# Lost 2 HUGE trout!



## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Could this be the year?

I don’t have photos from this morning but I have a story.

I launched the kayak just after daylight targeting trophy trout. I have been on a mission for 4 yrs. now to catch a 30” or better trout in our N. bay systems on an artificial.

Conditions seemed good, falling tide, pre-frontal conditions.

I’ll skip the uneventful first hour & half I spent working different spots. I was really bummed having caught only one trout 17”and decided to make a move to 1 last spot before calling it quits.

Here’s where this gets good.

So, I was tossing my confidence bait, my favorite BF-1 white, chart w/ grn back, into shallow water retrieving over a ledge dropping it off into deeper water.

The thing w/ trout is when they hit a lure it’s either a subtle little “tap” or they tear the rod from your hand. Quite often the “tap” strike is a smaller fish. So I’m casting and trying to locate fish on this point and start getting little taps but nothing was connecting, I figured I ran into a group of small fish.

Well, a few more casts, and then I get a strike that nearly made me fall out of the yak. I thought I had hung a striper or something. I had made a long cast and had a lot of line out, this beast comes out of the water tail-walking across the surface like a tarpon does, then went straight down and started shaking that massive head. This fish had some power, I could feel the wt. so I knew it was a sizeable trout.

I got her boat side and got a good look at her, her back looked to be over 5” wide, super thick body, head & mouth could swallow a cantaloupe and the color, WOW deep blacks and greens just a beautiful fish.

Well, she did just what big trout do best, she comes out of the water turned her-self inside out and somehow tossed my lure and POOF! She was gone.

Broken hearted I sat there for a few moments, composed myself. I made another cast, nothing, cast, nothing, cast…BAM! Drag goes zingggggg!

Same thing, huge trout she had to be the twin sister of the one I just lost. 

Being more careful this time I really played her longer than I wanted fearing if I did get her in the yak she may not survive, but lightning struck twice today….one last surge, somersault in the air and she sends my lure back to me complete w/ opened up treble hooks.

OMG! How can that happen 2 times? Well…lady luck wasn’t done with me yet. I continued fishing that area and managed to lose one smaller fish. Ok I get it…today is not going to happen.

BUT…I have now patterned, targeted and located some exceptionally large trout. After this weather clears, I’ll be there.

Could this be the yr. I check that 30” trout off my bucket list? 

Stay tuned….


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Wow! I would of been heartbroken but you know where they live now. I have yet to find big trout in upper bays and rivers so congratulations! Go get 'em


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## timjb83 (Jan 23, 2013)

Excellent story Bruce and sorry on missing the fish.. I felt like I was there.. Fishing and not catching right?! 

Do you think you could have done anything different to change the outcome? 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Tim
I've replayed it over-n-over. I usually have no problem w/ fighting fish, but these 2 girls were huge!

They were 2 of the biggest trout I've seen in 3 yrs. I know the 1st one would have gone past 28"-29".


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## CaptainPJ (Dec 22, 2016)

I'm new to bay fishing. Your story really piqued my interest in chasing trout. What was the lure you were using (BF-1 white, chart w/ grn back). I have a few lures in my box but am eager to load up on some more, especially ones that have worked well for other fishermen from the same area.
P.S. I enjoyed your story. You did a great job capturing the moment in words.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Great story Bruce....gotta get quicker w/ the net! You can use one of them big ole nets and if the wind is right, line it with a shirt then use it as a sail to get ya around!!! hahaha At least you know they are there brother!


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## GatorBane (Jan 11, 2010)

Back in May of 1983 I was wade fishing the Gulf Breeze side of 3 mile bridge. Chest deep water right where the small pier is today. Bouncing a White Fire Tail jig off the rocky bottom, when a MONSTER trout hit that plastic on the fall. I did not weigh or measure that gator, but it was easily over 12lbs. and the tail stuck out a foot in my 48 quart Coleman. I'm guessing 36 inches at least. You may laugh but I honestly think that fish was over 15 lbs. I kick myself knowing it was likely a record that I believe would still stand today. ???


