Encounter With An Old Friend (Fish that is...)

[Fishidiot]

When you fish a particular "home" water long and consistently enough, one can become familiar with the same trout - sometimes catching him multiple times to the point you have names for 'em. I'm sure many of you have experienced this. Back in the late 80s I caught the same 19" brown from Fisherman's Paradise seven times in one four month period. Trout spots are like human fingerprints and can clearly prove a fish to be the same one if you have photos to match 'em. A unique and interesting thread developed last summer when 3wt7X posted a photo of a beautiful 20" brown from Falling Springs. Sure enough, the fish was recognized by Squaretail and he posted a photo of the same trout from 2008. Everyone agreed it was a beauty! Here's the thread:

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=8473&forum=8

Anyway, 3wt was justifiably proud of this fish and inquired into whether I'd paint a life sized portrait, which I was happy to do.
Well, last week I was out with Benny on Falling Springs and caught the fish myself. While I didn't mean to specifically target this fish, I hapened to know where he'd been caught last summer and he was still there. In the past, I've caught other trout in FS multiple times but often they moved up or downsteam. Others stay in the same run or cover for years. Guess this guy's a homebody.
In any event, I highly doubt I'll ever catch a trout again that I had ALREADY painted before I'd seen him in real life.
I'd also imagine that this is probably the only trout known to have been caught by three different forum members in three consecutive years. Hopefully our friend will thrive and continue to grow for years to come.

 

[govtmule]

very cool...

 

[littlejuniata]

Browns

The most beautiful fish ever invented

 

[skiltonian]

catch & realease - wish everyone did it for trout fishing

 

[gfen]

Its been said before, but never by me: You do beautiful work.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Looking at Benny's sweater made me chuckle. It's a wonder someone doesn't make goretex wading jackets for dogs. :lol:

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

That is awesome! thanks for sharing!

 

[jayL]

My goal for this year should be to catch that fish. :lol:

It's not, but it would be a fun story.

Good job on the fish, photos, and painting dave.

 

[Squaretail]

Gotta love that fish and hes looking bigger than ever.
Think he deserves a name. I'll call him "Jimmy two times" after his adipose spots.

 

[PaulG]

I know of two fish that I have caught twice. One in the breeches, he only had one eye and got him in the same hole. The other one was one of those blue trout, got him at clarks also in the same hole. Just thought of another one also in clarks, he had a orange ant still in his mouth, it must have been me!

PaulG

 

[Fishidiot]

All,
Thanks for the kind words. I thought this was a pretty cool story - something the likes of which I've certainly never seen before.

Dan,
"Jimmy Two Times" it is. I noticed that the double red spots are on both sides of his adipose.
I didn't try to get an exact measurement on him. I have 20" marks on my net and fly rod but neither are fully in the photo frame which is usually how I verify a fish's size. He was a solid 20 when 3wt caught him back in the summer. Their growth rate really slows as they reach this size. His huge head and large jaws combined with convex ventral fin suggests he's almost certainly a male fish (we'd have to change his name ) and I'd guess he's probably in the range of 5 years of age. It wouldn't surprise me that he could live several more years and push 23 or so. If it were a female I might predict potentially 25+". Whatever the case, he's a beauty with some real sentimental value regardless of size.

 

[MKern]

Amazing!

 

[rmonmcb23]

GREAT STUFF! what a cool thread

 

[albatross]

Thanks for sharing Dave. Great story.

I bet this happens more often than we know with less recognizable fish.

 

[3wt7X]

Dave,
Great job again on catching that beauty!!! He is definately a lot darker that when I got him.

Squaretail,
I really like the name...I was thinking about naming that fish as well when Dave let me know that he caught it, but I could not come up with anything. I like "Jimmy two times" but if he hits 25 inches then we'll have to start calling him "James two times"

 

[littlelehigh]

Congrats to all who have caught him.

Makes you wonder if anyone else has landed him that's not on this site.

 

[Fishidiot]

Littlelehigh,
I think the odds are very high that he's been caught by quite a few other fisherman and it wouldn't surprise me if other forum members have caught him as well. We know of at least three of us - if Jay gets him in 2011 then things will really get going.

Alby,
I'm sure you're right about fish being caught much more frequently than we realize, esp with smaller, less distinct fish. Of course, the big ones stand out. I discovered recently that a very big trout I caught a few years ago is depicted on the cover of a fishing book after having been caught by a different fella.

While Squaretail, then 3wt7X caught this particular brown before I did, last week 3wt caught a brookie in Big Spring Creek that I had caught last summer. And these were big fish that were photographed and could be proven to be the same fish. There's no doubt that smaller fish get caught repeatedly without us or our friends even noticing.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

Very cool story and beautiful fish.

On a personal note, I have caught the same largemouth bass from a small private pond 15 times. One day while I was fishing there two other guys showed up and one of them caught her. I had already seen her that day and decided to leave her alone because I had just caught her the week before. Thankfully they released her. I saw her two weeks ago, glad to know she's still alive but I think I'll leave her alone this year. This fish has been exactly 21" for the last four years. I wonder how old that makes it?

I think it's cool to catch the same fish more than once. They really do become almost like old friends after a while.

 

[Festus]

Here's a toast to Jimmy Two Times and a great story. I hope he is feeding well. FI, I just took a peek at your website. Fantastic work.

 

[salmo]

Maybe fishermen can be reborn multiple times if they have the right Karma. Who knows, maybe God practices catch and release.

Salmo