The Brook Trout Streams Of Coastal Massachusetts

To spend time where life enters the sea revitalizes both the body and soul. Jeanette and I just spent that time at such a place. The streams of coastal Cape Cod at this time of year are the alive. Not only are the "salters" taking up new sections of the streams but the new life that was spawned last Spring are making their way to the sea. The air was crisp, a slight breeze moved the trees about. The sun shined and the brook flowed. Along the stream there were shadows and in these shadows were the iconic wild brook trout that take to the sea.

Lyman Reserve...Red Brook a welcome sight, like that of an old friend. We walked and fished here many times and still we feel like it is a first.

Where were we going to find our first willing fish. This time of year that could be anywhere along the entire reserve. I found the first brook trout to be quite small, perhaps 2-3 inches. He hit the fly as I was pulling it from the water to recast. I love seeing fish this size in a stream, I think you know why.

The next trout was a bit larger and dressed in fall attire. I have caught brook trout all over New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and none of them could compare with the power and tenacity of these salter brook trout. Tough ass New Englanders.

Not your typical freestone stream is it?

Quiet and cold waters. Streamers fished at various speeds. A slight bump, and then the pool erupts....wow.

I saw it's large back come up from the bottom to grab the fly. Once to steel struck the fish hit the bottom and raced for any tangle it could find. The fish was so strong that I said to Jeanette I will never land this fish. I kept looking at it's body twisting and running. I had to turn this battle in my favor, and I did. As the fish came to me Jeanette handed me the net. With the fish safely in it I glanced down and saw an incredible creation of nature. The brook trout was a female and heavy with spawn. A quick photo and revival and off she went.

Well that was the first part of this wonderful trip. Part two soon.

The Streams of Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts

This is the acorn trail, a name given to it by me because of the large amount of scrub oak tress that line it, and scrub oaks mean acorns and lots of them. On crisp mornings when walking they crunch under foot and make a wonderful sound. The trail follows the stream, a stream that we have fished before. Jeanette says it's her favorite, because of the simply wild surroundings located in an area with many people. In the times we have been here we have only met a man and his black lab. I favor this area for it is home to another Cape Cod sea run brook trout stream. The stream starts inland and gains volume from the many springs that feed it ice cold water. It flows, meanders to the sea at Waquoit Bay. This stream has some very strong brook trout and every one hooked the chances for bringing one to hand are not good, at least for this angler. But the rewards come in many other ways.

We spent many hours on the stream that day and I was able to graduate from another class on fishing for wild brook trout with a taste for salt.

These waters possess a clarity that makes you wonder how fish are not consumed by herons and ospreys. When standing and looking into the stream I saw various little fish from herring fry to mini eels to brook trout fry. I guess that's why streamers work so well.

It's difficult to tell from this photo but the water in this pool was waist high, and this is where I encountered my first brook trout.

The brook trout put the Cabela Glass Rod 3wt to the supreme test. He bulldogged the bottom, ran up and down, entangled the watercress, and leaped several times before giving up. A quick photo and off he went. I'm having his photo printed and I will frame it for he was indeed a special catch.

Streamers...not many patterns are necessary, just a few in different sizes. I like marabou patterns best.

This was the average size of the brook trout brought to hand.....to hand not hooked.

A true story. I was fishing this run with a streamer. Several drifts brought a strike and a miss. On another pass the trout struck and it was violent. A battle ensued and I got the upper hand. I knew the trout was big but never realized just how big until I could see him. At first glanced he looked to be 16 inches. Jeanette was looking and said your going to have trouble landing that fish. He would not stop the strong runs. Finally I managed to sort of subdue him and was lifting him over a underwater obstacle when he threw the streamer. That fish was 18 inches. He sat for a moment to let me look and then was gone. Do you know what a 18 inch wild brook trout can do to your nerves? I've taken one that big in Maine many years ago and it is like nothing else.

Notice the pale coloration. Has he been at sea?

