# Monster Central Ohio BROWN TROUT



## Dillon.R.Nott (Oct 4, 2015)

LONG POST:
I was fishing the Mad River about 2 week ago, scouting out the river looking for fish. Low and behold a giant school of suckers sitting in a 4 foot hole. The Mad has extremely clear and clean water so spotting fish is easy. But after looking at the school of suckers I noticed a very large shadow sitting almost under a log jam. Then saw the yellow and blue fins. My mouth dropped. I couldn’t believe my eyes at first. I wasted no time out on a full night crawler and split shot and casted 5 feet in front of her. Within seconds she was tight. I had her pinned for 2 maybe 3 seconds and she came off. I was devastated. The thing about trout fishing, once a fish knows what bait has hooks, and sees you, it’s over for that day, if not days. Luckily for me i live somewhat close to the spot so I hit it regularly after. I saw that fish every time i went down there. And also missed it FOUR MORE TIMES. She would inhale a bait, spit, inhale, spit. She wasn’t dumb. I went back next morning and caught a 6” chub and used it for bait. One octopus hook in the lips and a treble in the back. Casted in front of the logs and immediately hooked up. To my surprise it was not the trophy but a 20” beauti. Fought like a champ. After that I was nervous about my chances of catching the big ma since the 20” fought all over the river. Well couple casts later with 7” chub felt tick tick tick. Very hard to feel the bite since drifting live bait in current couldn’t tell if i was on rocks or getting a bite. I reeled tight and holy sh!t i had the big one. Fought for 5 seconds maybe, hooks flew back at me. I lost her... again. At that point i checked my chub and good lord it was torn to shreds. She was chewing on the belly of the chub didn’t even have a hook in her. I left and went home, retied everything sharpened hooks, and headed back about 10 hours later. I didn’t see her at all, I was scared she finally swam away to a new hole. I decided to go with a smaller 4” chub. I casted out into the log jam this time, risky but that’s how desperate I was. I went to reel my line tight and saw a flash in the water. My line was tight, there was a fish in the end of my line. I pulled my rod back and I had a Trout but she was wrapped around the log in the current. She didn’t feel big at all but once I got her out of the logs was when I noticed; it was her. She didn’t seem to be full of energy, she more so flailed her weight and length around and still felt like i was fighting a tire. It took a few attempts at the net when she saw it she didn’t like it. Eventually I got her in. What a feeling. At that exact moment my emotions were wild. From first seeing this fish to losing it multiple times, and to finally land it; i was just like, wow. No words. Shaky legs shaky arms. What a feeling. When i took my hook from the net it was already out, must have not been hooked very well but I wasn’t surprised after 5 times. Put her on the board and she was a hair under 27”. I couldn’t believe it. I held her in the water for 14 minutes and main focus was to make sure she swam off alright. But I obviously wanted pictures. She swam off strong back into the logs she came. After I released that fish i sat by the side of the river and just kinda chilled and soaked up what had just happened. No fish I’ve ever caught had gave me such a rush of emotions, such an excitement. That’s the beauti of fishing I guess. Something I’ll remember for ever.










































I took an underwater release video but can’t upload the video so there’s a few slides. Also here it the 20” I also caught


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Nice fish and great story. Way to keep at it. 
My trout knowledge is non-existent. What kind of trout is that?


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## Dillon.R.Nott (Oct 4, 2015)

Lewzer said:


> Nice fish and great story. Way to keep at it.
> My trout knowledge is non-existent. What kind of trout is that?


These are Brown Trout. Very very few places to catch them in Ohio let alone central ohio. Most trout are under 12”. I can usually find some 15-19”. Anything over 25” is almost unheard of. The state Record Brown is 27 1/4”


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## stonen12 (May 13, 2019)

Man you know how to catch monsters. 6 lb rainbow now a 27” brown. Congrats! Fish if a life time out of the mad!


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## Dillon.R.Nott (Oct 4, 2015)

stonen12 said:


> Man you know how to catch monsters. 6 lb rainbow now a 27” brown. Congrats! Fish if a life time out of the mad!


