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Full Version: My Strawberry Once in a Lifetime Rainbow
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I wanted to share some pictures of the big rainbow I caught out of Strawberry Reservoir yesterday. I caught this 33 inch 19 pound rainbow while jigging a white tube jig on 6 pound line. The fight was extraordinary with it's ups and downs and we nearly lost this fish four or five times. In the end we got it in the boat and I still can't believe how lucky I was to get a once in a lifetime fish like this.

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I couldn't have landed this fish without my trusty friend/captain/netman extraordinaire, Keven Prusak. When we finally got the fish to the boat he tried to get the fish in the net but it was much bigger than the net and when he lifted it up out of the water the handle snapped from the weight and the fish went back into the water for round two of the fight.

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After fighting the fish back to the boat again Keven tried to grab the fish by the tail to lift it into the boat but he couldn't wrap his hands around the tail because it was too thick and back in the water went the fish for round three. I kept tension on the line and by this time was immensely grateful for the silky smooth drag of the Velocity Crixus reel and the sensitivity and backbone strength of the Velocity spin rod I was using.

Fought the fish back to the boat again and Keven used the net by grabbing it two handed style around the net head. Got the fish in the net but because of the size of the fish it wouldn't fit in the net and flopped back out for round four. Again coaxed the fish back to the boat and Keven two handed the net and I helped with one hand on the net and one on the rod and we finally got Mongo into the boat. This is when the adrenaline shakes began and we realized just how big this fish was.

As an added bonus I had other friends fishing in another boat at Strawberry that I was able to show this fish to and get more pictures with. It's always better when you can share this stuff with amazing friends.

For size reference I am 6'2" tall and the fish went from the ground up to mid thigh on me.
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Another size reference picture, my hand span is just over 8 inches wide and I couldn't span the width of the fish, not to mention he didn't fit in the cooler. I'm glad I wasn't trying to force him up through an 8 inch ice hole.

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I'm not going to apologize to those that will whine about the fact that I kept this fish instead of releasing it. I had no problem keeping this fish to show my boys and friends, not to mention over 8 pounds of meat in the freezer that will not go to waste.

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I saw that this already got pulled off Facebook and has the usual naysayers and negative posters, and that's just fine. I had plenty of people there to witness to the size of this fish and I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone, especially people I don't even know. I had a great trip with a fish I will always remember, with friends I love fishing with and in the end that's what it's all about. I don't post this to brag because I don't consider myself an expert fisherman, not by a long shot. I got lucky yesterday and will be forever grateful for the great memories. As an added bonus to the trip it was spectacular to be fishing in the early morning mist and listening to elk bugle and scream on the mountainside nearby. Definitely the trip of a lifetime for me.

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[#0000FF]Congrats on a great fish. And don't worry about the folks who said you should have released it. It is a triploid and would not spawn and add to the gene pool anyway. Those fish are supplied for anglers to catch and keep. Glad you got it.

Now you can stop fishing. How you gonna top that?
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That is an AWESOME fish ! Congrats and good on ya.

Just remember " Those that matter, don't care. And those that care (that you kept that monster), don't matter"

That's more like the size of Salmon in Alaska.
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Awesome fish and better story. Hope it eats well.
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Awesome story. I can only imagine the anxiety with multiple attempts at getting it in the boat. The proportions on that fish are unreal. On one of the biggest trout I've caught it didn't look like much when I brought it in due to it mass and girth compared to its length. Once I saw it's true size it was a different story.

Thanks for sharing and congrats on an incredible fish.
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Now how many people get a chance to catch a 10lb rainbow let alone something twice as big. I've fished the berry my whole life just hoping for the chance at a trout like that. Congradulations bud!!! I'll bet it took ahwile to get your heart rate back to normal. :-)
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that's a great fish and a great story . thanks for sharing . why was it taken off face book?
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Great fish! Congrats. I've known trophy hunters who couldn't fill a tag if there life depended on it. Yet they have mulitable reasons for there lack of success ( too far from the truck, one side of the rack was 1/4" shorter, my scope must have got bumped). Enjoy your catch. Don't worry about the so called TROPHY Fisherman. They are just sorry they didn't catch it! Hope it eats all.
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I've heard that fish that big are tough, don't taste good, etc. Any truth to that? or does it taste the same as any other bow?

NICE fish.
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Any plans for a mount? That is a great fish congrats.
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Well done sir. I didn't want to keep my trophy laker when I caught it 8 years ago. My dad talked me into and I'm sure glad I did. Got it mounted and get to see it every day.
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Congratulations on catching a truly amazing fish. I am confident that there are a few cutts in there that large, but pleasantly surprised to see a rainbow of that size.
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Very nice fish, I would have put that dude on the wall, that is for sure a once in a life time rainbow trout. Congratulations to you.
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I,too,was wondering why it was taken off Facebook?
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Congrats Man! A fish of a lifetime, Awesome!
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Awesome! Too he*# with the jealous ones that have to find something wrong with everything. Wish I could catch something like that. Congrats!
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Incredible rainbow! I am truly envious. Well done.
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Not taken off of Facebook as in removed, it was copied here from Facebook postings. Sorry for the confusion. I should have been on here quicker to get it posted in the first place.
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downed, I'll let you know when I can get a longer break from work so I can smoke some or cook some up.
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Allow me to add my congratulations. Because it fought that long and hard, it may not have survived release, so keeping it was the better choice, IMO.

Definitely consider having a replica mount made - the chances of bettering that catch are pretty nil. All you need are measurements and photos.
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