This fish is the result of a lot of sleepless nights, countless hours driving, and the vast majority of outings resulting in no fish brought to hand. Bryan (IG: @Wildtrout) and I had set a goal of catching a giant tiger trout. We fished dozens of waters across the west, exploring and searching for the monster fish of our dreams. We were determined to make it happen.
Finally, one fateful night, I was stripping my fly in a spot we had identified as having good potential for big fish. I had a 5″ articulated streamer on that has proven itself time and again with monster trout, and I was nearing the end of a cast.
Strip.
Strip.
Strip
Striiii-Thud.
Rock solid.
Slow motion head shakes.
An intimidating eruption of water.
I yelled for Bryan to grab the net. The fish never really got its bearings and made any runs, it just thrashed like crazy. Bryan was in the water, and the fish was in the net in no time… but it didn’t fit. flopping in the shallows, Bryan bear-hugged the massive trout and wrestled it to the bank. He was soaked.
I tailed the massive, beautiful fish for a few photos. The whole experience of spending so much time on the water searching and learning, time on the vice creating an evolution of flies that specifically, attract giant predatory trout, and then being rewarded with a fish that is likely one of the largest tiger trout ever caught on a fly in public water…
I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Such a humbling experience to experience such an amazing fish. Grateful I could share it with my brother Bryan.
Kyle Glass is a professional fly tier and guide from the Western USA. Check him out on Instagram @trout_trap!
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