Really there isn't any big secrets and catching Brook trout. The truth of the matter it is relatively easy to catch this beautifully colored trout. If there was a secret, it would be to put time in and researching the habitats and the nature of the speckles. Trout fishing secrets when all said and done would boil down to taking your research and putting it into action. Action, being getting out on a stream and put to use what you have learned to catch these colorful members of the char family.
I have learned some things about the brookies over these many years that I've fished for them that you might find useful. Now I can't guarantee if you use these tips you'll be successful every time you go fishing. Fishing just doesn't work that way, if it did we wouldn't call it fishing we'd call it catching. However you do have a better chance of landing a Brook trout if you use some of the tips that I will put forth here.

There are many baits that can be used to catch Brook trout. These can range from the lowly dew warm, crickets, bugs right up to commercial baits like power bait. The bait that I use the majority of the time would be worms. Worms come in different sizes and varieties, the most widely used in my area would be the dew worm. A couple of the best times to fish for the Brook trout would be either during a rainy day, or near the end of a long dry spell. On a rainy day there is lots of bait being washed in to the streams which in turn will get the brookie's feeding. Now after many days of no rain the speckes are looking for food because nothing has been washed in, so if you come along and present an enticing bait the trout will usually eagerly take the bait. One of the best ways that I found in presenting a worm is to use what is called gang hooks. It's very simple to make these, what I do is tie a hook about 4 inches up from the bottom of my line then tie another one at the bottom. The top of the worm is threaded on to the top hook in the bottom of the worm is threaded on the bottom hook. This allows the worm to float naturally in the current downstream.

I use spinners and spoons when fishing the larger streams. My favorite spinners are blue Fox, mepp's and Martin Panters. Usually in the 0 to 1 size, sometimes tipped with a worm or minnow. And spoons I usually use are Len Thompson, or EGB also in the 0 to 1 size. For spinner fishing I usually wear my hip waiders and jump into the stream and start casting upstream. I first worked the banks and then a fan cast the open stream. Also be sure to work any deep holes you come upon. When I worked deep holes I will fish near the surface and then work my way down toward the bottom even bouncing off the bottom. True when you're bouncing the bottom you will get snagged, but seeing how you're in the stream it's quite easy to un snag your spinner or spoon. The water right below a set of rapids is always a great place to find feeding sprckles. The Brook trout lay in wait as food is washed down to them. It would also be wise to cast up into the Rapids behind any large boulders. Lots of times the Brook trout will be on the downstream side of the Boulder so they do not have to expand a lot of energy waiting for their food.

While I don't do a lot of fly fishing for Brook trout they readily do take flies. You can go after them using wet flies, dry flies and streamers. Also you'll either use floating line or a sinking line or a combination of both, like a floating line with the sinking tip. There are many patterns of dry flies that can be used, I have on occasion used a Royal Wolf, and also an adam's pattern. For streamers I've always used a muddler minnow with great success. For those that are really into fly fishing or would like to be, one method of finding out what flies you should be used in this to take a net and walk through the stream stirring up the bottom and see what you catch in your net. Then after looking at what you've caught, try to match up these insects with a fly pattern that you would have in your fly case. The only problem I found with fly fishing on the smaller streams is that I always seem to get tangled up in the trees. But I'm sure if someone wants to practice, they could get quite proficient with a fly rod and flies.

Don't know where the Brook Trout Hide? When You Find A spot can't catch them? Brook Trout are beautiful trout and easy to catch if you know the right methods. If you need more help visit us and sign up for our free news letter http://www.brook.ontariofishguide.com/wild.html

About the Author
Rolland Meigs lives in central Ontario with his wife and five children. Been fishing in different provinces of Canada for over 50 years.