Biggest Trout

[Tyler D]

So I moved to rochester in december for a job and picked up fly fishing when I moved here. Been hitting the streams quite a bit for the winter season and have caught a fair amount of fish so far.

My question is what is the biggest trout you guys have caught or heard of being caught in the SE MN streams...So far my two biggest are a 17" brown and an 18" rainbow. Wondering how big some of these fish get in the streams down here.

[dcmusky]

26" brown is my biggest & was released so it should be huge by now!

[itchmesir]

my biggest was what seemed to be about a 20" brown.. meaning he exceeded my 16" mark i had on my rod and had to guesstimate from there.. i've only been trout fishing for like 3 or 4 years now

[DARK30]

24" Brown near Preston over ten years ago...time for another

[JIvers]

19" Brown out of the mouth of a small stream in Winona County.

SE Minnesota trout streams have the capability to grow a lot of small trout, but relatively few big fish. I know that the old state record Brown of 12 lbs or so came out of the Whitewater, but this was an exceptionally large fish for this region, obviously. The smaller streams just don't have the space to grow large fish, although as this thread shows a few do.

[hanson1287]

SE Minnesota trout streams have the capability to grow a lot of small trout, but relatively few big fish.

Thats just crazy talk. The streams here in SE MN have excellent capabilites of growing very large trout. Fact of the matter is nobody is willing to get away from the usual spots and crowds and walk a ways to get to the fish. Those that wander are often rewarded. I caught 10+ fish over 20" last year alone.

[#1RiverRat]

I would have to agree with hanson1287. This is one of the better states for trout fishing. Even with some harsh winters trout get to be good sized, you just have to know where to look. Two over 18" and one at 24" last year and were browns, plus released. It was hard releasing the 24" but needs to be a bit bigger to go on the wall.

[JIvers]

Originally Posted By: 'eyehunter

SE Minnesota trout streams have the capability to grow a lot of small trout, but relatively few big fish.

Thats just crazy talk. The streams here in SE MN have excellent capabilites of growing very large trout. Fact of the matter is nobody is willing to get away from the usual spots and crowds and walk a ways to get to the fish. Those that wander are often rewarded. I caught 10+ fish over 20" last year alone.

Most of the smaller headwater streams do not produce large trout--on the ones I fish a 16" is a big fish. The Root and Whitewater, and some of the larger creeks, will produce larger fish, but those waters are the exceptions.

There is simply not room for large trout to grow in the smaller creeks. Plenty of food and usually decent water quality on the smaller streams produces a lot of trout, but the size isn't there.

[dcmusky]

Gotta know were to look, just like lakes some are trophy streams with few trout some numbers lots of trout but smaller size. Most of my biggies come from maginal trout waters or the C&R only streams.

[Tyler D]

All my life I swore that I would never fly fish.....true to form for me I started and have now become completely obsessed. I will be buying another rod next week specifically for fishing streamers for big trout and smallies.

My goal is to catch a 24incher this summer, so my follow up question what did you guys catch your biggest fish on? And any recomendations for a trophy trout fly?

[dcmusky]

Olive wooly bugger! Best spring fly there is. So hows the water levels going to look for the C&R opener?

[JIvers]

Gotta know were to look, just like lakes some are trophy streams with few trout some numbers lots of trout but smaller size. Most of my biggies come from maginal trout waters or the C&R only streams.

Agreed on the "marginal water" for big trout observation. My largest Brown (prepare to cringe in horror, fly guys) came on a 4 3/8" firetiger Thunderstick--I was looking for big Northern, with big Browns an occasional bonus in that place. My largest brookie came last summer on a 1/4 oz. orange Rat'l Trap on the Upper Iowa casting for smallmouth.

The lower Root (below Lanesboro) is one place to look for a big trout. You won't catch many trout, but those that are in there tend to be large. Myself, I prefer numbers of trout to size, so I put in most of my trout time when I'm back in Fillmore County on small, nasty, tangled headwater streams.

[Se Mn FishSlayer]

24" brown and 28" rainbow for me. I know the dnr shocked a 35" brown a couple years ago so they are out there

[Paul_Kramer]

24" brown and 28" rainbow for me. I know the dnr shocked a 35" brown a couple years ago so they are out there

Fishslayer, is that 28" rainbow the one in your avatar pic? Either way that's a pig. My best brown is a 24" that I got while muskie fishing in some "marginal water". 21" is my best rainbow. Can't say it was caught in a stream, but in another local body of troutin water.

[hanson1287]

Paul I think your brownie came from less than marginal water to be honest with ya. To this day your trout is the only one that I have ever seen or heard of being pulled out in that type of area.

[Paul_Kramer]

Yeah, I never thought there'd be one in there either. He was in the fastest water down there, if you know what I mean. Then again, I've seen pics of two brownies that came out of the Mississippi in the last year or so, you never know. You going to trout day this year?

[Afishinfool]

My grandfather fished the south branch of the root river from Mystery Cave Area to Preston for 70 some years.  He has 4 browns at 20 to 26 and one hog he caught at the age of 72.  The fish was 10lbs 4 oz. and 29".  A fine trophy for a man who chased em all his life.

[hookedupfishing]

Got into trout fishing this year and landed a 21 and 25. Both were very dark complexed and not the prettiest. Not sure if that means they were broodstocks or not. The 25 I chased all summer at my favorite hole. Finally got him to bite recently as the season is winding down. Can’t imagine catching a 10 pounder, that’s pretty awesome.