Need some brookie help!

Geezle · #1 10-18-2013, 08:10 AM

So if all goes to plan, next weekend a couple of us yahoos are going to go on a brook trout excursion for a day or two.

Now the only time I've had any success with brook trout has pretty much been just jigging for them in the winter, and I have very little open water experience with them.

On top of that, I'm also not a fly guy, so chucking fluff is out for me, unless I do the ol' fly-behind-a-bobber thing.

Also, what kind of structure do brookies like? I'll be fishing from a tinner with a sonar but have no idea what to look for.

So yeah...basically I need a bit of a brook trout crash course so I can hopefully take at least a half decent stab at this and make the trip worthwhile

The Fisherman Guy · #2 10-18-2013, 09:18 AM

Bookies like structure like logs, and boulders. Find the drop offs on the edge of shallows. They really like water beetles, a good idea would be to pump the stomach of your first to see what they are eating.

Big brookies eat fish, so if the water body allows it, small (tiny) minnows are a good choice.

I would jig for them overtop of structure. Look for logs, and the edge of weed beds. Small blue jigs have worked well for me.

Also, if you're using worms, use small trout red worms not see worms. Also slow trolling a slow death hook at a dead slow pace makin sure it spins just below the surface - that has landed my best brookie.

Good luck J!

chriscosta · #3 10-18-2013, 10:09 AM

Idk how well it would work for sure at this time but it absolutely slays em in the summer get a small gold bladed panther martin spinner and some tiny red gomagatsu egg hooks attach the egg hook with two inches of line as a trailer on the spinner and use a half a dew worm hook the front of the worm to the treble on the spinner and thread the trailer through the worm and hook it in the bottom of it .... so your worm is long not bunched add two split shots about a foot or so up the line and troll around slowly it works amazing on rainbows too dont ask me why but an old guy showed me this back in the hasse lake days and it has worked better than anything ive witnessed yet you almost cant keep up but remember i never tried it this late in the year. Good luck

chriscosta · #4 10-18-2013, 10:15 AM

Actually here ya are brah!!!! If it dont work now dont forget about it come next june you wont be disapointed .... lemme know how ya do

the local angler · #5 10-18-2013, 06:52 PM

i normally do very well on small panther martin spinners, carry a good assortment of them plus other brands too.

Geezle · #6 10-18-2013, 07:46 PM

Would it be safe to assume they'd likely be in fairly shallow at this point in the season?

EZM · #7 10-18-2013, 07:53 PM

Bottom bouncing with a lindy rig (worm harness style with two hooks) or a shak-e-blade.

Tip it with a minnow or worm and bounce it slow along drops and structure.

You can also use a spin-n-glow with a bead stop double snelled.

Works like a charm. My guess is that they would be moving in where it shallow - but, like anything, will depend on the lake, the temp and the available forage.

tight line · #8 10-19-2013, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geezle

Would it be safe to assume they'd likely be in fairly shallow at this point in the season?

They are likely spawning right now, should be shallow. Egg sucking leeches, bead headed wooly buggers, zonkers for flies. They can get agresive but can also be really dossile, depends how rutted up they are! You should be able to sight fish them shallow, or find them with the sonar so either way you can put it right in front of them.

Geezle · #9 10-19-2013, 11:29 AM

Thanks for the info folks, keep it coming!

Small Raps were suggested to me also...thoughs?

EZM · #10 10-19-2013, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geezle

Thanks for the info folks, keep it coming!

Small Raps were suggested to me also...thoughs?

Raps are great when the water is warmer - fall tends to see them less likely to chase bait, hugging the bottom and looking "reaction strikes" it seems to me.

Maybe a sinker (sinking crank or rap) twitched and darted along the bottom might be a good idea to try.

Geezle · #11 10-21-2013, 08:37 AM

Okay, I'm bumping this up again because it has come to my attention that the lake in question also has a pile of rainbows in it, and apparently some that are decently sized as well.

I'm assuming roughly the same stuff will work for the rainbows?

I know this all seems relatively simple for some of you folks, but for anybody who knows me, I suck at open water trout!

EZM · #12 10-21-2013, 10:18 AM

I like trolling for rainbows. Depending on water depth and where the fish are really determines what presentation works best. Rainbows tend to suspend a little more than brookies so, you may find them hovering around this time of year.

I find a small flatfish or kwikfish plug trailed behind a inline sinker (or spoon) 24"-48" out front gets the plug down far enough to entice these critters into biting the lure.

For slower presentations, like bottom bouncing, jigging or bait fishing, I use natural bait (as the fish have more time to decide if your presentation is a worthy meal).

If you are fishing slower and near the bottom targeting both species you will probably get interest from both species.

If you are into trolling/casting the fuzzy stuff a nice bead head streamer darted and twitched along as you drift is deadly.

BeeGuy · #13 10-21-2013, 01:29 PM

Not sure about your location, but JBeers and I were watching brookies in full spawn mode yesterday.

The males were actively defending their redds from all trespassers.

In a lake, it may be useful to target in/outflows, seepages and spring upwellings.

chriscosta · #14 10-21-2013, 04:51 PM

Ya gotta try that spinner thing i posted if its working itll be well worth it

SNAPFisher · #15 10-21-2013, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geezle

Thanks for the info folks, keep it coming!

Small Raps were suggested to me also...thoughs?

Great idea this time of year. As others have pointed out, they are shallow. Especially at low light times of day and especially in the evening...last hour of light. Get a nice 2 inch rap, floater. You should be able to cast from shore. And slow retrieve it towards you. Maybe the females will ignore it but the large territorial males will not tolerate it

Best of luck!

Geezle · #16 10-22-2013, 08:47 AM

Well,it looks like I've got some options now anyway, and I've gotta make another trip by TFH before the weekend to grab some new shiny things to try out!

Geezle · #17 10-26-2013, 07:51 PM

Sadly we haven't found the brookies yet but we did find a few of these guys

ineptflux · #18 10-26-2013, 08:12 PM

Beauty!

WayneChristie · #19 10-26-2013, 08:12 PM

you goop your worms to the hook? good idea, make it harder for the girly fish to steal them!

Geezle · #20 10-26-2013, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

you goop your worms to the hook? good idea, make it harder for the girly fish to steal them!

Goop, PL, Elmer's...whatever is handy!

thorne · #21 10-26-2013, 08:46 PM

Well I see marine goop and no water....so all looks great!

Btw nice trout!

chriscosta · #22 10-26-2013, 10:06 PM

Was it with the panther martin spinner thing (fingers crossed) .... i hope so thats a frign goooder bud

EZM · #23 10-27-2013, 02:45 PM

That's a great rainbow ....... nice catch. Your boat looks like the bottom of my boat .... lots of supplies to McGyver any necessary fix on the fly.

Geezle · #24 10-28-2013, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriscosta

Was it with the panther martin spinner thing (fingers crossed) .... i hope so thats a frign goooder bud

Hate to burst your bubble man, but nope

mooseknuckle · #25 10-28-2013, 09:01 AM

Looks like you got into some good rainbows Jay. It was the "goodluck" beers at hooters that did it!!