# Leap Day Open Trouting



## jer (Jan 16, 2012)

I love seeing water getting soft again! I took the pontoon and headed to one of my favorite areas. It's a great feeling to float a lake, it settles the soul. It was cold, but I managed to find some Rainbows










The wind picked up and my toes were cold, so I headed to shore around lunch time. It would be a shore tale from here on out, but it proved well worth it. I was soaking a minnow with one pole while throwing a LC Pointer. Lucky Craft is really growing on me. The minnow attracted some hard fighting Rainbows.

The Bows were so fat!!









Solid fish









A little time passed and my Lucky Craft was smacked. This felt like a better fish....and it was :lol: Tiger time.








19 1/2 inches









I noticed the minnow rod start spilling line. I waited for the perfect moment to set the hook. Fish on! It felt huge! Brought it to shore and...










Notice the hook is not in the mouth, but the tail. It's amazing how a foul hooked fish always feels massive... 

I had some more success with average Rainbows, but won't include their pictures...they're boring  I got another strong hookset on the minnow. This fish was huge and it took line. I was fighting it for quite a while, but as I was bringing it to shore my line snapped...EFFFF!   I debated leaving, but decided to throw the LC for a few more minutes and let a minnow soak. I was getting no love so I started packing my things. The line on the minnow rod started slowly spilling line...then nothing.

I didn't think anything of it. I was cold and hungry, but suddenly line shot off the reel. Fish on and it was large. I fought this fish for a good five minutes, being careful not to snap my line again. Finally pulled this brute to shore!!!!!   ....and a hook just like the one I lost was in the corner of its mouth  
















I love Tiger Trout! At 4.48 pounds this is my largest to date! Only 22 inches long, but with a 15 inch girth!! :mrgreen: I look like a stoner in this picture, but some fellow fisherman were kind enough to snap my picture.








And a great view to top off my night. Ah life is good 8) 









Life is short, live it well!


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## brookieguy1 (Oct 14, 2008)

Noice!! Ever try throwing maribou jigs on that water?


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## Ton_Def (Dec 23, 2008)

Pure awesomeness! I didn't even read the report... I couldn't stop looking at the pics. Those fish are saweeeet! Got me wishin' to float some open water...


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## Gee LeDouche (Sep 21, 2007)

Good crap! awesome job. I could die a happy man if I ever hooked into fish like those!


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Nice to see it treated you well. Great looking tigers!

Funny how you thought you had something huge and it ended up being a foul-hooked dinker bow. Always gets the blood pumping.

Glad you did well out there.


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## jwalker (Jan 3, 2012)

Beautiful trout, man! I think it's even more remarkable that you got a rare second chance on a fish that size and brought him in. Either way, I'm jealous. Good work!


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

It is hiss an miss there and it looks like you picked a day when it was ON! Nice report..


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## jer (Jan 16, 2012)

brookieguy1 said:


> Noice!! Ever try throwing maribou jigs on that water?


I have but haven't had much luck  Maybe I haven't mastered the finesse yet, any pointers???


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## spork40 (Oct 8, 2007)

what lake is this? Great job on some awesome fish


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## jer (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks spork! But I left the name out on purpose. Try thinking of some lower elevation trout waters, there's plenty of places starting to open up.


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## sharpshooter25 (Oct 2, 2007)

Nice report. Sounds like a great day, and what a fish!


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Atta boy jer! You did well..

That place hasn't treated me too good the last couple of trips. :|


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

It looks like you had a great time thanks for the report and awesome photos. 8)


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## iceicebaby (Dec 17, 2007)

that is a way cool tiger. Nice job


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## gunplay (Apr 28, 2008)

I fished there a little over a week ago and did well throwing flies. I did notice there are gold fish in there. I hope the tigers will keep them in check.


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## Bighead7572 (Mar 2, 2012)

Gorgeous fish! now all I can think about is putting the ice fishing gear in storage and blowing the dust off the float tube!


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## grousehunter (Sep 11, 2007)

great looking fish!


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## Tigru (Oct 15, 2007)

Great post and pics. Good times to be had!


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## REPETER (Oct 3, 2007)

Nice humpback tiger Jer! Looks like we're close~ hit me up if you can fish midweek


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

That's what the big tiger gets for being greedy!!! Great report and awesome pictures!


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## jer (Jan 16, 2012)

REPETER said:


> Nice humpback tiger Jer! Looks like we're close~ hit me up if you can fish midweek


I would love to! It just depends on the day of the week....work sucks :lol: If you plan a trip and can give me a week notice or so I'd definitely be down.


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

You gotta throw elbows to fish there now. People getting tickets for parking on the highway. Good stuff.


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