Hey Dan,

Wanted to send you my report from our family camping/fishing trip to Crescent Lake, during the heart of the summer.  I liked the Yurts so much from staying there with Jimmy Lewis earlier this Spring, that I had to tell my wife about them.  She loved the pictures I took of them, and we decided to book a trip for this summer.  Sure glad we did!  I took a few days off from work, and we invited my childhood buddy, Dustin Leibelt, and his family, and well as my parents.  We arrived on a Thursday evening, unloaded the gear, and just enjoyed the evening.  I launched the boat, but didn’t fish that night, instead just enjoying the campfire with my wife and kids.

Friday morning came early at 4:30 a.m., but I was jazzed as always to head out and try for some brown trout.  I was a bit surprised to see the water temp running around 65.5 to 66 degrees F.  Crazy to think it’s 35 to 36 degrees F when we are there in the spring, what a difference a few months make!  I let out my gear and headed towards Simax Beach.  I was spotting lots of fish on the graph, but had no takers as I was approaching the end of my trolling pass.  I decided that was far enough, so I kicked the motor in neutral and proceeded to reel in my gear.  With approximately 150 feet of line left to get in, I felt the unexpected SLAM, SLAM, SLAM headshakes of a nice fish that just attacked my lure!!  It was around 5:30 a.m., and still a bit dark out.  I was all by myself in the boat, and was like “alright, FISH ON, that’s pretty cool!”.  Little did I know what would be in store about

12 minutes later.  After the initial headshakes, this fish just started tearing up my reel.  Line screaming runs, and rod bending headshakes ensued, and this big fish was fighting like a champ.  At one point, he took me straight down to the bottom of the lake, and just sat there.  It felt like 2 minutes went by, and I was getting worried he had wrapped me up on a rock or log.  Finally, I made my move by reeling down tight to the fish, then really putting the wood to him with the rod arched way back.  That was the ticket, as I finally got him going again on another drag screaming run.  I even whooped with excitement, as I just had the feeling this was not a lake trout, but a big brown.  The one I’ve been searching for, for the past

12 years.  The battle ensued, but I was gaining on this fish, as he was wearing himself out.  At last, I caught a glimpse of the fish as he swam up under my boat along the gunwall.  I saw a large thick mass of body with big black spots.  “It’s a BROWN, I thought, and a damn good one!!”  Lord, please let me land this fish!  The fish turned and came back towards the bow of my boat on his side.  This was my moment of opportunity.  I quickly grabbed my rubber net, and reached out with my arm as far as possible while sliding the net well under the fish.

In one quick motion I pulled the net up, and luckily engulfed the fish inside!!  He was mine!!  I let out about 3 or 4 screams across the lake that morning, like a pack of coyotes howlin’ on the prairie.  I instantly knew I had just caught my first brown trout over the 10 pound mark.  Emotions were running wild, and I couldn’t hold back the tears of joy.  I have worked so hard to achieve my lifetime goal of catching one of these magnificent trophies, and I had finally done it!!!  Making sacrifices along the way by being away from home, from my wife and kids.  This moment justified everything, and I couldn’t have appreciated it more.  I struggled with the decision to keep or release this fish, but in the end I kept the Old Hookjaw Brown to keep for a taxidermy mount.  He was 28-1/2 inches long with a 16 inch girth, and weighed just over the 10lb. mark on my boga grip scale.  I was confident he was a 10+ pounder, and that made up my mind.  I have fished many years waiting for this opportunity, and I wasn’t going to let it pass me by.  After collecting my thoughts and emotions, I grabbed the camera and just started taking as many pictures as possible.  I snapped some self timed ones, and got this really good one.  I wanted as many pictures as possible for the taxidermist.  This fish made my whole day, so I just quit right there!  I went back to the dock, and started calling all my fishing buddies.  It was a moment I will remember for the rest of my life!

I had arranged to meet Mike Ryan (aka Fishmanmike) at the boat dock around 8 a.m.  He was going to take me out and do some jiggin’ for the big lakers.  Mike and I headed out and went down by the summer homes.

