets22]

what a beauty

[Scudly]

Thanks! It was caught in some really special headwater. I am always amazed at how big a brook trout's mouth is compared to a brown of the same size. For stream trout I think a big brookie is anything 12" or larger. Most WI streams they have to be 8" or bigger before you can keep. I'd suggest releasing most brookies compared to browns. It is much easier to decimate a population. Brookies are probably the easiest to catch (once you find a good brook trout stream).

Native heritige brookies are making a comeback too. I have spoken with a U of MN scientist doing genetic testing from samples provided by Lanesboro Fisheries. As our trout streams get better each year I bet brook trout will continue to rebound.

[deets22]

I was given an article recently about heritage brook trout. It was great to see that all these streams in minnesota were able to rebound with native trout. Even though the east coast strain was stocked in these streams all those years, the ones who were doing the reproducing was the native fish. Who knows where genetic testing will take fish stocking in the future.

[Scudly]

Very cool Deets. Where was the article published?

[deets22]

It was given to me as a handout by one of my professors. I think it is from the pioneer press. It talks about genetic research on southern minnesota streams, and finding out that descendants of stocked fish aren't showing up in most streams. The populations in these streams have rebounded by remnant populations of heritage trout slowly making a comeback.

[RiverRunner]

Streams I would say any thing over 13 is big. Lakes would be anything over 15. It would be really cool if the Coaster populatin came back big time. I release all the brookies I catch in streams. My personal best is a 13 inch in SE MN. I caught a 12 inch tiger trout in the same stream the same day. What a cool fish, pretty awesome day.

[Big Hit]

Very cool Deets. Where was the article published?

The January issue of Midwest Fly Fishing.