Fly Fishing for Beginners || 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Brook Trout Fishing!

These are 5 things I wish I knew when I started Fly Fishing for Brook Trout in the US!!

Before we get started my intent with this video is to have something that fly anglers who want to learn to brook trout fish can use for years to come, so if you’re someone who’s been brookie fishing for a while leave a comment and let people know what’s something you wish you knew when you started brookie fishing, and then like a few comments that you find interesting or important. That way new fly fisherman can read through the comments and learn something that is beyond this video because I know I’m leaving a few things out. Oh and one more thing is that brook trout are native in the eastern US and invasive in the western US. So if you’re out east take care of the fisheries and treat them with respect. The brook trout are the state fish in 9 US states… and that’s for good reason. Their beauty is unmatched and they’re held in high regard by anglers, biologists, and anyone else who calls these areas home.

1. Be Stealthy. Brook trout, especially native brook trout in the eastern US, almost always live in small creeks and tributaries of lakes and rivers unless you’re up farther north. And because these fish live in smaller water that is almost always perfectly clear the fish are very aware of their environment. I’d say one of the biggest mistakes I see newer brookie anglers making is just walking up to the holes without any regard for what the fish are doing or where they are, often times spooking the hole before even making a cast. The predators of brook trout in most areas are herons and other birds of pray, so casting a shadow into or standing above a hole will always spook fish. Also be very aware of where your wake from walking in the creek is leading.

2. Brook Trout are AGGRESSIVE. Out of the species of trout, brook trout are much more like brown trout than rainbows or cutties. They’re overly aggressive and feed on just about anything that hits the water within reason. There are of course exceptions to this rule in heavily pressure water or very low gradient streams that have a lot of still water, but as a general rule of thumb brookies aren’t shy. This makes catching them far less difficult than some species of fish and makes techniques like streamer fishing and throwing overly large flies very effective. For native brookies, throwing a big size 10 simulator dry fly into a hole often times something they can’t turn down because they may not know when their next meal is coming.

3. If you come up to a big hole, sit down and watch for a few minutes before you even make your first catch. Often times the fish will reveal themselves if you’re even halfway patient and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been able to target specific large fish because I took 5 minutes to watch a hole before casting. Then be observant the entire time you’re fishing the hole, constantly scanning the creek for any indication of a fish. If a brook trout is rising and you cast at it, there’s an amazing chance it will at last hit your fly because they are so aggressive. So stay alert, watch for fish, and don’t be afford to sit down and take a sip of water or have a snack if you reach a hole you think should have some bigger fish.

4. Brook trout move long distances for spawn, thermal refuge, food, and all sorts of factors that we don’t totally understand sometimes. In other words the fish you’re catching in that creek could have been in the river the day prior, and could be 3 miles up the creek the next day. Obviously they don’t always move long distances, and most of the moving is done seasonally, but if you think of the creeks and rivers as brook trout highways you may start to fish them differently. What I mean by that is you have to fish everything, even the small pockets, because you could find a fish that’s on its yearly migration Also pay attention to barriers, even minor barriers that they can’t pass until the water rises again. Because you don’t know what fish was moving up and couldn’t make it past that gnarly log jam or waterfall and are just hanging out near the bottom of it.

5. Finding brook trout. That’s probably the most difficult thing for new anglers to figure out. But it doesn’t have to be. Almost every single state has publicly available data on which streams hold wild trout, and some even specifically list out brookie streams. Not only that but organizations like eastern brook trout joint venture literally have interactive maps that give you accurate data on which streams hold brook trout across the eastern US. I can almost guarantee you that every stream you’ve ever seen me brook trout fish is on a list somewhere, and most people are just too lazy to even do the bare minimum amount of research to find them, or don’t want to hike a little to find the one’s produce the best fish.

#flyfishing #trout #outdoors #troutfishing #brooktrout

[landonedwards]

Definitely agree your #1 is THE #1 - BE STEALTHY. I'm 74 now, and was really out of shape the last 2 years. Was having poor success, and I knew it was from slogging thru water, not crouching when I should, approaching closer than I should to watch - all the stuff Old Farts tend to do. I've been working out more and improving flexibility, so hoping to see improved results this fall. I've always been amazed at how much of a workout fishing small streams really is.

