How not to spook brook trout?

[learner]

Was fishing small brook were others have been catching (wild) brook trout. Carefully
approached bank and watched from ten feet away. There was a hatch and the several trout were feeding.

Cast from a kneeling position from ten feet away from bank..that was it. No more trout.
Tried for another hour, went upstream, saw no more fish.

Was using 4 wt rod, line, 9 ft. size 5 leader, size 16 dry fly..

Plan to go back soon to this stream. Any ideas? thanks

[fcch]

Observation, stealth and presentation

Observation , ... sounds like you already started that. Many will go stomping into a draw and walk almost right on top of fish.

Stealth, ... Kneeling and back on the baNK ... that helps, ... watch out for the silhouette that you'RE be making. If we always think about that, a lot of mistakes can be avoided (and colour, movement and flashy stuff).

Presentation: did your line stay "stealthy" ?? Could also have been drag on the fly that spooked 'em.

Think about how you cast to them and what "could" have gone wrong.

Did they see yur fly line or did the fly land with a SPLAT ?

I use really long leaders as Sea run Brookies are notoriously spooky,... then again, my draws are usually places where I cast 3-60 ft.

Try this too:
Presentation? Deanna Birkholm - Ladyfisher's Article - 052002 [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/ldy/ldy052002.html:b7acb]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/ldy/ldy052002.html[/url:b7acb]

(and there are TONS of other suff around here

PS... You should hit your profil button up on the right and fill in some info on yourself so we can say a proper hello


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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:b7acb]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:b7acb]




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 24 May 2005).]

[learner]

Christopher, thanks. In thinking about it, the fly may have made a splt. The "loop" was not a tight one as I was getting used to casting where there were lots of trees and only a small 10-15' break in the trees to make a back cast. Couldn't do roll cast (or can you...without line on water?) because I was away from the bank.

Will watch how the fly lands next time.

Always enjoy your postings, and the great pictures.

Have added to profile. l.

[This message has been edited by learner (edited 24 May 2005).]

[This message has been edited by learner (edited 24 May 2005).]

Just to add to Chris's post which pretty hit the nail on the head... 90% of my fishing is for brookies in the Shenandoahs and this is what works for me:

You have to take into account of the position of the sun and make sure your shadow doesn't touch the stream...Wear camo or at least drab colors that blend in...Use a rod that doesn't have shiny finish.. stay in the shadows... cast your fly onto the bank or a rock and flick it into the pool... approach the pool from upstream, pull some line off the reel and float the fly downstream on a leaf and pull it off when you get into the brookie's "house". Basically, think like a cunning predator.

Sometimes I pray for high and discolored water, sometimes in these conditions you have to step on the fish to spook them.

[This message has been edited by Devil's Ditch (edited 24 May 2005).]

[fcch]

DD,

Wow, ... not that's a stealthy presentation.

We cast to some really wary trout sometimes, ... when the sea runners arrive from the salt they are REALLY skittish. People ask why we cast from so far away, ... On eof us will cat and the other "guides" the presentation to the right spot.

The "guide" is usually up a tree or on a gallery. man ... it is nerve wracking when he starts getting excited, ... you KNOW he can see the trout digging in to lunge, ... you can't see anything.

We do more "short strikes" this way. (striking too fast, even before the fly is taken).



Fun for all.

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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:02abb]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:02abb]

Learner,
You've already set off on the right foot! Your powers of observation seem to be in full use already!

I assume that this stream is very small and jin- clear and those Brookies have been conditioned to vacate the area whenever the slightest disturbance afects the waters surface. If this is the case, I'd proceed as follows:

Try this, it could save your day!
Approach from downstream by walking on soft groung...not freestones or rock. Keep your lowest profile and rest a while as you check out the various feeding positions of the trout, where your back cast (only if necessary) should go and whether or not there is a possibility of dapping etc.

1. Dapping:
The method least likely to spook 'em is by dapping from a concealed location. This means you may, on occasion be fishing on your belly not much more than a rod's length from the fish. Make all your movements very slowly (this includes rod movement). Cast to the fish that is closest and get his tail outa there as quick as you can. Wait 'til things return to normal and repeat the process.

2. Approaching from downstream
Cast upstream so that only the leader is in contact with the water. This can be accomplished from a considerable distance by letting the line fall on dry land while the fly bobs in a backwater nearly drag free. North Country Spiders are more easily fished than drys in this situation.

Approaching from upstream:
Sneak around the area you are fishing staying well out of sight and arriving well upstream of the area in a concealed location. Fish an appropiate wet fly from your position on down, mending the line so that all likely places have been covered. Make use of all cover and fish as long a line and as long a leader as you can handle.
Never make an unnecessary cast...Once the line is in the water, leave it in the water using mends to position your fly.

Now that you've fished up to the fish and down to the fish its time for a full frontal assult and this is the most difficult way to catch them. Standing back from the stream and flinging drys to them is often the first thing many of us do (this includes me). Its certainly the most popular and beautiful to watch but under the conditions you have described, IMHO you'll do better using old time methods...tried and true.

Ol' Bill
1932

[fcch]

Bill !!

Great tactics.

Hey, ... who said that Brookies were the "idiots" of the trout world (well, they're really Char, but ...)

I wonder where this "myth" came from !

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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:104e1]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:104e1]

[okflyfisher]

Try fishing on a drizzily or light rainy day. You will probably have to prospect the water as generally you woullldn't be able to see the fish. Also try and fish a small unweighted nymph or wet fly.
if you can see the fish cast slightly ahead and off to one side. Brookies are spooky in a tiny stream setting but they also always seem hungry.

Something to add to the suggestions already mentioned:

I don't like a floating tippet because it displaces water and creates a visible 'shadow' which, I believe, may spook wary and nervous trout. Some spit, or a gentle rub down with mud, or the application of a sinking additive to the tippet will get it into instead of on the film.

Allan

[billknepp]

Learner,
Been following your posts..and,


If your still useing the 8wt sink tip ,Well then chances of getting the light feathery presentation your going to need, for such close quarters work, is virtually nill.
For the kind of fishing your talking of you'll need a pretty light rod perhaps a 2wt. maybe 7 or 8 ft. long so you might still have a good chance of dapping,yet be able to cast in what sounds as though it would have to be pretty tight cover in and around such a stream.

I think the investment in a 3-4 wt. rod would be just the ticket for what your trying to accomplish,and a double taper (Floating) line for stealth, Is pretty hard to beat...glad to hear your still hang'in in there.

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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best

"Wish ya great fishing"