Thanks man. And absolutely. Saugeye Tom told me I should using big Chubs instead of worms and boy was he right The way they come out of brush to smoke them is like watching lightning strike


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## Fishinaddict (Sep 23, 2014)

Wow, great story. You deserved it for the perseverance you showed! Plus, it looks like you were fishing in the middle of a city. That fish was well educated, probably seen it all. Great story and great result.


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## Dillon.R.Nott (Oct 4, 2015)

Fishinaddict said:


> Wow, great story. You deserved it for the perseverance you showed! Plus, it looks like you were fishing in the middle of a city. That fish was well educated, probably seen it all. Great story and great result.


She was smart but I fish in the middle of nowhere


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Load the video to youtube, then post a link here.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Great fish by the way! Congrats....


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## tudkey (Sep 24, 2014)

Love to see the different types of anglers and the many different approaches and species targeted. Ohio may not be the best place to fish but it’s sure not the worst. Congratulations. I need to hit the Mad again!!


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Great job Dillon! Heck of a job and great story of a lifetime to go with the experience!


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## Fisher1672 (Oct 18, 2014)

Wow beautiful fish bro ...remember state records are based on weight, that fish could beat the state record certain times of year great work.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Dang! Nice fish! And story! I know a couple guys that fish that creek ALOT and have never seen one that big! And how you caught it is even more impresive,imo. Not many people would choose good sized creek chubs to trout fish a small clear stream,at least that I know of! I mean ya,obviously they are in there so the trout will eat them. But how many guys do you run into chucking 4-6" creek chubs there. I imagine its mostly fly guys,or rooster tails and basic trout stuff.
Good stuff!


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## Pressman (Mar 31, 2008)

Great fish and a great story of the catch and release. You are a true sportsman !!!


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## Dillon.R.Nott (Oct 4, 2015)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Dang! Nice fish! And story! I know a couple guys that fish that creek ALOT and have never seen one that big! And how you caught it is even more impresive,imo. Not many people would choose good sized creek chubs to trout fish a small clear stream,at least that I know of! I mean ya,obviously they are in there so the trout will eat them. But how many guys do you run into chucking 4-6" creek chubs there. I imagine its mostly fly guys,or rooster tails and basic trout stuff.
> Good stuff!


I know right Nightcrawlers have always been my go two but I have had some local guys tell me on the rare occasion they keep brown trout, they find the craziest things in their bellies. Mice, worms, and huge chubs and suckers. Those big trout cannot resist them.


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## Specwar (Sep 22, 2014)

Great fish and story!!


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

That’s a monster. Congrats.


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## dbortolani (Jun 1, 2016)

That is awesome. I had a similar hook up at the Clear Fork. Lost it 3 times in a month in a deep pool on a large streamer. Finally brought it to net. 21" of pure beauty. She lives for me to catch another day. I also hit Apple Creek in Wooster. Its stocked and there are a bunch of 15" - 18" Rainbow in there.


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## 3 dog Ed (Apr 25, 2014)

That is dedication. Heck of a job on that monster.


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## EnonEye (Apr 13, 2011)

TonyTiger g-r-e-a-t, wadda catch!


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## walleye30 (Dec 25, 2019)

Those are both beautiful fish. 27incher WOW!!! Great job and great story. Stay on em!


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## sixtyminutes (Jan 3, 2009)

Great story. Great fish. The memories are what last. Thanks for taking the time to share that.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

One of the best reports I've read in years...

Amazing Fish, amazing story! congrats again!


