Best method to catch small stream Brookies?

[Ansel]

What is your favorite way to take brookies? I"™ve been fishing little streams and small rivers all my life and have taken many nice brook trout. I"™ve always used a number 10 Aberdeen, some split shot and a big juicy crawler but I curious what is your favorite way. The streams I fish are chucked full of tag alders, dead falls, undercut banks and anything that requires cast and retrieve is close to impossible. I fish the areas you need a couple of dozen hooks to fish the tangles. Do you have any methods that you do well with? Anything with minnows? Details Please.

[mauser06]

i like a flyrod and a nice little hook and maybe a splitshot sometimes not all depends...and a nightcrawler...minnows are to hard to carry back to the creeks and then carry around all day...the flyrod is nice because like you said castings about impossible so the long rod makes blooping your worm out easier...i leave my flyline on incase i want to use a fly..my dad just uses 4lb test on a flyreel...we both catch our fish that way...he been doing it all his life and is better....i always run back to my spinning rod and fight with the trees trying to cast...i love fishing for them little brookies....

[Matt / PA]

I like a 7ft #3 flyrod and a nice attractor dry like a Royal Wullf or Trude, and just wet wade from pool to pool flicking the dry fly wherever looks inviting.............If the fish aren' t cooperating on top ususally a small black weighted Wooly Bugger does the trick.
Bait works well........probably too well, and these native wild Brook Trout fisheries are pretty fragile. Very seldom do I get a fish hooked deep or into the gills with fly gear, but as a kid with bait it happened quite a bit.
Actually I very seldom even touch these fish when I land them.......just twist of the barbless hook with the hemostats and they are usually no worse for the wear.

[coyote caller]

Hi Ansel;
I think you have the best way of fishing for small stream brookies. I' m also from Mi. And the streams I fish is almost impossible to fish with a fly rod. Most of the time I' m trekking through the Cedar swamps with the same setup as you.

I' m 51yrs old. and I always seem to catch a limit of fish. Sure a lot are not the size you want, but those are released to grow. My grandfather taught me this method, and it still out fishes most of the new hotshots out there. I' ve tried the minnows before, but seem to have all my luck with worms. Good Luck Fishing! Maybe some day we' ll meet on one of those small streams.

Coyote Caller

[Ansel]

Coyote Hunter,
First let me begin by welcoming you to the board - I' ve been on here for two years and learned lot' s and met many great outdoorsman. I love trout fishing but don' t get all caught up into the " orvis" look. Not to say that I don' t mind nice equipment but when it comes to small stream brookies - give me an light rod, maybe a pair of hip boots, a side of crawlers, some #10' s and PLENTY of bug dope. Glad to Get everyones input and who knows Coyote maybe we will bump into each other in the stream. If you get around the Upper Peninsula that just might happen. What part of Michigan you call home? Good Luck!

[coyote caller]

Ansel;
Right now I' m located in Eastpointe, A suburb, by St.Clare Shores. In southeast Mi. But I do a lot of running around the UP. I don' t know if a lot of the streams I fish even have a name to them. I fish a lot of the Seney National Forest area. Marsh Creek, Duck Creek, Stutts Creek, and the Manistique river. But then again I move around a lot from one end of the Peninsula to the next

And half of the streams, and creeks I found I was doing some predator hunting. Been trying to get some of those coaster they planted in lake Superior. But nothing to brag about yet. Thank-you for the welcome. The next time I head up your way I' ll contact you. Hope you made it through all the flooding you guys had up there alright. Talk to you later. and keep some of those trout for me...LOL.

Coyote Caller

[Ansel]

Hey Coyote - Drop me an e-mail anytime you find yourself up this way. I' ve got Inlaws right in Seney. As far as coyote or bobcat hunting goes we' ve got some pretty good hunting south of me. Best of Luck!