Brook Trout

Description

Brook trout are technically a species of char.  They are darker colored with lighter spots.  They usually have vermiculation, or worm shaped markings on their back.  These fish are my personal favorite trout because no matter the time of year, they are always beautiful to look at.  Their relatively small size but good fight and beautiful colors make them a well-sought after trout.  

Size 

Brook trout are usually fairly small.  A brook trout of 12 inches is a good catch in most small streams in the United States.  Brook trout can grow larger, especially in the far north.  Brook trout in Canada can grow to over 5 pounds.  The world record from the Nippigon river weighed over 14!

Habitat 

Brook trout are native to the eastern United States and Canada through the Appalachian Mountain range.  They live in cold streams and rivers throughout the east,  and have been introduced to streams and stillwaters in the western U.S. and Canada as well.

Food Sources 

Brook trout will eat whatever food sources are available to them, including mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, worms, and a variety of insect life.  Some of the larger ones will pursue baitfish or larger prey.

Techniques

Brook trout respond well to any number of fishing techniques.  You can nymph, fish streamers, dries, emergers, Czech nymphs, or anything else a trout would eat.  When a hatch is on, you better match what's hatching or what they're keyed in on, but for the most part they're not as spooky as brown trout are.  Fish something attractive or something that represents their common food sources in the area.

Equipment

Rod: A rod best suited to the stream is best.  In smaller streams, a 7'6" 3 weight is excellent.  On larger waters, a 9' or 8'6" 4 weight suits these fish well.

Reel: These fish don't pull line much, so your reel will be little more than a line holder.  A basic click-pawl reel will do fine.

Line: Depending on the river, a weight forward or double taper line with good delicacy and presentation is the best.

Leader: 9 foot leader that tapers down to 4x-5x is best overall.  Fluoro for nymphs, mono for dries.  If the flies are tiny or the fish are especially spooky, you may have to lengthen the leader or taper down to smaller tippet. 

Flies: Match the hatch!  Fish dries if fish are rising or if there is a hatch, or fish nymphs otherwise. These fish can be selective and spooky, but can also be on fire if conditions are right.  Sizes from 8 down to 28 can be effective in the right situations.