We could see the big arcs on the graph so we put jigs in their faces and hoped for some takers.  With only 15 minutes left of our 2 hour trip, Mike’s rod doubled over and a big fish was on.  Just like that it was gone, but Mike stripped some line like a wounded baitfish, and let the jig flutter back.  Sure enough, this veteran move paid off in spades and the big mack came back for more!  Fish on again!!  I cleared my jig, and stood ready with the net.  Got some cool pictures of the big mack coming up, and we both thought he’d go around 18 pounds.  As the fish came closer to the surface, we could tell it was much bigger!  I scooped up the big laker in the net and was like, Holy Cow Mike!  This is over 20 pounds for sure!!  I got a great pic of Mike holding the mack, then we quickly weighed him.  22 POUNDS!!  Wow, what a laker!  We released the big guy, and called it a trip.  With all the excitement of the day, I didn’t even bother to go out that evening.

Saturday morning I wanted to take my good childhood buddy Dustin out in the boat with me for some brown trout action.  This was Dustin’s first ever TTH experience, and was it a good one.  Around 5:45 a.m., his pole slammed hard and Dustin worked this fish like a pro.  After an incredible battle, a beautiful 26”, 8-1/2 pound hen brown came to the net.  Just a few months ago, this was my biggest brown to date, and my good buddy get it on his first fish!?!  Are you kidding me?  I was so happy for Dustin, and he was thrilled.  We released her, but that would be the only fish for the morning drill.

Saturday evening, my daughter Madyson, was chomping at the bit to get out in the boat with me.  I was feeling the heat from my wife to take her out, but I told her let’s wait for the ski boat traffic to die down and then we will go fishing.  This turned out to be the right decision.  With Dustin and Madyson in the boat, we headed down towards Simax Beach once again.  Around 8:30, the rod that Madyson had picked out as hers, slammed hard in the holder, and instantly line started melting off the reel!  I was closest to the holder, so I grabbed the rod, gave a quick set jerk, and could tell we had another BIG brown on the end.  This was incredible, I thought!!  Dustin cleared his gear, and I had Madyson move to the back of the boat, and handed her the pole.  I held the rod in one hand, then told her to reel like crazy.

She did awesome, and reeled the fish into the boat.  This brown was super active with tail walks on the water, and line peeling runs.

Just amazing!  Mady was smiling and super excited.  As the big hen surfaced on it’s side, Dustin’s lure got hung in the fishing line!  I told him to keep the lure up by the tip of the rod, and away from the fish.  He did a great job, while I reached for the net.  As I grabbed the net, it got hung on a lure attached to another fishing rod, then those hooks got caught in the blanket Mady had brought with her!!!  I was like “OH NO!”, but luckily keep an extra net in the boat.  I got the backup net, and finished the job just in time.  The lure was out in the net!  This was a SLAB of a female brown, and I initially thought it might go over 10 pounds.  I couldn’t believe my eyes!!  I quickly taped the fish at 27 inches long with a 15 inch girth!  She weighed right at 9-1/2 pounds.  Madysons’ first ever brown trout!!!!!

Way to go Mady!!  So proud of you!  Hopefully the first of many to come……

Sunday morning was my Dad’s turn.  While fishing the same area, the middle rod got slammed hard in the holder once again, and line started stripping on the reel.  I grabbed it to feel the massive headshakes and power of yet another BIG fish.  This fish was hooked up good, so I handed the pole to Dad and said this one’s yours.  He just got the rod in hand and started the battle then NOTHING!!!  Dad reeled in the gear to find that we had been SAWN OFF!  We were in awe of the power of that fish, but were disappointed at the same time.  I so badly wanted to get my old man into a really good fish, but it just didn’t come together for us.  Maybe next time.

And just like that, the next couple days were absolutely dead.  The big chomp was off, and the big fish moved on.  It felt amazing to be the guy that was there at the right time when the big fish were biting.  After 12 years of trying, it all came together!  And I only have the big man upstairs to thank for that.

Take care Dan!

R.D.

“Browns – Coyotes of the Fishing World!”