The biggest rainbow of my life: a short story

[AndyS]

You never forget the ones that got away, but quickly forget the ones you landed, something like that

[Capt. Lou]

I love to fish big trout , you don’t always land everyone , it’s like Andy said , you will remember this fish for life . It’s part of the game .

[Treble Hook Jim]

I was at the Stanton Station bridge on the SB a few weeks ago with my wife just out for a drive on a nice evening and we stopped to peer off the bridge. There was a couple on the downstream side of the bridge and a guy on the upstream side fishing. As expected you could see numerous trout swimming about both above and below the bridge, I had on polarized glasses and my wife did not. My wife commented, “Look at the size of that one” being the dumbass I am, I could not see the fish she was referring to. “Where?” I asked. Right there below us she replied. Still couldn’t see anything... she then asked how I possibly couldn’t see the fish... I was looking for a standard 18-21” stocker. I finally saw the fish she was referring to and realized why I did not notice it. It was every bit of 30” long and thick as a log. The trout had big red cheeks and peck fins. By far the biggest trout I have ever seen in a Jersey stream. First thought was to come back the following day with my 6wt steelhead rod but then realized we were expecting 2” of rain the following day. This fish was every bit of 10# and would have been more than a match for most of the gear Jersey fishermen usually use...They are out there though and you never know when you will be the lucky one to hook up with one of these beasts!