Squaretail pointed out a big brownie to me on Spring Creek that he estimated was around 30", but uinfortunately, looks like he's gone.

Yes, 2thorax. I think it looks like a lake trout. No matter, though; it's still a heck of a fish.

My guess with Spring Creek is if you are catching 12"ers the 30"ers aren't there. And if they are nearby, they aren't going to move to take a size 12 PT.

I hooked a large brown in there before, but he broke me off; well over 24".

Side note: my friend's 30" fish was taken on a green weenie.

Yeah, I agree with ya that there is only so much food to go around. I am not too familiar with the last stretch of Spring in Bellefonte and Milesburg. I have fished sections up there before and have not been particularly successful. It was def a bit bigger up there with a couple more tribs feeding it. When I was going to school I sort of wished I fished more of the stream. I became too comfortable with finishing up class/internship and hitting the old familiar spots for 2 hours just to get a couple fish.

Ha, you cant bust my chops about using a size 12 PH(more like size12 WW) and not catching a big brownie when your friend used a size 10-12 green weenie! I have seen plenty of large browns taken on green weenies from Penns. It must be a money pattern for that stream.

Not knocking you on the size 12 PT...I have one on everytime I fish. I would rather catch fish with the occasional larger one than just target 2 footers.

I do see a lot of larger fish active certain times of the year on Spring....not saying which time of year though.

For those confused (yes I was too) the linked page has updated and the picture in question is the post on 3/5/12. The current top picture is a big stocked brookie.

I don't blame the guy for keeping the fish. It was a fish of a lifetime and a decision that would be hard to make by anyone on here holding a fish like that. You can say you would release him on this forum but if you are the one holding that fish would would you? I know I wouldn't be able to take some pictures and send it on its way. There is nothing wrong with that either. I hope to be in that position some day.

Could you image fighting something like that on a 5 wt rod with 6x tippet and a size 24 midge, wow. I hooked into about a 26" last year just below the "do not fish section" of Spruce Creek (yes I was within the PS property) and had a hell of time getting it in after a 10 min fight hook came out, needless to say I would have had a replica made if I landed that one.

There could be a pile of fish like that below the dam if they'd just manage it as a cold tailwater fishery. Wasted resource but a nice fish anyhow.

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I dont get the PFBC sometimes. That things got vermicular type patterns in its tail.
Because its a Tiger.

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Heh heh. Yep. Definitely a tiger.