Brown Trout Tactics

[Troutskiii]

Right on sounds like a plan, I can book a day off that week no problem.

[trouthunter]

i've tried for browns 3 times and have yet to catch one.
not even a bite.
from my experience they are a lot harder to catch than brookies and rainbows.

[Fishoholic]

I second that. Rainbows and specs, caught hundreds, lakers a bunch, browns ziiiiiiip. Must of tried for em at least half dozen times if not more.

[Jimmy_1]

The question is why are they so elusive?

Twice I have tried to catch them ice fishing (I know that really ISN"T a lot of effort)

However, BOTH times not even a wiff...a rod jiggle...nada!!!

I don't know about you but when I get up at 5:00AM, venture out into -30 or worse weather, I'd like something to show for it....

[Whitehawk]

Well I've decided I'm trying long lining for them in Oct
Perhaps spool 250/300 yards and put 150/200 behind the boat

Whitehawk

[FlyMaker]

I'll second ganman's post. Fish them like any other trout. Heck I've caught good ones out of the Ottawa!!

[ganman]

Well I've decided I'm trying long lining for them in Oct
Perhaps spool 250/300 yards and put 150/200 behind the boat

Whitehawk

The question is why are they so elusive?

Twice I have tried to catch them ice fishing (I know that really ISN"T a lot of effort)

However, BOTH times not even a wiff...a rod jiggle...nada!!!

I don't know about you but when I get up at 5:00AM, venture out into -30 or worse weather, I'd like something to show for it....

I would not fish that far behind the boat, there is no need. What is your lure doing back there? You lose all control and feel.

I caught this 17" brown from about 15ft. where I was standing. He knew I was there, I cast over him several times and took a couple smaller fish before him from the same spot.



I have caught many, many browns that were wild bred, not stocked, from within a few feet even after I mucked around in the water. Friends who caught many in NY ponds relate how often they will hit right at boatside.

As far as lack of success I would look at other things besides blaming yourself.

First on the list is these are Ganaraska River strain brown trout. They have done well in the Grand River but rather poorly in other places. What predators are in this pond? Loons, pike? From maps it drains into a river system that has bass, walleye and pike. It is conceivable that what gets stocked in the spring is gone by the end of summer.

[Todd B.]

If you're referring to Darling Long L., the stocking numbers might seem like a lot but considering that it is a large lake, the number of fish per acre is small. Also DL probably has one of the better walleye populations. I have a friend that has been up there a number of times after browns, and while he's caught a couple of nice ones, as well as some rather large eyes as well. If you want to improve your odds, I would look for a lake that has exclusively trout, no bass, walleye, pike, etc.

[Whitehawk]

Todd, perhaps your have the answer. Yes it is a large lake.
Just seems like a lot of Browns every year going in.
Maybe those walleye have acquired a taste for trout.

I'll just keep on trying. One round for eyes and one for Browns.
So for the Browns are way behind.

Whitehawk

[Todd B.]

Well the stocking numbers may appear to be large until you compare it to the other bodies of ware that the MNR stocks. Charlie's Pond has constantly been stocked with more trout than Darling Long, and Challies Pond is just a little puddle of a quarry, whereas DL is one of the lager lakes in the region.

[ganman]

I was surprised to see that lake has received 7500 browns or more per year for many years. That is a lot fish and it surprised me. Something is wrong here....Normally I go to the Adirondacks....going to have to give this a whirl.

Can you drive to it?

[Whitehawk]

I take my ATV, boat trailer setup into these places. I like my truck.
At 6 KM in it's a long walk out to no-where!
At least with this setup I have a truck waiting for me....

[bl8ant]

Fished that lake 3 times (only once soft water). I am not a seasoned trout angler but I was skunked each time. Most of my buddies have had the same rate of success. I have seen a photo of a successful trip on the ice where a half dozen decent ones were landed,

[cprince]

... I have seen a photo of a successful trip on the ice where a half dozen decent ones were landed,

Nothing but rumors and conjecture!!!

No trout left in Ontario!

(Queue the ON Trout pic onslaught!!)

Craig

[SeaMonster]

While I'm not really a brown trout fisherman, I wouldn't say they are more elusive or harder to catch, just that their stocking programs suck, and they get put in lakes that get pounded more than a red-headed stepchild.