The loveable Brookie

Even though they’re not native to the West Coast, I love brook trout…which really aren’t trout, but a member of the char family…ah, nevermind, it’s not important.

Anyway, brookies are about the coolest-looking fish you’ll ever see and they’ve got about the same amount of brainpower as a mayfly. That means they’ll bite just about anything you put in their face (small gold Wob-L-Rite spoons have always been a favorite of mine!). And when you’ve got a mess of 10 inchers, there’s nothing better over an open camp fire than fresh brook trout.

This time of year, brookies in the high country will be starting to think about spawning. In lakes, you can find them near the mouths of streams or at the outlet, along rocky slopes and sharp drop-offs. In creeks, they’ll hold in deeper holes below gravel areas. They’re often extremely aggressive during the pre-spawn (as if they needed to be any easier to catch) and will attack whatever flies or hardware you have in your box.

Like I said earlier, small spoons are great but don’t forget some small Panther Martin and Rooster Tail spinners and a few 1/64-ounce marabou jigs as well. If you’re going to try for them with fluff chucking gear, try Hare’s Ears, Prince Nymphs, Zug Bugs, small streamers or Adams, Light Cahills or Mosquitoes.

Related Articles:

• Dreamin’ of Time Travel
• Small Trout Stream Techniques
• Trouting in Closed Waters
• Small Creek Troutin’
• 3.3 Million Pink Salmon headed for WA State