Brook Trout Fishing
One of the most popular activities for many anglers is Brook trout fishing. Because they are not as elusive, but are more plentiful than many other types of trout, they are a common catch in the Eastern United States, Canada and as far West as the Rockies and Sierras. Brook trout are in the Salvelinus group of Salmoninae, which are also referred to as char. Preferring cold, moderate to fast moving water, these fish are found in lakes, rivers, streams and creeks. Brookies, as they are affectionately called, live about 8 years and because they live in colder waters, they are smaller and somewhat slower than other species. Although they can survive in warmer water, they flourish in water with temperatures in the mid 50′s and well-oxygenated. Brook trout spawn in the fall, like Brown trout, but they are the only species of trout to spawn in lakes. During spawning, brook trout can be found in shallow pools of cool, clear water, with abundant gravel on the bottom.
Appearance
Brook trout are also called “squaretail” trout, because their tails are much straighter along the trailing edge, and lack the forked tail typical of other trout species. They have long, streamlined bodies and a large mouth extending beyond their eyes. With a body color that varies from gray, blue-gray, olive or black on their back, to silvery white or yellow on their bellies. One characteristic that makes Brookies easy to identify is the beautiful red dots with halos of blue. However, the spotted dorsal fin and worm-like markings, called vermiculations, along its back are the real indicators used to distinguish brook trout. During breeding time in the fall, the males can appear very bright orange and red along their sides, with lower fins which have black with a white front edge, and the remainder of the fin being a red-orange color.
Characteristics
Brook trout are known to be one of the best tasting trout of all. This is often why brook trout fishing leads to more fish that are kept, even the smaller ones. Known to be the least picky eaters of the trout group, they will consume a great array of different bait, including crustaceans, crickets, fishes, worms, grasshoppers, spoons, zoo-plankton, spinners, as well as aquatic and terrestrial insects. Wet flies or nymphs are excellent bait to use in your fishing efforts, because they won’t stay on the surface, but will go down to where the fish are. Because they are more easily caught, they don’t grow to be large fish in very many cases.
Tips for catching brookies
A key to success in catching brook trout is knowing they are rather stationary, and are often found under the cover of rocks, logs, banks and vegetation. Larger, older brook trout most commonly hide out in deeper pools, moving to shallow water only to feed. Be sure to walk slowly along the bank, being careful to not splash, which will scare away the fish. Cast toward the bank, knowing that these trout can find amazing places to hide. Although June and July are the months with the highest brook trout fishing catches, brookies are also commonly caught in winter at a depth around 10 feet in cold lakes. But Brook trout are one of the most popular varieties to catch all year long, since they are so widespread, and so eager to eat what comes their way!
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