The Beauty or The Beast?

[ron snow]

I know there are lot’s of beautiful places that hold monster fish.

For the sake of this discussion, let’s say you have to choose.

You can fish a pretty stretch of river, whatever that means to you, known to hold average size fish or you can fish an ugly stretch of river that holds well above average size fish.

I’ll take the average fish and the beautiful place.

How about you?

[barney]

Haven’t seen an ugly place in Wyoming yet but if I do, I’ll still give it a try.

[Neal Osborn]

For me it depends on my mood and if I’m at home or away on a trip.

[John Bennett]

Last openers I went to the head waters of the stream I live on. I caught one 6inch Brookie while further downstream not 2 minutes from my house anglers galore were tiring out their arms on large Steelhead.

I take picturesque waters all the time, many with few or below average sized fish simply because I value the tranquility, more than I value size or numbers. Often, waters with good numbers/large fish also attract good numbers of anglers to boot. Id rather be skunked or catching chubb but at peace vs deaing with crowds or hooking up with tires and shopping carts 🙂

[Brett Hoskins]

I would have to take the monster fish if they are wild.

[Cameron Mortenson]

The Beauty…a small brook trout stream in Montana…

…catching these beauts…

And the Beast…”The Reef” section of the North Platte River…

…wrangling rainbows on big water…

I’d like to say that I’d always chose “The Beauty”…but there is something about fishing “The Beast” every now and again.

[Steve K.]

Put me down for beauty any day. Heck….I don’t even need to fish. I recall one summer morning I sat streamside in Yellowstone National Park and watched a cutt feed on midges for about an hour-and-a-half. I guess I’m getting old.

[Brett Hoskins]

Nice answer Cameron. No shopping carts in that water.

Brett

[Mark Landerman]

I was going to say the North Platte, but it looks like I was beat to the punch.

[Cameron Mortenson]

Lando…I might have beat you…but your trout is bigger!

[Gary Sundin]

For the theoretical question, I’ll take the beauty over the beast about 70/30, I suppose.  In reality, I’ll fish the pretty place when I can (once a month or so), but I’ll fish dirty every 2-3 days to avoid withdrawal.  I think ugly places kind of grow on you.

I like fishing here.

And next to this pipe

And under these bridges

After several tries, I finally caught this grassy today in an ugly pond near my work.  First ever on fly for me.  All thanks to ugly places.

G

[Mark Landerman]

Lando…I might have beat you…but your trout is bigger!

[Mark Landerman]

[Cameron Mortenson]

Lando…wind?

[Cameron Mortenson]

Gary Sundin…that grass carp photo is killer!

[kevin powell]

I’d have to pick beauty. Those are the places that my wife enjoys the fishing and going with me. She is a horticulturalist so it helps to have all the stream side plants and native flora – That keeps her interested. Another reason this time of year is so great. Spring creeks and mountain streams have those little but colorful brooks and cuts. The sound and smell of water just gets me going.

Don’t get me wrong, I like to hook into a pig and I HAVE waded in manure to catch the that pig. But the time that I have out and away from the office is sanctuary time.

[Gary Sundin]

Gary Sundin…that grass carp photo is killer!  What fly did you use?  Do tell…

A 1″ strip of green foam tied on #10 dry fly hook with a bundle of green rubber centipede legs dangling down over the hook.

[Author]

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