I recently had an unexpected day at Treemeadow, in Cornwall which has fish between 3 and 20lb in the smaller (lower) one of it's lakes. It is only small, about 2 acres? and has gin clear water. I was fishing a gold headed daddy size 12 (it is a single fly only water), after trying several nymphs and wet flies with no joy; at the time there were no fish rising.
I landed a beautiful 5 1/2 lb rainbow which gave me a huge buzz, and put a wide grin on my face. This is my biggest fish to date, I have only been fishing a year.
After a while I saw a monster, about as long as my arm and as thick as my thigh, cruising the margins, just below where I was standing.
This is the largest trout I have ever spotted in the water, and I thought it would be very rude not to show it my fly. I saw it turn and take it, then my rod bent so much I thought it would break. I was using a 9' 6#with a floating line .
Unfortunately, my tippet broke, so I didn't get it to the net, but WOW, what a rush. With hindsight I should have played it differently, but that's my own fault/inexperience shining through!
Later in the evening as the fish started to rise I did switch to dries and managed a 4 lb rainbow on a griffith's gnat, after so many misses I was losing faith.
Both fish I caught were in great condition, with full tails, and put up a great show.
I have to say it is a great place to fish, and will definitely be going back next time I am visiting my family in Cornwall.

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"Calling Fly Fishing a hobby is like calling Brain Surgery a job."

Well done on your achievement. I know what its like to get that rush. Nothing like it in my opinion

Well done again

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Jonathan

i fish a c/r water near me and i had to wait nearly 3 years to catch a brown , but when i got him he was around the 5lb+ mark i was chuffed to bits, i also got my biggest bow this year of 7+lb i ve never shook so much in my life trying to get it in a net which wasnt big enough, bent my net handle into a half moon ,

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If in doubt, get the montys out

Intelligence is relative to your environment