Saturday, October 27, 2018

Why do streamers work so well in Red Brook?

Having read my posts on fishing Red Brook over the years many of you may have wondered why I almost always fish some type of streamer pattern, and very seldom fish any other pattern that will take brook trout in almost every place they are found. Brook trout when hatched in the stream do what most brookies do. They search out the stream for food. Their diets are most anything they can find that they can get in their mouth. The big part of the diet is the small insects, nymphs, worms. As these fish grow some will notice the abundance of small fish that most streams have swimming about. They soon realize that they can get a full belly faster by eating one or two of these small fish then they can eating insects. Red Brook is unique in that it flows into a salt water bay. That bay is a full blown buffet, the variety of food is almost endless. The tattoo is inscribed onto the "salter" that small fish are the thing, the never feel hungry protein source.



On my last visit to Red Brook I saw an incredible sight. In the pool in the first photo which is tide water, I saw these young herring fry. There were hundreds schooling up in preparation for their movement out to sea.


This brook trout which obviously is primed for the the spawn was taken just upstream from the pool with the herring in it. He took the streamer fly with out reservation.


This simple fly shows a likeness to the herring fry. I never fished the fly in the brook but have fished it in the bay. Success was good, and will be much better in the months to come.







15 comments:

  1. Makes perfect sense, Alan. The presence of small minnows has got to be a boon for larger trout. In my experience, streamers are the most productive big trout catchers in streams where are lots of rough fish fry around. This is especially true if there are brown trout in residence, but you document that brookies like a big meal .

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    1. William Shuck
      Thanks
      Bill the brown is a notorious fish eater, and the brookie will indulge when presented such offerings.
      Lots of big rain here today, should blow out a stream or two.

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  2. I agree with William. Makes sense to me.

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    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark we love a buffet so the fish do to. But at a buffet we fill up on what we like best...I guess we are the same.

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  3. Hi Alan, We catch a lot of Albies, in the salt who sometimes regurgitate. They often feed on baby glass minnows which we refer to as " 2 eyes and a wiggle". I would try your pattern with a white thread oversized head and two eye spots added with a black marker. Your mileage may vary.

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    Replies
    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      John, " 2 eyes and a wiggle". I love it. The eyes would enhance the appeal of the fly no question. I may try a few.

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  4. What a hefty brook trout, Alan. Looks like he is feeding well on those herring.

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    Replies
    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam they love them. Love the Sox.....

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  5. That brook trout looks like it has been grazing on a good paddock! Beautiful colours.
    That fly reminded me of an OZ fly called the "B.M.Special". B.M. stands for Bullen Merri, a lake in western Victoria that has a reputation for large trout and, I think, salmon. Both stocked, not natural.
    On Tuesday I'm hoping to fish a river about an hours drive from where I live that holds brook trout. Originally, they were hatchery escapees and quite large but more recent catches I've seen have been a lot smaller, so it looks like they may have naturally spawned. I hope so. It will be a real buzz to catch one or two. I'll probably try some flashy streamers and the Hornberg. Really like that fly.
    Kindest Regards,
    Steve.

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    Replies
    1. Steve Hynes
      Thanks
      Steve in most cases wild brook trout tend to be on the small side and that's probably due to where they are pushed to. Tiny-small head water streams don't have the resources to produce large trout.
      The Hornberg is a great fly.

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    2. Steve Hynes,
      https://smallstreamreflections.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-fall-fly.html

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  6. Alan
    Looks like that brook trout hasn't missed many meals-----Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill they eat well in that fresh-sea habitat.

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  7. Kevin Frank
    Thanks
    Kevin you have summed it up in one word.

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