targetting browns

[punkrockerpj]

me and a buddy have been at a few spots targetting browns... nothing...
we use floats and worms, corn and lures...

any advice for novice trout fishers?

 

[salmotrutta]

You betcha.

I like to drift a nightcrawler under a log, under a beaver dam, or from the rapids into a large pool.

Be sneaky. If you know of a deep pool, do not walk right up to it. Go at least a few meters upstream of the pool and let the worm drift into the pool. I can't stress enough how big of a difference this makes. By the time you're at the pool, you've probably scared the fish. If you drift the worm downstream, you can bet there is a hungry brown poised to eat your offering in that pool.

During the day, you will occasionally find a brown cruising around, but they are likely in a beaver dam or under a tree or in a deep pool. They will come out to play in the evening and night. If you stay until dark, you're much more likely to catch one. As it gets dark, especially if it starts raining, you are no longer restricted to drifting into cover, you can drift the worm within the vicinity of the cover and the browns will be out feeding.

Many sections of local tributaries offer fool proof brown fishing. They are usually located near the headwaters. These sections are loaded with browns. If you aren't having any luck at your spot - spend some time looking for new spots.

 

[RedSkullz]

Excellent brown advice all around salmonrutta.
I cant stress how important it is to be stealthy for browns. When i fish them in small creeks i pretend i am hunting or in the vietnam war...lol I catch all my browns during the day in thick beaver dams and the deepest holes in the rivers.(10 feet in small creeks) The local rivers would be extremely difficult to fish at night.(though i should give it a go sometime anyways)
I take it one step further in some of the deep holes. I will position myself slightly upstream 15-20 feet from the bank and start casting while neeling to stay as low as possible. If within a couple of casts i dont see one or get a hit i will slowly and quietly move 10 feet from the bank and work the area more effectively. During the day browns will be extremely bottom and cover oriented. Dont hesitate to drop your lure or bait into open holes in the middle of a log jam...some of my nicest browns have been caught this way. Just about every brown i have ever caught has been on either a mepps aglia #1+2 and panther martin spinners #1-6. Silver during the day is colour of choice. If water conditions are cloudy i will tip wit small pieces of worm or use a bottom bouncer setup with a nightcrawler. Cloudy water makes for very tough brown fishing around here. We get browns pretty consistantly thoughout most of the summer.

 

[NADO]

I got a nice little 14" brown on a silver #3 aglia yesterday tied directly to braid

 

[punkrockerpj]

i've heard it said that you shouldn't use dew worms, but the small thin ones you get in the ground...
thoughts?
ever used corn?

 

[salmotrutta]

Browns are piscivorous. Whenever I catch one, I expect it to cough up a smaller fish or two, even if the trout is only 10-12".

They are aggressive feeders and I will always use a full nightcrawler if I have the option. Smaller pieces may work fine, but I try to refrain from catching the very small trout, and small trout have an easier time grabbing a small piece of worm. You may have trouble getting a small piece of worm to sink to the bottom of the stream, where browns are most likely to hold. By the time it reaches bottom, a feisty baby trout may nab it.

Corn would be my last choice, though I'm sure it could work. Nightcrawlers are free and easy to gather, as are other insects for topwater action. Crickets, beetles, etc. Mepps and Panther Martin spinners work great too.

 

[blair]

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[blair]

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[RedSkullz]

Browns are piscivorous. Whenever I catch one, I expect it to cough up a smaller fish or two, even if the trout is only 10-12".

They are aggressive feeders and I will always use a full nightcrawler if I have the option. Smaller pieces may work fine, but I try to refrain from catching the very small trout, and small trout have an easier time grabbing a small piece of worm. You may have trouble getting a small piece of worm to sink to the bottom of the stream, where browns are most likely to hold. By the time it reaches bottom, a feisty baby trout may nab it.

Corn would be my last choice, though I'm sure it could work. Nightcrawlers are free and easy to gather, as are other insects for topwater action. Crickets, beetles, etc. Mepps and Panther Martin spinners work great too.

I am the same in i dont like to use small worms due to fatalities in small 6-10" fish. Around here you generally dont even need to use worms to hit browns, spinners work exceptional, unless cloudy water. Browns readily hammer small shiny objects. Put it in the lower zone and its game on,

 

[punkrockerpj]

went out today at wallenstein... skunked again...
anyone know a good spot to hit some browns?

 

[salmotrutta]

Were you just fishing from the riverbank?

It's best to launch a canoe and travel around a bit in that section of the river. I've never had much luck fishing from shore in Wallenstein.

The dam at the lake and slightly downstream is one of the more productive areas of that river - I can't speak for browns but certainly for other game fish. I would imagine that section would also hold browns.