Catch and Release Works

[Mikey2006]

Today I was fishing a small spring creek and one of the trout I caught looked a little too familiar. It turns out it was the same fish my friend had landed twice already this spring, both times in the same pool I caught it from. We’ve both had it hooked several other times as well.

Picture above was today, the one below was a few weeks ago

I’ve also had this happen multiple times on small brookie streams. My favorite one was a nice 7.5 inch native I caught twice in a 2 month span, and like the brown trout it seemed to stay in the same exact pool. It was also really cool to see how much its coloration changed in such a short time frame.


But when it happens on bigger water where fish are free to roam, it’s really amazing. Me and @Trails and trout caught the same big brown trout this spring, it’s a really old fish that is long and skinny and easily recognizable, but I checked the spot pattern anyway and it matched. He can probably post the photo from when he caught it for comparison.


You would think that with how many times I’ve noticed this it also happens way more than I realize. Has anyone else had this happen recently?

 

[Bamboozle]

I had the same thing happen to me several times.

In my case, I recognized the fight before I recognized the fish.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Happens alot..i could prob say without a doubt atleast a dozen or more timer per year.....some from same spot like the op mentioned...some in a distance upstream. Or downstream...i even had one from 2 diff creeks lol lol a traveler for sure

 

[Trails and trout]

Yup this guy was definitely gnarly. Took a size 18 Walt’s worm when I caught him. And Mikey got him on a streamer a month or so later.

 

[Tigereye]

I have it happen a few times a year. Spot patterns, fin deformities, scars etc are all good id markers.

Also have caught fish that were obviously caught before by someone else. Clipped flies and mouth wounding are telltale signs