The Simple Joys of Fly Fishing for Brook Trout in Their Native Range
The Simple Joys of Fly Fishing for Brook Trout in Their Native Range
I find a deep connection to a wild place when I can hold its native inhabitant in my hand, whether to be placed in my game bag for a meal back at camp or released back to the mossy, tannin-stained creek from where I plucked it.
Brook trout “Salvelinus fontinalis” are a native char to much of Eastern Canada, the Upper Midwest, and the Southern Appalachian Mountains to Maine. Though they are native to these locations, they’ve also been spread west due to some questionable bucket biology.
It is not difficult to find places to pursue these gems, as most states have interactive maps showing numerous spots to chase them. They are not the pickiest fish when it comes to fly selection, but the real challenge comes from their native habitat. I have caught brook trout in most of the states where they are native, and no place provides a more challenging experience than the rhododendron-choked creeks of Pennsylvania and the southern Appalachian states.
Cold, clear water cascades into plunge pools with overhanging evergreen broad-leaf shrubs. Often tucked into hard-to-access valleys and hollows that only see the sun for a few hours a day. This is where they have lived since the formation of these mountains and where they will remain. Relegated to waterways void of invasives and stocking.
What You’ll Want to Carry
I keep my gear simple. An eight and a half foot four weight rod gives me enough backbone for bow-and-arrow casting as well as roll casting. Both are essential strategies for the tight conditions that often do not allow for a back cast. In summer, I typically start my day with an orange or yellow stimulator and a frenchie or any other nymph tied off the back of it.
After the first few fish on the stimulator, I will take off the dropper, as they often cause more tangles than they are worth. If the stream has deeper pockets, I will switch to a small streamer.
My streamer recipe is a secret that I may disclose in a later article. Here’s a hint: it uses my state game bird feathers to tie.
I throw all my flies, tippet, and some spray flotant into my Final Rise Chest Rig. I also carry a waterproof backpack for my camera, Montucky Cold Snacks, and a net connection point. Carrying a net for brookie fishing is not a necessity, but I enjoy the ease and care it provides when pulling a hook out of these delicate fish. There are times I’ve hooked big fish and have been without a net. A mistake I don’t plan to repeat!
I have also caught brook trout out west, where they have been introduced as a game species for anglers alongside brown trout and rainbow trout. It’s incredibly disappointing to hike deep into beautiful terrain in search of Cutthroat Trout, only to see my vermiculated eastern friend thriving and outcompeting their native counterparts. A brook trout is just as eye-catching when caught in a Rocky Mountain stream as it is in an Appalachian one. But the feeling is different. It is often hard to explain, but fishing for brook trout in their native range brings a sort of simple joy that is hard to match in any other trout fishing venture. They are worth the effort to chase in their native watersheds.
By Kevin Erdvig