What Happened To the Cutthroats?

[svnmag]

I remember when I first moved up here in '99 being excited for a chance at a new world record in the 'race. The magazines were all abuzz about the pigs being caught down there. Well, in 15 years; I've managed exactly one 12in fish. Rainbow seems predominant and I've caught a smattering of small browns. Y'all remember when the late CR Fisherman caught that monster 31lb Nazi?!! Holy freakn' hell!!

Curious as to what y'all been seeing.

 

[MSA]

Used to have a hard time keeping cutthroats off my line for the first 5 years they were stocked...i havnt seen one in 10+ years. The ling are coming back though, ivd been averaging 1-3 per trip. Before last year, it had been 10 years since i caught my last one.

 

[svnmag]

You seeing any browns?

 

[guywhofishes]

The ling are coming back though

 

[Ericb]

Does anybody specifically target trout in the tailrace? Where would a guy start looking for them?

 

[Allen]

Put on a trout looking rapala and pull it just downstream of the honeyhole and you have a good chance of catching trout. Not sure why they hit the trout looking lures, but it's the ones I've caught them on. It's been a few years since I have done this though.

I have also caught trout over the years by pulling the same cranks down by Washburn as I traversed slack areas into fast moving water. Fun to catch but I don't keep them.

 

[svnmag]

Allen,

I'm not a big fish eater so surprisingly I've found them decent baked whole with a shi'iteton of butter and lemon. I assume this would be just fine for fillets also...when cooked whole, one can grab the head and tail and literally pull out the entire skeletal assembly and peel the skin with your fork.

EB,

Go anywhere below the dam and cast cranks (I'm talking from shore), drift a crawler a few feet under a slip float or if you're sophisticated; dry flies at sunset. To specifically target; fly fishing would be the go-to IMHO. You're going to get by-catch with the other techniques. I've caught rising fish twitching a floating Rap on the surface. Also, the (lighted) slip float has many advantages as one can fish from the middle, back without getting snagged. Keep the rod tip pointed at the float and retrieve excessive slack as it drifts. Drag is bad.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't use them but this may be good opportunity for circle hooks.

 

[Ericb]

I usually try throwing a bobber with a crawler off the back of the boat when we're in the honey hole. Havnt had a taker yet. Mite try throwing a mepps or similar spinner next time.

I've never been sure if they were that far up or not. I've seen a few beautiful mounts from the underwood area.

 

[svnmag]

They're stocked as fingerlings by the boat ramp. I've seen that bay slam full.

 

[guywhofishes]

Put on a trout looking rapala and pull it just downstream of the honeyhole and you have a good chance of catching trout. Not sure why they hit the trout looking lures, but it's the ones I've caught them on. It's been a few years since I have done this though.

I have also caught trout over the years by pulling the same cranks down by Washburn as I traversed slack areas into fast moving water. Fun to catch but I don't keep them.

No smoker?

 

[MSA]

I've never seen any real numbers of browns and would never dream of catching a limit. I got a 12lb last year and usually get 1 or 2 smaller ones per year, and occasionally see a monster roll in the current.

I agree that flyfishing would produce a lot more. I watched a guy from shore down by the campgrounds catch half dozen rainbows and browns in a couple hours on a flyrod.

 

[svnmag]

That's a freakn' nice trout.

 

[MSA]

It was purdy too!

 

[svnmag]

Wow... Good battle? Did you keep it?

 

[JayKay]

Dandy trout in that area, to be sure.

Shallow cranks pulled south of the honey hole. Various colors, from brights (chartreuse, silver, orange) to darks (baby browns, rainbows, black/grey).

 

[RustyTackleBox]

I watched a guy pull 2 back to back up on the edge where you are not supposed to float your boat off to the west side right where the current seam runs... looked like browns to me but I was looking at them from 20-30 yards away too

 

[MSA]

Wow... Good battle? Did you keep it?

do you run from mosquitos at Charlie Sheen's barbeque?

 

[svnmag]

One of your projects or on the grill? Sorry, I'm big time into trout.

 

[svnmag]

Also, did it jump? I've caught a few trout in my day and the only jumpers were rainbow/steelhead. I've heard tales of jumping brown with no personal verification. IME, browns would be difficult to distinguish from walleye during the retrieve. Brook "fight" like bullheads; rolling on top.

 

[Ericb]

This thread has got me excited. I pick up the new fifth wheel tomorrow and plan on spending a good amount of time at the tailrace. I've got the walleye down there but am yet to catch a trout.