tomnordman
4/12/2011 7:01:00 PMNice fish. I stared fishing RL this winter after finally getting a boat and have made it a favorite spot to put on big browns despite the wind and rough boat launch. Things really picked up after I added a fish finder and could learn the bottom structure. Thanks for the report.
Anglinarcher
4/12/2011 7:13:00 PMKeep all the bows you want, but if guys start to keep the Browns, I'll stop posting. FYI
riprap101
4/12/2011 10:55:00 PMWhat do you mean we never keep big browns and I'm sure a lot of anglers do retain the smaller fish for table fair the bows smoke up nicer too
rwl
4/13/2011 7:40:00 AMI C&R the big browns, they aren't as good to eat as the small ones.
riprap, you said there were 2-3 inch food items in the stomachs of some of the fish, were you able to ID what they were?
I noticed that surface in places is blanketed with what look to me like chironomid (midge) shucks. Re: the bloom of floating algae. Are the trout actually eating the algae (and possible associated insects), or are they full of chironomids?
riprap, you said there were 2-3 inch food items in the stomachs of some of the fish, were you able to ID what they were?
I noticed that surface in places is blanketed with what look to me like chironomid (midge) shucks. Re: the bloom of floating algae. Are the trout actually eating the algae (and possible associated insects), or are they full of chironomids?
basser90
4/13/2011 12:21:00 PM: Keep all the bows you want, but if guys start to keep the Browns, I'll stop posting. FYI : Hey Anglinarcher, now your getting it figured out.
Anglinarcher
4/13/2011 4:05:00 PMBasser, I have been nailed so many times that I actually don't post on Rock anymore. I do comment, but never post.
Besides, other then riprap and perhaps you, no on believes me anyway. LOL
RWL, is is moss, floating up from the bottom, not chironomids. I have seen bows do this a lot, and I expect that they are taking it as an algae or plankton source. Still, I have set at Sprague, Rock, Coffee Pot, and dozens of other lakes over the years and watched the moss float up and the Bows pick it off.
Besides, other then riprap and perhaps you, no on believes me anyway. LOL
RWL, is is moss, floating up from the bottom, not chironomids. I have seen bows do this a lot, and I expect that they are taking it as an algae or plankton source. Still, I have set at Sprague, Rock, Coffee Pot, and dozens of other lakes over the years and watched the moss float up and the Bows pick it off.
rwl
4/13/2011 6:11:00 PMI C&R the big browns, they aren't as good to eat as the small ones.
riprap, you said there were 2-3 inch food items in the stomachs of some of the fish, were you able to ID what they were?
I noticed that surface in places is blanketed with what look to me like chironomid (midge) shucks. Re: the bloom of floating algae. Are the trout actually eating the algae (and possible associated insects), or are they full of chironomids?
riprap, you said there were 2-3 inch food items in the stomachs of some of the fish, were you able to ID what they were?
I noticed that surface in places is blanketed with what look to me like chironomid (midge) shucks. Re: the bloom of floating algae. Are the trout actually eating the algae (and possible associated insects), or are they full of chironomids?
rwl
4/13/2011 6:15:00 PMdon't know why my post posted twice....
That is interesting the moss eating. maybe I'll tie up some marabou moss flies and give it a shot.
There were definitely 100s of nymph shucks on the surface though. I saw chironomid adults coming off, so I assumed the shucks were chironomids
That is interesting the moss eating. maybe I'll tie up some marabou moss flies and give it a shot.
There were definitely 100s of nymph shucks on the surface though. I saw chironomid adults coming off, so I assumed the shucks were chironomids
Anglinarcher
4/14/2011 7:33:00 AMI agree rwl, the chironomids are starting to come off, especially near that shelf I mentioned, just South of the boat launch. Still, further up the lake where the bottom is 300' down, there is still moss, but no chironomids, and still the Bows are picking off the moss.
I see a lot of the "american" trout doing this. I think that they get sufficient food value from the moss that they actually benefit. It is always this floating moss/plankton, and it may be filled with Zooplankton as well. The "european" trout, of which Browns fit, don't seem to do it at all. I think browns are not tuned into plankton very much after they get bigger then maybe 4 to 6 inches in size.
I see a lot of the "american" trout doing this. I think that they get sufficient food value from the moss that they actually benefit. It is always this floating moss/plankton, and it may be filled with Zooplankton as well. The "european" trout, of which Browns fit, don't seem to do it at all. I think browns are not tuned into plankton very much after they get bigger then maybe 4 to 6 inches in size.
basser90
4/14/2011 7:59:00 AMAnglinarcher, I hear ya. I don't post either. They wouldn't believe me either. I certainly don't mind helping out other anglers, but I'm more concerned about our resourse. There's a lot of fishing a head us. good luck. When I checked the bellies of some Rufus trout earlier this year, I was amazed at all the sticks, gravel, and moss substance in their stomachs. At least 20 miles from the pens on spoons burned over weed beds.
riprap101
4/15/2011 11:03:00 PMI really wish you guys wouldn't let others opinions discourage you from posting. We all know what opinions are like and everybody has one. Hey aa at least you know you have two believers. At any rate to all who read this please release the big browns if you are fortunate enough to hook into one. This is a special fishery so let's keep it that way. This body of water is certainly gaining in popularity. Does anyone know why the browns like to roll when they fight. I don't recall them doing this in the past
tomnordman
4/21/2011 8:30:00 PMI enjoy catching a big fish as anyone does. Those of us who fish often and as a year round fisherman I feel the need to keep only the fish I am going to eat that day. Rock Lake is a great fishery and by releasing my fish it allows me to have a decent place to fish year round. I love the RL fishery and am thankful that we have a place so close that allows us to fish in the winter. This lake produces nice size fish so lets do our part and continue to keep it as it is.