[viking]

Most of the creeks I fish don’t have many sections where I can make a stand off casts. Most are bow and arrow casts. Practice bow and arrow casts with varying lengths of leder hanging. For example rather than drawing from the fly pick a point 1, 2, or 3’ further up the leder as your anchor point with practice you’ll get fewer tangles and gain some distance. I also wear a pair of waterproof floorer knee pads so I can crawl if I need to up my stealthiness.

[patrickklas]

The 5 things I wish I knew about Streamer fishing really was game changing for me

[DGaydon]

As a CO angler I'm often "disappointed" when I start catching brookies when I was expecting cutthroats, browns, etc. (especially if I just hiked 6 miles to an alpine lake!). But I've absolutely had some of the most enjoyable dry fly fishing on a stream full of super aggressive brookies. Thus I'd add for an additional "wish I knew" early on item is is to get yourself a 7' 6" 3 weight (or lighter!) fly rod as you'll need something shorter for these smaller streams that are often choked with willows and have a blast fighting brookies on a lighter weight rod!

[AR-lnip]

My favorite fish! I dreamt of catching one since I was a kid. Caught my first this year, and about 50 since. I took my kid fishing in VT, and his first fish ever was a brookie on his first cast!

[outdoors]

That stimulator with a dropper nymph is killer on them here in PA. Approach is the biggest 🔑

[philliphaworth]

That brookie you released around the 15:32 mark… it was interesting watching him swim back and forth near your feet as though he was trapped. Great video!

[jessejames]

The colors of those fish are just stunning

[johnhusted]

I’m surprised how large the brookies were that you caught in such low water conditions! Just fished the exact same set up in VT; I’ve learned brookies are not fussy when it comes to flies; a stimulator works just fine!😁

[InsneevledGD]

I live out west in south BC your videos have inspired me and im gonna get my first combo this Christmas. Great video as always.

[MrVegas-vmkp]

I took, am a crouching, sneak approach fisherman too 🎉 Love to approach low and read the water and action 1st

[ricosavage]

I think being adaptive is huge. I did a bunch of my own research before tackling fly fishing, specifically in pursuit of native Brookies. You can do a hundred things correctly that any info/guide will teach, but you might miss 100 opportunities because you don’t try more things. Use those trash flies, throw a jig streamer in dry fly weather. Approach a hole downstream if you can present a fly better and not spook a fish. The stream may be a whole different ball game after a simple rain. I’ve caught big fish where a little fish should be and vice versa. What makes brook trout fishing so appealing to me is there’s never a set way to do it aside from having fun!

[MrVegas-vmkp]

@ 9:28 ish ... Switching to a larger fly and getting that larger trout, fish look at the effort and energy wasted for the meal size payoff. Similar to lots of animals in the predator world. Is the reward worth the risk !!! By the way, those bigger brookies are stunning 😮 A hand painted work of art 🎨 🎣

[FlyGuy-lj]

Great video with some very good tips. Thanks

[Beardedfurflinger]

Awesome information & be it brookies or any trout stealth is the key, K.I.S.S. Principle ( keep it simple stupid) & as you said approach will put them down, leave the fancy bright colors colors at home, wear earth tones or dull colors & practice casting & hiting an exact target, mostly you'll get 1 shot, make it count, tight lines 🤙

[ericdrury]

Setting the stage…upper Twin Lakes Mammoth 1970-1980…row boat…only one adult could fly fish…kids weren’t allowed due to rogue hooks in someone’s ear lobe or arm. World class adult fly fisherman would tie flys specific for the lake. I was instructed to use a clear bobber 1/2 full of water with a 3ft leader trailed by one of Neil Webbs flys with slow retrieve. Highlights: 18” Brookie, 22” brown, 20” Alpers Ranch Rainbow. Lowlites were stocker rainbows and chubs.

[tonycamplin]

What beautiful fish, I assume that they get their colours in the spawning season. Fantastic scenery and very educational showing that fish take the fly.

[charlesjohanesen]

good information and beautiful fish thanks!

[williamweiss]

I started with a Montague Red Wing. Still don't know anything. Used a salmon egg imitation above the N Fork CDA river. Brutal presentation, still hooked up 6 times in a row. It's interesting, fun. Up there, catch and release only.

[gregorysullivan]

Brookies, my favorite! Streams have to be clear and cold.