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Brook Trout Fishing in Canada
The Ontario Speckled Brook Trout live in small streams, big rivers, ponds, and inland lakes, like Lake Nipigon near our base in Armstong, (world record 14.5 pounder) and Opichuan Lake an outpost cabin location we offer.
Inland-lake brookies are most active in the spring and fall when cooler water allows them to cruise shorelines. Sportsman find success near overhanging trees, submerged wood, and rocky points and shoals. As waters warm, brookies move deeper, becoming less aggressive. River brookies hold in spring holes and cold, aerated pools at the base of falls and rapids throughout summer, but spread out in the spring and fall. In spring-fed creeks, they can be found in pools and near cover.
Ontario Speckled Brook Trout love live bait. A hook, worm, and split-shot combination is a simple and effective way to catch them. They also eat minnows, leeches, hellgrammites, and insects, such as mayfly nymphs. Small to mid-sized spoons, worm-tipped spinners, minnow-imitating crankbaits, small jigs, and artificial flies are also good baits. Silver and gold, accented with blue, green, and red are reliable lure finishes.
Brookies gorge on insects, making them ideal for fly fishers. Dries, wets, and nymph patterns work well, as do minnow imitating streamers. Big specks especially take sculpin patterns, such as Muddler Minnows.
A light-action 7-foot rod and a spinning reel holding 4- to 8-pound-test monofilament will handle brookies, including lunkers, in open water. Light- to medium-action fly tackle is also effective. For finicky lake specks, customize a large wobbling spoon. Replace the treble hook with a No. 8 single attached to a 4- inch mono leader. Pierce an earthworm through the head and troll slowly, imparting a gentle movement to the bait. Use split-shot to fine-tune depth. Lake trout inhabit cold, deep waterbodies. After ice-out they often feed near shore, but move deeper as waters warm. By summer, wire line or downriggers are required to catch them, as they congregate as deep as 100 feet (30 m) down. Depth can vary, but in most inland waters temperatures are ideal near the 50-foot (15 m) mark.