Another lesson...I continued to fish that same pool and caught a brook trout on a dry fly. I always try once or twice to bring one of these fish to the surface, this is the second time in the years I've fished these salter streams and actually taken trout on a dry.

Angling History, The Lyman Cottage

The Lyman Cottage

On our recent visit to Red Brook we were invited to take a tour of the Lyman cottage on the grounds of this reserved property. We were hosted by Warren Winders, of Trout Unlimited, Geoff Day, of the Sea-Run Brook Trout Coalition, Megan Duffy, and Brittany Morford, I hope I got everyone's name spelled correctly. They were very gracious and informative and I hope to convey their words to you.

The Lyman family bought several acres of land that bordered Red Brook. They were enamored by the sea run brook trout that called this stream home, and in future times were to be a force in getting this wonderful stream and land protected. Hal Lyman knew that doing this would require the help of others and so Warren Winders was there to answer his request. Along with TU, the Mass. Fish and Wildlife, and others the project was started. The result of endless hours of volunteer work on the brook and the land, planting native plants, trees, helping to stabilize the stream banks, and the removal of several dams. They also reached agreements with the major cranberry grower in the area, to purchase land to protect Red Brook all the way to where it starts.

Our tour of the cottage was a walk back in history. Although wealthy, the Lyman's cottage was modest and it was laid out to be a simple retreat from the rigors of everyday life.

The concept of catch and release was not used in the early days of Red Brook. Here on the wall were wood cut-outs of the fish from Red Brook, these were impressive brook trout. Most of these fihs were to be fine table fare in the cottage for supper. I could see the menu....baked sea-run brook trout, fried potatoes, baked beans and bread, wish I were there at the supper table.

The Lyman's kept journals of their catches. Here is a metal tag on one of the wood cut-outs.

Almost unbelievable the size of the sea-run brook trout that swam in the brook.

"Simplicity"......one of the reasons I love this place.

One of the streamer flies that were kept in the plaques. I determine it was either an Edson Tiger Light, or the Dark Version, maybe a "Wardens Worry". The "Muddler Minnow" was also a popular fly.

I would like to thank these wonderful people for taking the time to show Jeanette and I this beautiful piece of angling history. From left to right...Warren Winders, Geoff Day, Megan Duffy, Brittany Morford. Not in the picture but also deserving much credit in the work of this valuable fishery is Steve Hurley, biologist for the Mass. Fish and Wildlife.

Red Brook September 2013

Yesterday morning around 5 Jeanette and I were packed and ready to pay a visit to one of our favorite places. Red Brook Massachusetts. This wonderful stream is located at the gateway to Cape Cod. It's home to sea run brook trout "salters" as they are called. Eight AM found us in Buzzards Bay in the parking lot of Leo's breakfast emporium. Leo's is the place to dine for a great breakfast. After the meal we drove to Red Brook. Pulling into the parking area we were the only car there. I rigged up and soon we were walking through some of the most beautiful pine woods. The trail led us to the first area I will toss a streamer. This is where Red Brook turns into salt water. I have only taken a brook trout here once but it was a big one in the late fall one year. You still have to try it though for one never knows.

Tidewater. There are times when you could take brook trout here as well as bluefish, stripers and perhaps flounder.

Red Brook is an incredible habitat. You could spend days here and never fish yet still be rewarded. It is a tough place to fish. It's not your typical trout stream. It sort of meanders through thick brush and lots of in stream vegetation. Fly selection is also not typical. Dry flies, wets, and nymphs do not work well. Your best bet is to fish streamers. These brook trout feast on small fry from herring which spawn here in the spring.

This little guy was sitting on some watercress. I imagine he would be on the "salters" menu also.

This is a tough stream to fish. There are places where you could fish from the bank, but waders are a big plus. Years of restoration work have helped this stream flourish. There are dangers that must be watched for such as wood debris on the streams bottom.

The first brook trout of the day. The fish took a Edson Tiger fished along the watercress.

