Pequest -- 11/21, 11/23, & 11/25

[Jigman13]

Pequest 11/21: Fished the Pequest from 31/46 intersection to about 2 miles upstream of the hatchery from 8:30/9 until 3-3:30PM--solo mission. Flipped pins minnows and drifted salmon eggs. Had one 9-10" rainbow on an egg and then hit a decent bow of about 15" inches and that was it. Bigger bow was kept for the smoker.

Pequest 11/23: Another solo mission. Fished a similar stretch as the other day, concentrating a few certain holes. Finished the day with 3 fish--2 nice 14-15" inch rainbows and FAT, fierce brookie. Got a bow and brookie on a black/silver yozuri pins minnow and pulled the other bow out of some turbulent water on a weighted woolly bugger--black on a #10 hook. The bows came home for the smoker and the brookie earned it's freedom as she put on a helluva show. Much obliged to release.

Pequest 11/25: Finally got mine! After watching my friends land a 8.3 lb and 6 and change brown in the last few weeks--yesterday was my turn! And they were there for the ride! Fished some of the locations I've been working this past week. Nailed a nice bow early on a pins minnow upstream of 31/46--he went on the stringer--another addition to the smoker. After that, really quiet for all. At around noon we needed to warm up so we hit Johnny's for a bite and to defrost. Changed course and headed downstream from there. Parked along 46 several miles down the road and made our way to the river bank. Still throwing a pins minnow I make a cast on the edge of a deep pool next to some raging water. I snag a submerged tree limb---wait, nope... Line starts RIPPING off my reel and I see a gorgeous golden belly and tail emerge as it heads down stream. YES!! Solid fish. Fish turned back upstream luckily and settles in a bit with some jumps and thrashing. A few minutes later she's in the net. What a gorgeous, lit up fish! As soon as she hit the net the pins minnow popped out her mouth and one of the hooks on the back treble was damn near straightened. Kept her in the water in the net as we readied the smart phones for a few shots. Snapped a few and I revived her to swim another day. After I left her tail go she took off like a bat outta hell--elation! And the karma of a trophy released... It's def been a solid November for me and the boys up in that neck of the woods! After that I managed another small brown on the pins minnow and dropped a rainbow after I switched over to salmon eggs. My one buddy Eddie hit a whistle fish as we were walking back to the car--feisty lil brookie. No love for Steve today... Some days it's chicken, some days it's feathers!

Here's a few shots of the big brown. I'm guessing she was about 24". I had the tape measure but didnt want to keep her out of the water any longer than needed for the pics b/c I wanted her to swim away--and that she did!

Catch em' up!