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## 16983 (Sep 12, 2011)

Heart breaker......Damn Bruce, I hate that happened twice. Presistence pays, so I have no doubt you'll see 'em later.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

*Bf-1*



CaptainPJ said:


> I'm new to bay fishing. Your story really piqued my interest in chasing trout. What was the lure you were using (BF-1 white, chart w/ grn back). I have a few lures in my box but am eager to load up on some more, especially ones that have worked well for other fishermen from the same area.
> P.S. I enjoyed your story. You did a great job capturing the moment in words.


Hi Captain;

Thanks for the feedback, I like telling a good story, especially when it involves trophy trout.

The BF-1 is a collaborative effort between myself and a local lure maker. I wanted to design a bigger profile than the MR-17, mirrodine series w/ a diff. sink rate to match my fishing style.

Gastonfish (PFF member) adds his own special paint details to round out a winning combo for me anyway. I have great success w/ it while others might not slow down enough to really benefit from the lures design features.

It's best thrown on spinning gear with 10# braid or light mono/fluoro. It's got a sexy little wiggle when it sinks and I fish this lure super slow. A friend calls it my "do nothing" approach...toss it out, drink coffee, eat-a-sandwich and twitch it now n then. :yes:

Here's the one I've been using, it was from the original series done 2 yrs. ago. Needs some body work on it and new hooks.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

GatorBane said:


> Back in May of 1983 I was wade fishing the Gulf Breeze side of 3 mile bridge. Chest deep water right where the small pier is today. Bouncing a White Fire Tail jig off the rocky bottom, when a MONSTER trout hit that plastic on the fall. I did not weigh or measure that gator, but it was easily over 12lbs. and the tail stuck out a foot in my 48 quart Coleman. I'm guessing 36 inches at least. You may laugh but I honestly think that fish was over 15 lbs. I kick myself knowing it was likely a record that I believe would still stand today. ???


Oh NO!
I'm not laughing and I tend to believe you. There are huge fish in the ICW.
Back in '83 trout didn't have the popularity they do now. I remember daddy not even really wanting to catch those yellow paper mouth trout as we called them.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Most of the time in colder water the big boys don't go thump. They feel like you hit a snag, the lure just stops. I can remember back and they don't usually react until you stick them with the hook. They just swim up to it and open mouth and engulf it, no thump at all.


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## CaptainPJ (Dec 22, 2016)

OK, now my interest in your trout lures has been cemented, where do I go to get one. I saw the products you make on Facebook and am impressed, they are works of art. 
Hook a brother up with a link or means to purchase a few.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

CaptainPJ said:


> OK, now my interest in your trout lures has been cemented, where do I go to get one. I saw the products you make on Facebook and am impressed, they are works of art.
> Hook a brother up with a link or means to purchase a few.


http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f28/bf1-lures-725401/


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

CaptainPJ said:


> OK, now my interest in your trout lures has been cemented, where do I go to get one. I saw the products you make on Facebook and am impressed, they are works of art.
> Hook a brother up with a link or means to purchase a few.


That is Scott's Facebook page, beautiful lures.
PM Scott aka "GASTONFISH" here on the forum, he can hook you up w/ BF-1's.


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## CaptainPJ (Dec 22, 2016)

Thanks.


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## Dunt (Aug 14, 2015)

Sounds like a few of my spots - big girls that know how to shake loose. I hope you release the bigger fish. Good luck on your gator.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Well that was probably the biggest speck story ive heard in awhile


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

.... just a word to the wise. When I target big specks I leave little treble hooks at home. I made that mistake plenty of times already with lots of stories like yours to back it up

If she shook the hook once I wouldn't make the same mistake twice

If u stick her on the outside of the face with a little treble you can almost bet on heart break. And the very easily torn skin of a trout can only be combatane by using bigger hooks to either penetrate through the top of the mouth or grab enough skin where she doesn't tear it out

25"+ Specks have to be stuck with the correct hooks.... once I made the change I've landed 9/10


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Josh;

Good advice on the hooks.

In this case I think it was shear size and power. These fish I'm estimating would have been close to 29 - 30". Using 10# braid & 12# fluoro leader I have to baby fish of that caliber anyway. I seldom bend or straighten a hook, more often on a stinking redfish, instead of the beautiful speckled trout's I chase. 

They're still in the area, just waiting for the right time.


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