Brown Trout Tactics

[RiverFisher13]

I recently discovered that i have a great brown trout fishery about a half hour from my house, so i play on trying to get some of them this spring. However i have never fished for any type of trout before so i know little to nothing about them. Can you guys help me out a little bit on what baits types to use and what structure to look for?

[00 mod]

My suggestion is a ultra light spinning rod (ml) with 4 or no more than 6 lb line, while drifting either wax worms, red worms, sculpin, or shad. If you prefer the artificial route, I recommend countdown rapalas or little cleos. Be careful, brown trout are VERY addictive!

Jeff

[Dave T.]

I recently discovered that i have a great brown trout fishery about a half hour from my house, so i play on trying to get some of them this spring. However i have never fished for any type of trout before so i know little to nothing about them. Can you guys help me out a little bit on what baits types to use and what structure to look for?

OO mod gave you some good advice. I would add some small mepps or similar spinners to your tackle bag.

As far as structure... just about anywhere there is structure... wood, in front of and behind boulders, at the head and tail of pools, in deep runs, undercut banks, and most places in-between. Like bass, it depends on water conditions, temp, weather conditions, and whether they are actively feeding or not. You never know where you will find a brownie, but you have to work the obvious places first.

As a matter of fact, I see you fish rivers for small mouths. You will find the browns in very similar types of water that the smallies like. I've caught them side by side in a couple of streams where they both inhabit.

[Jim_M]

I can't help you. I can show you where I'd be looking if I were you.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/forum/20-other-fish-species/

[00 mod]

OO mod gave you some good advice. I would add some small mepps or similar spinners to your tackle bag.

As far as structure... just about anywhere there is structure... wood, in front of and behind boulders, at the head and tail of pools, in deep runs, undercut banks, and most places in-between. Like bass, it depends on water conditions, temp, weather conditions, and whether they are actively feeding or not. You never know where you will find a brownie, but you have to work the obvious places first.

As a matter of fact, I see you fish rivers for small mouths. You will find the browns in very similar types of water that the smallies like. I've caught them side by side in a couple of streams where they both inhabit.

x2 on all of this, and as I forgot to mention structure, my number one "spot" for brown fish(smallies as well) are eddies! Big lazy fish staying out of the current and waiting on an easy meal!

Jeff

[Crestliner2008]

Depending on the river you are fishing, I'd recommend a "gob" of nightcrawlers, tossed just ahead of an eddy and allowed to drift down into it. Big browns are suckers for such an offering.

[RiverFisher13]

hanks for the words of advise guys. Hopefully ill have some pics for you all this spring.

[VolFan]

A big tree root ball or undercut bank or sweeper (laydown) and the eddy around it is where you'll find the bruisers. If you're not losing lures, you're not getting to the big girls. Spinners, spoons, surprisingly big rapalas all work for them. Once you get to know an area well, try it at night with a big rapala slowly across the surface.

[CoBass]

Rainbow trout colored jerkbaits are absolutely deadly for browns in my neck of the woods. Kastmasters and inline spinners are also very effective. If you're into live bait, bouncing a chunk of nightcrawler a foot or two below a few split shots will produce good results. Cast upstream and let the current bounce the crawler along the bottom. Use the lightest line you can get away with.

[slonezp]

Blow up a nightcrawler.

Inject a nightcrawler with air to make it float, a couple splitshots12-18" from the hook.

Tube jigs matching the forage species.

Spawn sacs

[Ern]

I too am blessed with a VERY fine Brown Trout fishery in my backyard. I can be there in roughly 7 minutes and fishing in 10. I would say that you have good tips above. One thing to remember about trout and browns in particular. The bigger fish are Predator Fish. To target them look at structure, Bigger lures and baits, and peak periods of activity for them. I look at fishing undercuts, rock ledges and laydowns. Somewhere that the trout will have an ambush point. Lurewise, I like # 9 Rapalas in jerkbaits. In spinners, I like Stuff in the size of #2 mepps or Blue Fox Vibrax. Some of the Best times are dusk dark and early morning. And where we have a tailwater, the flips between generating and draw down. I tell most people to look at the bigger trout like smallmouth bass in stream and you will be fine, but I have found that Line visiblity is CRUCIAL!! Trout do care about the line!!

[J Francho]

I'm going to assume by your locale, that these fish are in current. This time of year? I'd be looking in deep pools. I use a float rig to deliver the bait. Nothing more efficient than letting a float trot downstream, with your bait in the zone the whole way.

Here is a pdf with great illustrations on how to rig: http://www.raventackle.com/Shotting%20Patterns.pdf

You can use a spinning or baitcaster. I like a longer rod, light power and slow action. I have trout rods ranging from 8' UL to 15' for big rivers. If you don't want to invest in special equipment, a 7 spinning rod or your crankbait casting rod will work fine. If you really get into it, I recommend a centrepin reel. Look it up on Youtube. It's the best way to catch trout, period. Notice I said catch, not fish for. Really.

You can use whatever baits, flies, egg sacks, but my best brown bait the past few seasons has been white trout worms: http://www.madrivermanufacturing.com/stworms.htm

Yes, dipping them in JJ's works really well, if you want to add some color and/or scent.

Here's a nice buck from last month:

And a nice hen:

Note the little pink worm above. BTW, that rod is a 10' Shimano Convergence, and an Okuma Avent centerpin. 10# Suffix Elite, 5# fluoro leader.

[RiverFisher13]

When it comes to spawning, what water temps should i look for, and what kinda areas will they bed in?

[J Francho]

Don't mess with trout on redds, they really won't bite and it's too easy to snag them. You'll see two huddled up next to eachother in extremely shallow riffles with a clean gravel bottom. Sometimes so shallow, their dorsal surface is out of the water.

[doug deike]

Caught @ Niagra Mohawk hot water discharge on live minnows.

[Clash City Rocker]

I like to use small inline spinners like Mepps and Panter Martins (most tackle shops sell kits with a few different colors, so you can see what works best in your stream), and floating trout dough, like powerbait.

[CHIP-MAINE]

mepps makes a thunder bug that i got 3 19" brookies on the first 2 days i used them, plus other nice brookies. these hit the all red firefly.