Skip to main content

Brown (Trout) Town, USA

Brown (Trout) Town, USA

Brown trout time in brown trout town. To be fair and honest, Milwaukee, Wisconsin is Brown Town, USA. More and bigger brown trout than Tierra del Fuego.  Milwaukee is where it's at for a brown the size of a hybrid auto and a baggage-car load of 5- to 17-pounders.

But for browns that look like manatees, you have to cross the lake. To the Big Mansitee River, in Michigan. The day the current all-tackle world record brown trout (well, I'm told it's been tied or almost tied since by a fish from Racine, Wisconsin, which illustrates how much I pay attention to records) was caught, famous steelhead guide Mark Chmura called me on the phone. "Matt, it's bigger than a manatee," he said. "It's a world record. What do we do?"

The 41-pound, 7-ounce behemoth was caught by Tom Healy on guide Tim Roller's boat. With a Rapala Shad Rap. Roller called Chmura. "I think it's a world record."


Chmura asked, "How long is it?"

Roller measured.  "Over 43 inches." Chmura told him not to move, pointed his river jet in Roller's direction, and the circus was on. I told them to call the DNR and they came and it was a world record and "what do we do now?" I gave them numbers for the IGFA and the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and everybody lived happily ever after. Especially Mr. Healy of Rockford, Michigan, who reeled the thing in and remains the only real hero of the story.

But here's the rest... of the story: Five days before that fish was caught, I was on Chmura's boat filming a television segment for In-Fisherman. While enjoying the jet ride upriver, I noticed many a Storm Deep Thunderstick Jr. dangling from various rod tips on other boats. I decided to fish a Shad Rap just to be different. It paid off. By 10 am we were working on a second segment, drifting Gulp! Gobies under Thill Floats (grist for another tale). Roller came by. "What are you guys throwing?" I pitched him a Shad Rap.


And that...is the rest... of the story. Closest I'll ever come to an all-tackle world record. As for the journalist becoming the story? The greatest sin in all the realm of professional communications? Hey. This is a blog. What standards?

The brown in the picture? It wasn't taken in Milwaukee. Or from the Big Manistee. But it was late fall. Maybe early winter. When wallowing, barnyard browns from the Great Lakes come barging upriver to post up on gravel. They stage up in pools, first. Suckers for a TC Tackle jig adorned with a plastic worm or a fresh satchel of king-salmon eggs. Light leaders (4- to 5-pound fluorocarbon), long rods, and Thill River Master floats.




Brown town? Call Eric Haataja. Step off the lake and grab a cappuccino. It's a trip. Great trip, in fact.

Hard to beat a lonely pool in a forest glade, though. Foot patrol. (The brown police never sleep.)

Recommended


GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

In-Fisherman TV Springtime Smallmouth SlamFest

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

Choose the Right Hooks for Your Harness Rigs and CATCH MORE FISH

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

Andy Montgomery's Strike King Skipping Buzzbait

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

Lew's Signature Series Bladed Jig Rod with Andy Montgomery

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

Hide Your Line--Camo Trick for Fishing Line with Bryant Smith

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

Pick the RIGHT Buzzbait Trailers with Andy Montgomery

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

The Strike King KVD Popping Perch is AWESOME with Bryant Smith

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

When to Fish a BIG JIG for Bass with Greg Hackney

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

The BEST Way to Trim A Jig Skirt with Greg Hackney

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

Prespawn Buzzbaits for BIG Largemouth Bass with Keith Combs

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Learn

Keith Combs talks about the Strike King Rage Cut-R Worm

The swim jig should be a staple in every serious bass angler's arsenal. Legendary professional bass angler Mark Davis ex...
Gear

Swim Jig Secrets for Shallow Water Largemouth Bass with Mark Davis

In-Fisherman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the In-Fisherman App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All In-Fisherman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now