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What a morning. Started fishing in the pool above where they drain the stocking truck just above the Apperson St. bridge. Jack Ward stopped by and we talked for a few minutes. Needed a warmth break as the water was 48° when I checked it. Just as Jack was turning around to drive away I hooked a nice 16" rainbow and photoed it in the measuring net.

Headed up to the next pool about half a hour later. Had seen two big splashes there as I drove down to the lower area earlier. Saw a smaller trout near the rocky point and tried about three casts with no luck. Finally pitched it out about thirty feet and was using a small beadhead black wool bugger wrapped in tinsel flash from front to rear with the loose ends trailing thru the marabou tail.

All of a sudden the line stops and nothing. Thought I was foul hooked on the bottom. decided that a good hook set might be in order and then all Hades broke loose. The big brown came out of the water 4-5 times during out twenty minute dance. He took me to the backing once and almost a second time. Made several long runs up, down and across the river. Was hooked good in the left jaw on 5x tippet rated, I think, at 3.9 lbs. He made several runs so fast that the line stripping through the water was loudly humming. Never experienced that before. When I finally got him close realized that he'd never fit in my 24" measuring net; so, I scooped him head first and there was about 3"-4" of tail outside the net.

Briefly laid him next to the rod for later measurement and couldn't fit two hands around him when I tailed him and swam him back and forth for revival. Thumbs and middle fingers were about each an inch apart when I put him back in the water. Measured the rod at home to the first joint and the brown came in at 27" with a girth of 16". I believe there's a formula to judge weight using those two measurements; but, I don't know what it is. I'd estimate it to be in the 8.6 lb. range; (based on the Trout Calculator) but, at the stage my eyes were kind of glazed over.

It's the biggest trout, by far, I've ever caught and probably won't ever top it. At least not in the Roanoke River.

Something for you all to shoot at this weekend on the trip. Dick