Barbara's Big Brown

Every now and then I'm fortunate enough to be standing next to an angler when they latch onto a truly big trout.  This was the case a couple of weeks ago when I was guiding on the Yampa river outside of Steamboat Springs, CO.  We already had enjoyed an incredible day of fishing when Barbara set the hook and a yellow flash went screaming down the riffle we were standing in.  The fish made a swirl at the end of its run and I got pretty excited when I saw the size of its tail.  We moved quickly down stream to catch up with this brute.  The fish made another run but soon tired and held its position.  I left Barbara's side, snuck in behind the holding fish and made a stab at the water below it hoping to corral it before it decided to resume the fight.  My aim was true and I came up with one of the bigger brown trout I've seen.  Barbara didn't know what she had caught and couldn't believe all the fuss about pictures that Ed and I made.  As she fishes more and catches more, she will appreciate the size and fortune of a fish like this.  Good job Barbara!