Photo by Mike Bleech

Certain waters have the capacity to produce big brown trout. A good forage base is the key. Trout need a lot of food to grow to trophy proportions. While big brown trout are occasionally caught from any lake or stream, Pennsylvania's trophy trout anglers should direct their efforts to a few specific waters.

What is a big brown trout?

Most anglers in Pennsylvania have never caught a 20-inch trout, so this might be considered a standard for "big." But for the purposes of this exploration of the biggest brown trout in Pennsylvania, the standard is higher. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Angler Award Program sets the standards at 5 1/2 pounds for brown trout. That still is not high enough. We are raising the bar and are looking for 10-pound brown trout!

Very few 10-pound trout are caught in Pennsylvania, but they are out there. In the 2003 Angler Award Program, only three fish topped that mark. There were three more caught in 2002, two in 2001, and three the year before that, which was the year when the current state-record brown trout was caught. Of course, more are probably caught and go unreported for one reason or another.

BIG TROUT POTENTIAL
The potential for big brown trout in Pennsylvania is better than this record indicates. The reason more big browns are not caught is that so few anglers fish specifically for them using the proper tools and techniques.

Even when using the most sophisticated methods and fishing in the best places, big brown trout are the Holy Grail of Pennsylvania's trophy fish. These are wary fish, not easily fooled by feeble attempts. Unlike other trophy fish, very few are caught by accident.

If you are serious about catching big brown trout, use light line (nothing heavier than 8-pound-test. To handle big browns on such light line you will need patience and skill. A long rod helps to cushion the shock of these hard-fighting fish.

Most importantly, fish in places where big browns are not uncommon, waters where conditions are right for them to grow big. This invariably means a good forage base and plenty of cover.

Here are some top picks for you to consider this season. There are no guarantees that you will hook and land a 10-pound brown trout, but you will be in the best places to make it happen.

LAKE WALLENPAUPACK
If Pennsylvania had not kept the length standard of record keeping for so long, Lake Wallenpaupack would claim the state-record brown trout. Back in 1967, a 24-pound brown was caught here by Frank Kociolek. It was the state-record brown for a decade based on its length of 33 inches. Before the Fish and Boat Commission switched the record standard to weight, that fish was beaten by Joe Humphreys' 34-inch brown, which weighed 15 pounds, 4 ounces. Two years later, the record standard was changed from length to weight.

Lake Wallenpaupack did get the state record back in 1988 with a brown trout that weighed 17 pounds, 0.7 ounces, caught by Kevin Coutts. That record held for five years.

What makes Wallenpaupack such a good lake for huge brown trout?

"It just might have to do with the size of the lake and the fact that it's cold. Plus, browns run up Wallenpaupack Creek to spawn, and there is an excellent forage base," said Dave Arnold, area fisheries manager.