Tioga Pit trout?

[bmc]

I've got a outdoor writer coming to fish trout with me on Tioga Pit during the first week of March. I've only been out there once and between 3 of us, the one guy caught one rainbow a 12". Any info. would be great,
I know where to go, just don't know how the fishing has been this winter. Thanks

Brian

[jigglestick]

bmc, i have only fished trout through the ice there once in my life. i was pretty young then, and know anything about trout fishing. but i could see fish through the hole!! cool! i have however fished them on the north west and west side during the summer. not for a few years though. we used to be able to catch as many as we wanted, within limits of course, and i used to smoke them, umm umm good! how deep do you look for them in the winter, or do they come in all over? and what kind of bait/ lures do you prefer.
wouldn't you think there has to be some big fish in there by now? they were all the 12 inch variety back when we fished them. good luck. let me know if you'd like a tag along some time. i could use some trout lessons. i have all the gear i need cept for maybe some specialty hooks.

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keep a firm grip on your jigglestick!!....jigglestick....

[bmc]

Hey jigglestick,

I can definitely "hold my" own when it comes to Tioga trout, just haven't been out there as much as i'd like this winter. Last winter i put a 21" rainbow on the wall from out there. It seemed like I saw alot of bigger rainbows than the year before. As for location......turn that baby into swiss cheese. Seriously, they roam all over, but I always sight fish outta my portable and never fish more than 20-30 feet below the ice. As for tackle, I either use a crappie set up w/ a bobber and salted crappie minnow, jig it quite a bit. This is the method I use when my back gets sore from leaning over and looking down the hole. Or the smallest swedish pimples w/ a waxie. From looking at the DNR lake finder/stocking report, it appears there's some rainbows and brownies in the 5# range out there......may have to start bringing the walleye rods. I know that 21" gave my crappie rod/reel a heck of a work out. I'll probably be out there next week, being I'm off tues-thurs. One of those days, Sam Cook, from the Duluth Paper will be w/ me, but depending on how we do, I'll drop you a line here so we can get out before season ends mid-March.

Brian

[jigglestick]

thanks brian, allways look forward to a new adventure. i wonder if i know you. care to drop me a email with your name? and where you work?? my guess is george's bait shop in d.r.?

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keep a firm grip on your jigglestick!!....jigglestick....

[mwktrapper]

Stop in at God's Country and look at their rainbows that came out of Tioga in the summer. They have a 6 pounder mounted in there from tioga and the same guy claims to have a nine pounder mounted at his home from there, both caught in the summer. I myself have only caught those 12 inchers you talk of out of there.

[bmc]

Nope jigglestick,

I don't work at George's, but I do know the Brian that works there. Your email isn't in your profile, so here's mine. Drop me a line and we'll see when we can hook up and chase some 'bows in March. Include yer name and where you live, kinda' curious.

Brian
[email protected]

[Willowmaker]

I use to fish it all the time and have done very well. Try just off the old landing. There is a flat and then a good drop. Also around the high bank side in tward the shore quite tight. Alway had the best luck in the twenty foot range. I havent been out there this year though. Let me know how you do.
Keep the slack out.

[bmc]

Willowmaker,

I see that you're a fellow archer. Just wondering if you buy any archery stuff at Itasca Archery? Just an FYI for ya' too, they're starting the archery club up again, so if yer interested, inquire at Itasca Archery. Drop me an email and maybe we can hook up for a Tioga trip before season ends?
Any other FMer's wanna chase some 'bows and brownies on Tioga before season closes?

bmc
[email protected]

[Willowmaker]

great, not a whole lot of people have been fishing Tioga lately. At least not the last time I was by there. Theres some really great trout in there if you can find them and have alot of gas for your auger.
Keep the slack out

[bmc]

I about killed myself today out on Tioga. I started just to the west of the landing and worked my way all the way over to the east shore and then turned north and fished the shoreline all the way back to the landing. I started at 2:00 and was done at 6:00. The high light of my fishing season was tonight witha 13 3/4" brookie that grabbed my rainbow trout colored buckshot rattle spoon about 3 feet under the hole. Man what a rush. I also did have another trout "zoom" my bait, but he didn't hit it and didn't come back for seconds. The last brookie i caught out of there was 10-11 years ago. This fish was perfect, no clipped fins, and starting his kype on the lower jaw. Is there any chance that this fish was a "wild" one? Is this proof that brookies do spawn in Tioga Pit. I've been under the assumption that stream trout can't produce w/o running water like a stream. Can an underground spring give them what they need to spawn? Alaskander70, give me some thoughts on this if you would.

Brian

[Willowmaker]

Great, nice to hear they are still coming out of there. Good to hear you caught it too.I have to get out there. Before it closes. Thanks for almost doing youself in to iform the rest of us.

[rollz2002]

Hey are you sure it wasn't a rainbow because the last time they stocked brook trout in there was quite a while ago so i don't think it couls have survived. and also
there is no way a trout can change and strt just spawning they need the right stuff. so i would like to see a pic of that fish to prove it i just had a dicussion with my dad about it he is a DNR fisheries guy and he said there is no way that it was a brookie.

[Guest]

I've never known of any Brookies in the pit! Someone could have put a few in there, but that is unlikely. I am sure you know the difference between a Brookie and a Rainbow. A Brookie has vermiculations and white margins on the lower fins, pretty hard to mistake. Tioga pit is so infertile that stocking is necessary to provide a sportfishery. Natural reproduction most likely is not taking place.

[Guest]

Rollz2002....Which one is your dad? You can e-mail [email protected]

[bmc]

Well Sam Cook, from the Duluth Paper and myself finally hooked up today for some trout action on Tioga. We ended up fishing the shorelines, 20-30 feet. We ended up with one rainbow a piece, 11-12". We saw a few more that just weren't in the feeding mood. Fishing was good until it clouded up and then went down hill. Anyways it was a good day to be on the water.
I'm 99.9% sure it was a brookie yesterday. The snow white on the edges of the fins and the tail was almost straight up and down, no "v" to it at all. I'm just as curious as you guys, so get me yer addy's and I'll drop you a pic in an email.... with the 3 leopard frogs that were in it's gut included.
Hey rollz, I did keep the head w/ the front pectoral fins attached, maybe he'd like to take a look at it? If so, let me know.

Brian
[email protected]
[This message has been edited by bmc (edited 03-06-2003).]

[This message has been edited by bmc (edited 03-06-2003).]