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Get Away and Fish for Beautiful River Brook Trout
(continued)
  Fishing
for Brook Trout isn't any different then targeting the more common Rainbows.
Kastmasters will work in any deeper pools, but tend to hang up in the very
shallow streams that Brookies favor. Small spinners from Panther Martin, Blue
Fox, or Mepps are ideal for these conditions, and a brisk retrieve keeps the
lures spinning in just a few inches of water.
A Brook Trout hooked on a spinner
In deeper pools or slow running
deep water anglers can also use a small float with a egg, worm, or ball of
Powerbait. Tubes are also effective for slow dragging or even jigging. While
there is no doubt that you will catch more Brookies with live bait but I prefer
catching these fish on lures. When the fish are aggressive they will often give
chase and at times even compete for your lure trying to snap it up right in
front of another follower.
Panther martin Spinners are among
the most effective for targeting these fish in shallow water
A subtle presentation is key to
catching Brookies, and I find these trout among the most hook shy. The younger
juvenile brookies are much more likely to dart right out and attack a spinner,
versus the older larger fish that may follow your lure all the way back to shore
and then simply turn around right before you think the fish will commit. Any
river Brookie over 12 inches in length can be considered a trophy fish, and they
got that big by being wary of anglers.
You will drastically increase your
strike numbers by sneaking up on fish and staying hidden from view. These fish
spook easily!
Try and wear clothing that matches
your surroundings, green is usually a good pick but in the fall I like browns
and oranges. The fish will usually dart the minute they see you on shore, and
while you may still see them hovering in the water in front of you they will go
into complete lockjaw mode. The fish are also sensitive to movement and if you
simply walk up to edge of the stream you will often see wakes of fish moving
away from you before you even catch a glimpse of the fish.
Zander lands a Brown Trout on a
spinner while targeting Brooks
I like to take my time to approach
good stretches of water, and will often creep up to the waters edge on my knees
and whenever possible keep cover alongside trees or in tall grass. I then lob
cast my lures as far over the target area as possible and retrieve the lures at
a constant pace through the area where fish are holding. Brookies like structure
and will hold alongside submerged wood or rocks waiting for prey to ambush.
Working riffles is also very productive, just make sure to cast over them
because if you cast your lure directly into the area where fish are holding you
are likely just going to spook them.
We had no trouble catching Browns
on this trip, but finding water that held Brook Trout was a challenge
On this particular trip catching a
Brook Trout proved to be a major feat, and we caught over 30 Brown Trout before
we got our first Brookie. Waters once filled with the small variety of fish had
now been completely taken over by Browns and Rainbows. There are four main types
of Trout that you are likely to see if you fish in Yosemite or venture beyond to
the Eastern Sierras, these are Rainbows, Browns, Brooks, and Goldens. Rainbows
are the easiest to catch and many of the Eastern Sierra lakes and rivers are
stocked with fish, Saddlebag lake for example receives a fresh supply of Rainbow
Trout each week during the season, and because they are hatchery fed they will
strike just about anything. Browns, often called German Browns are found
throughout the region and can be caught on conventional tackle or fly rods.
These fish can grow to a large size, and monsters can be seen cruising within
deep pools.
When Brook Trout are mature like this
12 inch Brookie they exhibit a enlarged head that is disproportionate to their body
Brook Trout are extremely colorful
and when the fish mature their heads often darken and grow to the point where
they actually look out of proportion in comparison to the rest of their body.
Then there is the only trout that I think is even more attractive than the Brook
Trout, the rare Golden Trout. Goldens, also known as the California Golden Trout
(Salmo Agubonita) is without a doubt one of the rarest in it's pure form.
Extremely brilliant in color this fish was originally found only in the Kern
River here in California. It has been since introduced to Wyoming, Idaho, and
Washington with success. It is quite rare to catch Goldens in the High Country,
but not impossible. Interestingly Rainbow Trout will readily hybridize with
Golden Trout. These hybrids share markings of both fish including the distinct
rainbow band and roughly 10 parr marks, and catching these hybrid golden
rainbows can be difficult. While I have caught them in the past on this
particular trip I never saw a single one.
Wet your hand in the water before
handling Brookies to lower the temperature of your hand as well as to help
preserve the Brook Trout's protective layer of slime
When you are lucky enough to catch
a Brookie be sure to grip it securely but not too tight as the fish are very
slippery and if you are not careful it is easy for the fish to jump right out of
your hands and on to the shore. Brookies are coated with a layer of slime that
protects their sensitive skin from infection. You want to quickly unhook the
fish and get them back into water as quickly as possible, I actually like to wet
my hand in the cold water to both lower the temperature of my hands before
handling fish and making sure my hands are not dry to preserve the fish's
protective layer.
While the days are still warm the
nights are cold enough to completely freeze shallow sections cut off from the
main river, there have been times I have found small Brookies frozen in these
pools
JIP and I hiked a total of eleven
miles on this trip, and changed our location twice by car. Finding the fish
proved to be the hardest part of the expedition, but it made catching them all
the more sweet. Backpacking overnight makes it easier to find the fish in the
backcountry, but with restrictions on overnight camping and parking due to the
extremely cold nights we didn't have that option. Even on day trips into the
backcountry it is important to pack emergency supplies. You should never be
without basic survival gear like a water pump to filter water as drinking water
directly out of the stream is not safe as it can be tainted by bacteria. Make
sure to pack a radio and GPS, and you should always carry warm clothing and a
flashlight or headlamp just in case. Always travel in pairs, and stay within
radio distance, there are a lot of unpredictable factors in the backcountry.
Practice catch and release and
these stunning fish will have an opportunity to grow to fight next season
Conclusion: Brook trout
will migrate with conditions and part of finding the fish is finding the ideal
cool clean water conditions that these fish prefer. The good news is that while
hunting for these fish you will likely find yourself in some of the most scenic
surroundings that you are likely to ever fish in. Big things come in small
packages, and this couldn't be more true when it comes to the gorgeous fish that
is the Brook Trout. Only rivaled by its golden cousins these small fish are
prized by anglers that want to pursue these surprisingly hard fighting petite
fish for their splendor or for their meat, as many anglers consider them among
the tastiest of all Sierra Trout. Take only what you can eat, we encourage catch
and release practices when possible to ensure that there will be many more of
these fish inhabiting streams for years to come. While bass fishing is my first
love there is something enchanting about fishing for trout in the backcountry,
and when the water cools down it is nice to get away and fish for Brookies, a
fish that while small is no less spectacular than the picturesque mountain
milieu they live in.
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