Nursery Hour On The Lopat

[LopatNympher]

I haven't fished the little creek in about 2 months so I decided to go there today. What I didn't expect was all of the tiny browns that were in the pockets where I usually catch much larger fish. I must have caught at least a dozen of the little boogers. They were quite agressive, maybe because they had a shot at some prime feeding lays they didn't have access to before. Anyway, most of them took a size 20 zebra midge while a couple took the size 16 caddis larva I was using as my anchor. Here's a couple pics of the future Lopatcong beasties.
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Would it be safe to say that these are fish that hatched last winter?

[AaronJasper]

Maybe the bigger ones moved around to spawn? I am sure that they are still there somewhere! It's your mission to find those damn things No rainbows?

[VTflyfishing]

That is one of the reasons why streamers work good this time of year because those little morsels find there way onto the menu.

[LopatNympher]

[quote author=AaronJasper link=topic=3779.msg29133#msg29133 date=1258419105]
Maybe the bigger ones moved around to spawn? I am sure that they are still there somewhere! It's your mission to find those damn things No rainbows?
[/quote].
The redds that I observed were unoccupied. I figured the fish were hiding out in some root structures or under a couple of the larger log jams (a flood 2 years ago brought a lot of lumber into some spots) Not a rainbow to be foung, i thought that was unusual as well. Its possible that the fish have moved way upstream to parts I normally do not fish. I've never fished this creek this late in the season before so I guess I'll just have to do a little more recon to find them.

[sholgate]

[quote author=VTflyfishing link=topic=3779.msg29154#msg29154 date=1258506433]
That is one of the reasons why streamers work good this time of year because those little morsels find there way onto the menu.
[/quote]

Many times I tie my mini-Clouser minnows to mimic small brown trout or add a little orange on the bottom to simulate brook trout.

[VTflyfishing]

I have had good luck with white buggers with some red flash of some sort. I think it looks like a baby rainbow.

[NJPaAngler]

Would it be safe to say that these are fish that hatched last winter?

no it wouldn't. they don't grow that fast. fish from previous years spawn reach about 2-3" by the following fall. those are probably 2 year old fish which are 3-6"

[AaronJasper]

That's correct, those are most likely two year old fish. It takes them quite some time for them to get that big in a place like that.

[LopatNympher]

Thanks guys

[RangerKeen]

[quote author=AaronJasper link=topic=3779.msg30979#msg30979 date=1263222679]
That's correct, those are most likely two year old fish. It takes them quite some time for them to get that big in a place like that.
[/quote]

A yearling brown trout can grow up to 6 inches in a year , and under optimal conditions up to 10 inches . If you doubt me go to a reputable Bio University program or check out my research ,I did for PSU this past year on Brown trout and Brook trout in Central Pa.