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## jdkswhite (Jan 3, 2008)

Dillon.R.Nott said:


> LONG POST:
> I was fishing the Mad River about 2 week ago, scouting out the river looking for fish. Low and behold a giant school of suckers sitting in a 4 foot hole. The Mad has extremely clear and clean water so spotting fish is easy. But after looking at the school of suckers I noticed a very large shadow sitting almost under a log jam. Then saw the yellow and blue fins. My mouth dropped. I couldn’t believe my eyes at first. I wasted no time out on a full night crawler and split shot and casted 5 feet in front of her. Within seconds she was tight. I had her pinned for 2 maybe 3 seconds and she came off. I was devastated. The thing about trout fishing, once a fish knows what bait has hooks, and sees you, it’s over for that day, if not days. Luckily for me i live somewhat close to the spot so I hit it regularly after. I saw that fish every time i went down there. And also missed it FOUR MORE TIMES. She would inhale a bait, spit, inhale, spit. She wasn’t dumb. I went back next morning and caught a 6” chub and used it for bait. One octopus hook in the lips and a treble in the back. Casted in front of the logs and immediately hooked up. To my surprise it was not the trophy but a 20” beauti. Fought like a champ. After that I was nervous about my chances of catching the big ma since the 20” fought all over the river. Well couple casts later with 7” chub felt tick tick tick. Very hard to feel the bite since drifting live bait in current couldn’t tell if i was on rocks or getting a bite. I reeled tight and holy sh!t i had the big one. Fought for 5 seconds maybe, hooks flew back at me. I lost her... again. At that point i checked my chub and good lord it was torn to shreds. She was chewing on the belly of the chub didn’t even have a hook in her. I left and went home, retied everything sharpened hooks, and headed back about 10 hours later. I didn’t see her at all, I was scared she finally swam away to a new hole. I decided to go with a smaller 4” chub. I casted out into the log jam this time, risky but that’s how desperate I was. I went to reel my line tight and saw a flash in the water. My line was tight, there was a fish in the end of my line. I pulled my rod back and I had a Trout but she was wrapped around the log in the current. She didn’t feel big at all but once I got her out of the logs was when I noticed; it was her. She didn’t seem to be full of energy, she more so flailed her weight and length around and still felt like i was fighting a tire. It took a few attempts at the net when she saw it she didn’t like it. Eventually I got her in. What a feeling. At that exact moment my emotions were wild. From first seeing this fish to losing it multiple times, and to finally land it; i was just like, wow. No words. Shaky legs shaky arms. What a feeling. When i took my hook from the net it was already out, must have not been hooked very well but I wasn’t surprised after 5 times. Put her on the board and she was a hair under 27”. I couldn’t believe it. I held her in the water for 14 minutes and main focus was to make sure she swam off alright. But I obviously wanted pictures. She swam off strong back into the logs she came. After I released that fish i sat by the side of the river and just kinda chilled and soaked up what had just happened. No fish I’ve ever caught had gave me such a rush of emotions, such an excitement. That’s the beauti of fishing I guess. Something I’ll remember for ever.
> View attachment 353371
> View attachment 353373
> ...


Great story and pictures. It will always just be a dream of mine. We go up to the fish hatchery in Castalia Oh a lot just to view all the hundreds of trout in cold water creek


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## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

Good example why fishermen keep their spots secret. If he would have told someone where that fish was he may not have been able to go back multiple times and catch a brown of a lifetime.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Your story reminds me of a bluegrass song by the Steep Canyon Rangers (Steve Martin's bluegrass band) called 'Yellow-back-fly'. Its about a guy who keeps going back to the same spot on a river year after year to catch a giant trout he named 'Old Steve' that kept outwitting him, and every year he would go back with a new fly.

Anyway , great catch man , and even better story.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Great story and Fishes of a lifetime! 
Thank you for letting them go too.

I once was reeling in a 4 inch chub on Apple, it kept getting hammered. Then a big trout over 20 inches grabbed it. I came inches away from netting it without getting a hook in the trout. Tried some big flies for a while, didn't get the same reaction. 

Went back a month later, same pool. I was fishing some smaller 14 inchers with san juan worm and size 16 BH hares ear dropper. Out from shadow, beast grabs my hares ear. After a tense filled battle, I net my best trout not from a lake. He was a 24" rainbow on the net. I think it was the same trout from the previous visit. Cannot imagine 2 trout that big sharing a pool over the Summer.
Thank you,
Rickerd


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