Kooser Trip

I was up Kooser a few weeks ago. We did really well.

We had a great weekend with my girls and dad (grandpa) on our trip to Kooser. We fished at Laurell Hill Trout Fram and Kooser lake and just relaxed around the cabin and had two great campfires. Can't waint for next year ! 

I wish they were from Kooser Lake or other public water !
No, they are from the pay trout pond down the road. Still hard to catch, a ton of little ones eat your bait 1st ! LOL.
I usually fish for a little bit after I let my girls catch a bunch there. Thats where they got the Golden Rainbows too.
I stuck out on Kooser lake, one hit in about an hour and a half of fishing. I didn't see anyone catch a fish while I was there. Getting weedy now as well. A lot of muck on the bottom.
I did manage the grand slam on Kooser Run in the early Saturday morning thou. I caught 3 trout, Brook, bow and a brown and was back at the cabin before the girls were even up.
 
  
 

I believe it is Laurel Hill trout farm. Can't miss it it's on the right before Kooser.

It is pricey but not bad if you just want some trout to eat. When I am fishing, I don't want to have to tote a cooler with me and have to do all the work involved with keeping them since I mostly catch and release. I would go there just to get some eaters since it is more fun than going to the market for them. It is pretty close to me so just go there catch a few. Have them clean them and I go home and grill them.

My sister and her boyfriend pulled a 18 1/2 inch brown out of kooser on a minnow, 3+ lbs and awesome color. She wants it made into a wall hanger, i had Hutch do a nice fish for me, I think we might go to Droptine taxidermy for this one.

I have a picture of mine ill upload it shortly

Cool, didn't know there were pike in theer. Have to fish some shiners under a float next time I'm there !
Here's an article I wrote this year for the PAOJ for spring time pike.
Jeb
 I would recommend targeting shallow weedy flats that are still holding some vegetation. Vegetation will be harder to see with the winter die off, if you are fishing from a boat, keep an eye on your electronics. The vegetation should be easy to pick up on your finder. If you are in an area that you are familiar with, then try to remember where the weed line was prior to winter.
            Even though the water is warming and their metabolism is picking back up, pike will still be a little sluggish right after ice out. I tend to not fish too many lures this time of the year; they just don’t chase them down that much. You pretty much have to hit them on the head with it to get a bite. Instead I like to target them with a big juicy meal they usually can’t refuse. I will rig up big “dead bait”; a smelt, chub, sucker or large shiner under a large float and fish the edge of the weed lines. On most lakes during most winters, there is usually some kind of baitfish “die off” that occurs. Pike will eagerly suck these up in late winter and into the springtime. As far as rigging goes, I like to use a 7 medium/heavy rod with a softer tip. This soft tip allows you to cast the bait an appropriate distance and the heavier middle section of the rod provides enough backbone to adequately set the hook. My favorite rod is the 7’ Medium/Heavy Ugly Stick. It’s easy on the budget and can take a beating. I’ve had mine for over 10 years now and I use it everywhere. I prefer spinning reels as opposed to big bait casters when fishing this way, however either will do. It is simply a matter of preference. Just make sure whichever you chose has a good drag system. Even though Pike are a little sluggish in the early spring, do not under estimated the power of these big fish. I like to use at least 50lb braided line and at least a 12” nylon leader with a quick strike set up, just like the ones used for ice fishing. A quick strike rig allows you to quickly set the hook without the pike swallowing the bait, thus preventing gut hooked fish. I like to set my depth so the bait is suspended just off of the bottom. I let the wind drift my float slowly covering an area. If, no strikes occur after I’ve covered an area, don’t be afraid to move. Certain areas warm faster even within the same bay; sometime a few degrees difference in temperature is all it takes to congregate fish. Also, I’ve always found it better if possible to fish the shoreline that is receiving the wind. This holds true for most of the year as well. The wind pushes the water, which pushes plankton, which attracts baitfish which attracts predators.
            Don’t expect the aggressive, sometimes violent strike that Pike are famous for. Usually all that happens is a slow submersion of your float, which is why it is important to set the hook if you think it might be a fish. Fishing this way your bait will sometimes hang up on some weeds and as your float drifts it will slowly get pulled under the surface.  Reel up your slack line and set the hook every time, it might not be the weeds that slowly forced your float under. 
            Pike like most big fish grow slow and the females are the larger animals of the species. Any pike caught over 30 inches is most likely a female and should be released to spawn another season. If you want to keep a few for the dinner table, I would recommend the smaller males as table fare. If you are trophy hunting and want a wall hanger, I would suggest a fiberglass replica. Replicas have come a long way since they hit the market over a decade ago and will last forever. If you plan on having a replica made, I would suggest taking a lot of good quality pictures if possible. Good pictures can really aid the artist with the paint job. Also take accurate length and girth measurements as well.
            If you haven’t targeted ice out pike before and you can stand some chilly temperatures, give a try. This is when most of the bigger fish of the year are taken."  

No need to 'splain yourself Jeb. 
 
Aside from the guys that fish for wild trout, the rest of us are catching the same kind of trout you caught at the trout farm.  Only difference is that they've taken a ride in a tanker truck and got put in a little bigger water at lower concentrations. 
 
And when it comes down to it, we're all just trying to fool a critter with a brain the size of a pea.