Even in bright sunshine and crystal water the brook trout have protection. They will slash your streamer form hiding places.

This absolutely beautiful wild jewel took a gray soft hackle streamer.

The afternoon found us at the place where Red Brook becomes Buttermilk Bay. This is pretty much salt. The brook trout can be found here but perhaps not at this time, the reason is there are to many predators. We walked the shore and I tossed the soft hackle streamer here and there. I received many responses from the snapper blues as well as a small striper who proceeded to swim out to sea with my fly.

A snapper blue. Scrappy fighters, and there's a reason they call them snappers. This can be realized when you go to remove the fly.

This day was completed in a restaurant in the town of Sandwich. A wonderful meal of Lobster Mac and Cheese, and Jeanette dined on a Rueben, with sweet potato fries.

I'll return to Red Brook again in late October.

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Sea Run Brook Trout

Over the last three weeks or so a lot of interest has been directed about searun brook trout also known as "salters". I have fished for these special trout in the streams on Cape Cod. There are three streams that I know of that hold these fish and the one that is most talked about is Red Brook, this is perhaps because of the restoration that has gone on in this stream for quite some time. I have seen this effort first hand over the years and it's quite an achievement.

The stream is not your typical brook trout stream. It reminds me of a limestoner. It can be frustrating to fish at times but it also can be so rewarding. Most of the "salters" respond to a streamer more so than typical insect patterns. I have fished these streams in spring, fall, and in winter.

The dams on this stream were used for cranberry production, they have been removed to help the trout move freely between Buttermilk Bay, which is salt waster, and the further upstream sections.

There's a very good chance as your Mickey Finn is stripped in along that wonderful green moss that a salter will hit it.

This beautiful male was taken in tide water in the fall. He took a Edson Tiger bucktail.

The brook trout in this stream have electronic tags and can be monitored. One was located in the Cape Cod Canal.

Another Red Brook jewel. These streams are very special habitats. They should be treated with respect, as should their residents.

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Red Brook

In the winter 2012 issue of Trout Magazine there is an article on a very special stream. This stream is located in Massachusetts at the very start of Cape Cod.
It's the home of the sea run brook trout. These wonderful trout that spend part of their lives in saltwater as well as the cool spring fed water of Red Brook.

Salters have been present in this stream since the Mayflower landed, and were no doubt a food source for the colonists. Over the years, cranberry farming has caused the stream to degrade and almost eliminated the salter. The Lyman family who owned the land surrounding much of Red Brook donated it to the Trustees of the Reservations, along with T.U. and the State of Massachusetts. Since taking over this stream extensive restoration efforts have taken place. The removal of dams, the placing of structure, and the planting of native trees and grasses to stabilize silting.

I have fished this stream for a number of years and have seen these efforts taking place. The brook trout that live in this stream have rebounded and appear to be stable to perhaps growing. The addition of more land, land that was causing sand to filter into Red Brook will be soon stopped.
A big Thank You to all who have given so much to help this salty brook trout continue to be part of our world.

Red Brook, its name comes from the color of its waters. Lower reaches of this stream experience tidal movements. Parts of it move slowly like a spring creek, while others have a faster flow.

It is not an easy stream to fish. I do not wade its waters, but choose to fish from the bank. The brook trout can be found near places of structure and in the shade of the submerged plant life.

A Red Brook brook trout. Taken on a bucktail. The preferred flies for these fish.

Typical flies used for brookies, such as Bombers, Wulffs, Adams, and wets and nymphs, do not seem to work as well as streamers and bucktails. The Edson Tiger is my best producer on this stream.

This is where Red Brook enters the salt. Buttermilk Bay, which flows into Buzzards Bay.

This is the place where this  brook trout was taken. It was early October, the trout struck a Edson ,Tiger.

If you plan to visit this special place, a 7ft 4 or 5wt is a good choice, some size 8 to 10 streamers, and a lot of patience. It's a place you'll always remember.