BROWNS WEAR ARE THEY AT THE GORGE

[GORGEATTIC]

I HAVE ALSO BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE BROWNS IN FLAMING GORGE AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY LUCK,WHAT DO YOU USE? AND WEAR DO YOU FISH FOR THEM ?
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]There are still browns in the Gorge, but not like the glory days of the late 70's. For a few years there it was common to see browns over 20 pounds, with a few in the 30 range. It was also common to see bajillions of chubs in all of the bays. The browns and the macks both dined well on the chubs.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]That was in the days before smallmouths became so plentiful. The combined predation on the chubs, by several efficient predators, almost eliminated the chubs. Today the macks feed heavily on kokanee and the browns have declined in both numbers and size. They are not planted like the rainbows.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The most and biggest browns have historically been taken during the cold months of the year, and often either just after dark or before dawn. Trolling big minnow shaped lures (Rapalas) has always been a good technique, but you have to put in a lot of hours during cold dark nights to score every fish you catch.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Small browns are sometimes taken by those trolling open waters for rainbows, kokanee or macks. Bigger fish are usually right along the shoreline or feeding on long underwater points. And, when the waters warm and boat traffic gets heavier, they go deep and cannot be distinguished from macks by sonar.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are a few specialists that still rig up and fish mostly for browns, hoping to beat the 31 pounder that came out of the Gorge many years ago. There might be one bigger in there, but that is a big lake and the few browns are spread out over a lot of water.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[GORGEATTIC]

THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP.IS THERE CUTROATS IN THE GORGE?
[signature]

[fishstalker]

It would be very unusual to catch a cutthroat in the Gorge anymore. There were a lot of cutthroats stocked there in the 1970's but they rarely showed up in the creel so the stocking was discontinued several years ago.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I do not recall any reports of any cutts being taken there. But, there are some dandy kamloops rainbows. They get big, hit hard and fight to the bitter end...the net.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fishstalker]

Several strains of rainbows have been planted in the Gorge over the years. Among these are Kamloops, Eagle Lake, McConaghy, and rainbows raised in Wyoming hatcheries. The majority of the rainbows planted have always come from the Jones Hole federal hatchery near Vernal. Kamloops were the most successful in the Gorge but are no longer planted. They came from a federal brood stock that for some reason went away. I don't recall what the problem was. It could have been a problem or disease that wiped them out or maybe a lack of requests for them. It is unfortunate because they did prove to do well in that reservoir.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Sorry to hear they are no longer a part of the biomass in the Gorge. I fished them many years ago, during the days when Del Canty bagged that big beautiful 26 pound male in spawning colors...on a fly from a float tube.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I had heard that a few bigguns still show up, but that was from "fishermen".[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I suspect that one of the reasons they have been "phased out" is because they prey heavily on kokanee. The poor kokes already get a lot of pressure from the macks, since the chub population has crashed.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fishstalker]

You are right about the kokanee being heavily preyed on by lakers. Another major problem for the kokanee has been attributed to the drought. Most of the kokanee in the Gorge are a result of shore spawning fish at locations in Wyoming and Utah. During the low water years their spawning habitat deteriored. Now that we have seen some recovery from the drought, the spawning areas are in good shape and we should see positive results in the near futrure. You were lucky to get to enjoy the great rainbow fishing in the early years of the Gorge. I was there too and really miss those years. Kamloops were planted until about 5 years ago I think. Studies did not show that they preyed on the kokanee in latter years because for some reason, most of them never switched to a kokanee diet. They were originally planted with hopes that they would prey on Utah Chubs that numbered, as you know, in the millions. The Gorge has gone through many transformations over the years and always seem to have something that does very well in the reservoir. My favorite years were those of the monster browns! Tight lines to all of you out there!
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I still whimper when I remember those big browns. My best was a 23. What a pig! Nothing like the Bringhurst boys were sticking, but huge to me.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Did you ever have the pleasure of "interacting" with Ray Johnson? Did you ever buy any of his "great" lures? Do you know anyone who ever caught any fish on them?[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fishstalker]

Tube Dude,

Sorry about the delay in answering your reply but have been off line. Wow a 23 lb. Brown! Where did you catch him and what on? My best is just shy of 22 lbs. caught at Buckboard on a rapala way back in 1977.

In answer to your other question about Ray Johnson, I have run into him on several occasions. He has actually come out with 3 different lures. The third one has been developed for about 3 or 4 years but has never hit the market for some reason. His first lures were the most common and I know several people that have tried them over the years. I still have some and have caught several fish on them. I have caught lakers and lots of rainbows on them. The small ones seem to work the best. They are pretty touchy to tune but it can be done. There is a picture of the new ones on the map that he came out with about 3 years ago.

You really do a teriffic job with all the jigs you make! You must spend a lot of time on them. They look great.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks fer the kindly comments on my "handiwork". I have been working with various lures, paints, glitters and techniques for quite a few years and I would like to think I am finally learning how to do something right. The fish approve, so that's what counts.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]My big brownie came on a large orange Rapala, right at daybreak on a cold nasty March day. We were trolling with long rods and light lines, right next to a wall. I think I remember it was in Sheep Creek Canyon, south of the Antelope Flat campground where we were staying. It got a lot warmer and nicer when that big mama slammed my lure.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I never did buy and try any of Ray's stuff. It looked pretty nasty when it first hit the market, and I had not heard of anyone catching any decent fish on them. I'm not surprised that people do catch something with them. Stupid fish will hit almost anything sometimes. I have made a lot of "gag" lures, and caught fish with them.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[fishhungry]

Hey Gorgeattic,

They're definitely still in there, the little ones anyway. I've caught two nice browns there in the last couple of years. One was a fat 19" brown thru the ice near buckboard marina, the first time I had ever fished the gorge. The other was a beautiful 5lber I caught on a kokanee lure last summer. Not trophies, but that 5lb brown was one of the most beautiful fish I've ever held in my hands!

FH
[signature]

[CROSSINEYES]

LIKE DUDE SAID THEY MAINLEY FEED ON COKES BUT THEY REALY LIKE THE RAINBOWS AS WELL AS THE OCASANLE CHUB OR BURBOT. ANY FISH SWIMMING IN 70 TO 40 FT OVER 100 OR SO OF WATER IS IN TRUBLE. THOSE FISH COME SCREAMING UP FROM THE BOTTOM LIKE A ROCKET AND EAT A 5 POUNDER LIKE CANDY. IT FUN TO WATCH IT ON THE SONAR.
[signature]

[GORGEATTIC]

hey thanks ,i will keep my hopes up.and keep fishin for them,are they usually at raibows depth or kokes depth or on there own. thanks gorge attic
[signature]

[CROSSINEYES]

NOT VERY OFTEN ARE THEY SUSPENDED UNLESS THEY ARE SMALLISH. LOOK TO THE DEEP!!!!! 85 TO 10 RIGHT ON THE BOTTOM!!!! THATS THE MACS....
[signature]