Non-Fly fishing brown trout question

[Binky]

What have you successfully used to take down brown trout with non-fly tackle? Currently, I am using a Mepps 0 Agila spinner with 8lb test. I am not having great results. I caught one this morning, and I can get fish to chase but not bite. Methinks that my line test is too high. Should I drop to 4 or 6lb test?

FYI, I have tried several lures. The fish liked chasing the wee crayfish, but refused to bite it. Water is slightly murky, full sun, under a bridge, modest current with a water depth of probably 3ft. I can spot at least 12-15 trout sitting in the pool and they are attacking flies on the water. I do not own a fly rod, so that is out of the question. The one fish I caught was in the shade of the bridge.

Oh, my shadow is not an issue. I am entirely conscious of it. I know browns are easily spooked.

This year represents my first foray into inland fishing since I was in highschool 20 years ago. I have been fishing exclusively marine.

[TNKen]

My go to lure is a suspended jerk bait in the 100mm range. Can be a Lucky Craft, Daiwa DB Minnow, Rapala. Preference is a Lucky Craft but they are pricey at $19/lure. Slow retrieve, jerk, pause, on about a 2 second count.

[Binky]

Would that jerkbait be too large for fish in the 12-15" range?

[Skistack]

I like the Yum Craw Bug for browns, fish it either on a 1/16oz. jighead or a drop shot rig.



You could also try drifting nymphs using a small bobber for casting weight.

[dfinn]

Don't know much about spinning for trout but I don't think it's your line. I use 8lb test when fishing streamers, sometimes heavier.

[TNKen]

I catch everything from 6" browns upward. I use Bass Pro bulk 10 pound line.

[iceclimberx15]

Are they stocked trout? Try Rebel tracdown minnow or smithwick rogue in suspending or floating depending on depth. Remember to always keep bait above the fish as they will strike coming upward on the bait.

[2FUNKY]

My go to lure is a suspended jerk bait in the 100mm range. Can be a Lucky Craft, Daiwa DB Minnow, Rapala. Preference is a Lucky Craft but they are pricey at $19/lure. Slow retrieve, jerk, pause, on about a 2 second count.

This^. Browns love the jerk bait.

[Binky]

Thanks! Jerkbait tomorrow am it will be

[Underoos]

Try mixing up your retrieve.

Maybe look into a "fly and bubble" setup.

[2FUNKY]

Thanks! Jerkbait tomorrow am it will be

Don't forget the pause after the jerk, very important. Vary it to see how long a pause they like, also cadence of the jerk; jerk jerk pause jerk pause or jerk jerk jerk pause jerk jerk pause. You get the idea.

[Notchtop]

The browns on my creek cannot pass up a Castmaster. Its like cheating. Different sizes for sinking in different water depths and flow levels. I also use a rapala when I want to stay higher on the water.

[neckdeep]

full sun, under a bridge, modest current with a water depth of probably 3ft.... The one fish I caught was in the shade of the bridge.

Oh, my shadow is not an issue.

You already gave the probable answer yourself. Its the direct sunlight. Go back when light conditions are so low that neither you nor the bridge makes a shadow. The eyes of brown trout contain more light receptors than other trout. Browns are well known for nocturnal feeding and for favoring low light conditions when feeding, especially where large prey is concerned. Follows without strikes is usually territorial behavior, not feeding, and its fairly common behavior in trout.Try dawn, twilight and during rain when the sky is heavy with clouds. On the South Fork, the difference in brown trout hookup rates between pulling streamers on a sunny day and a cloudy day is huge; you'll probably get 5 times as many hits on a dark day. Anglers in the midwest fish the famous hexagenia mayfly hatch in the dark to get a shot at big browns that won't even come out from cover in the daylight. You already tried a variety of lures, try something small and "natural" like that that scented soft plastic craw or just a simple maribou jig. More importantly, try it at sunset or on a full moon. Fish holding in 3ft of water under a bridge have probably learned to be selective and wary during daylight. If they weren't, they'd be in someone's freezer by now. It's a safe bet your stream has large browns you are unaware exist because the only way to catch them during daylight is to get an offering up underneath a log pile. We have a stream like that around here and its literally like fishing for eels in a reef, the way that the browns strike from underneath cover. On a bright day, you can catch bows and brookies in the channel but you have to put the nymph within an inch or two of cover to find a brown over 12". You can look down into a logjam and see browns holding in the gaps and they always have their eyes in shade, even if the rest of their body is in the sun.

[TNKen]

Forgot to tell you about color patterns. Our fish are naturally reproducing, not stocked. My favorite color is chrome blue of some description. In the lucky crafts, MJ Herring and MS American Shad are my favorites. On overcast days or dingy water, I usually turn to gold patterns, Gold/Black or straight gold, and try to find one with an orange stripe on the bottom.

Some of the Yozuri Pinns minnows work well too.

Might want to add a 3' fluorocarbon leader if the water is super clear and sunny.

Here in East Tennessee, some of the guys night fish slow rolling a floating lure on the surface in some of the slower water. Browns love to feed at night. They have picked them up in the 15 to 20 pound range.

[Happy Fun Ball]

Hard to beat one of these.....not fancy, but get's the job done on fat browns in my parts.

[Binky]

Update:


1.5 in silver rapala minnow with 4lb test. Lil guy slammed it.

[Mudfoot]

I've had pretty good luck with a Thomas Colorado.