Big Trout Trip, by Larry Rea

When Robbie Jordan, Point Leader of the Mid- South Chapter of Legacy Outfitters, asked me to write an article for Legacy's magazine he requested that I write about two days I spent on one of the nation's premier trout fishing streams. -the White River.

During my more than four decades as an outdoors journalist, and a long-time member of Legacy's Mid-South chapter, there have been only a handful of times in which something I did was the focus of the article.

This is one of the times.

So, bear with me as I struggle with being modest, proud and down-right happy to relate one of those special times on the trout waters of my home state, Arkansas, for an event that happened at one of my favorite trout fishing destinations - Gaston's White River Resort near Lakeview, Ark.

It's all about a 10-pound, 32-inch brown trout that I caught on a cold morning in early March 2012 during a media gathering, which, I might add, I help organize through the late Jim Gaston and his staff at Gaston's White River Resort.

Talk about "world-class" trout fishery, this is the place.

Not that I expected to catch (and, of course, release) the heaviest and longest brown trout of my life on that day as Mike Checkett, who works for Memphis-based Ducks Unlimited, and I left Gaston's dock under the watchful eye of guide Chuck Myers. World class fishery in this case was most notably the couple of miles of the White that encompass the area from Bull Shoals dam past Gaston's White River Resort.

As the host of the media gathering I hoped everyone caught a world-class trout and go home to tell their readers, listeners or viewers all about the experience...not thinking that on this day it'll be me doing the telling.

The weather was marginal, but the fishing was, as we've come to expect at Gaston's, terrific.

On this trip, not only did I catch the biggest trout of my life, but Ron Wong, a two-time winner of the St. Jude Bass Classic held annual on Memorial Day at North Mississippi's Sardis Lake and one of the Mid-South's most knowledgeable anglers, caught an 18½ pound brown trout using a 1/16 ounce black PJ Finesse jig (manufactured in Fayetteville, Ark).

"This is just a world-class place to fish for trophy trout," I remember Wong telling me. "And what makes it so special, well, for many reasons, is that you can use a variety of baits from jigs to jerk baits to spoons and different types of baits like shad or worms."

If a picture's worth 1,000 words, Wong's fish turned out to be a 2,000 word essay as other journalists clambered to have their photo taken with the giant, prehistoric looking fish whose age led sadly to its death during the landing struggle.

Little did Ron, who was fishing with guide Joe Hicks, and I know that we'd catch a world-class fish... on the same day.

But this tale doesn't end here.

After all, in this day of instant communication, I couldn't help but let a few folks know about my big catch. I mean, let's be truthful about all this. Anglers love to tell other anglers about their success, right?

Before I knew it the photo of my fish was all over the internet.

OK, by now you're probably asking enough: of all this bragging, let's get down to the important information - like what bait did I use to catch this world-class trout? Truth is it wasn't anything fancy. No high-priced lure. Myers said, rather nonchalantly, "Let's put a three-inch shad" on and see happens."

Wow, did it happen.

And best of all the fish was five pounds. heavier than the one my wife, Miriam, boated a few years back, earning her a spot on Gaston's Catch-and-Release Wall of Fame, along with a certificate of appreciation.

So, it didn't take me long to keep the conversation going at the next Legacy monthly meeting at the Memphis Shooting

Sports Association. As far as I know it's still being talked about, especially by me.

Oh, and one more thing-I also caught a walleye on that same trip. That's right-a walleye in the White River below Bull Shoals Dam. I think I was fishing with Checkett, who also caught a good-size brown trout on the same trip. I know our guide was Ron Armogast.

When it comes to telling stories there's nothing like our Legacy meetings. For sure, we talk about hunting and fishing accomplishments, but we also share the best story of all-

The Good News of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.