Hiding your self from Trout in puddles.

[willdeb]

Okay so I fish a stream that has wild brown trout like the ones from valley creek and wild brook trout that are completely wild that have probably been there before lefty kreh's relatives from the year 1000. Okay the first day I fish this stream I caught the brookies. The second times I caught some more brookies. Around the 5th time I caught a very big brownie. After I caught the big one I caught littler brownies from a 3 inches to 10 inches. These fish are jewels of nature and I just need tips for handling them better plus not spooking them. "Up or down stream?" So let me know what you think.

 

[Kill3ducks1deer]

Walk upstream, you wont knock any debris around to spook the fish above you, and best way to handle is to wet your hand and keep the fish in the water.

Also very pretty fish

 

[LetortAngler]

A good start would be to keep them in the water as long as possible. The quicker the release, the better chance of survival for the most part.
Upstream is the most common approach, and is likely the best way to fish a brookie stream, however, I personally fish downstream on some streams because it seems to be more effective fishing streamers to spooky fish, but it all depends, cause no 2 streams are alike.
If fish are spooking before you even make a cast, then try a more stealthy cautious approach and let the spot rest for a minute or two, if they are spooking when your line is hitting the water, then try lengthening your leader a bit, or try from a different angle. There is lots a good info on here you could search, and I'm sure some others will chime in.
Some nice lookin fish by the way.

 

[steveo27]

I typically walk up stream. Seems to be more productive for me.

I typically wear greens/tans/browns/darker colors. Think same color are your waders. Try to blend in. I typically wear either a dark green flannel shirt or light camo jacket if its chilly out. Even something as simple as a white underside of a him brim will stand out.

I dont wear anything shiny/reflective on small streams like sunglasses unless I really have to. My watch has a brown leather band and I typically flip the face of my watch to the under side of my wrist.

Watch your steps that way you dont make any unnecessary noise, especially on loose rocks. Sound travels farther and louder under water . Stomping up the stream bank spooks the fish.

Keep your shadow behind you. Its amazing how easy a shadow will spook these fish. These fish are spooky to begin with, no need to make them even more spooked.

Stay crouched down/low when approaching a hole. Try to blend in with your background instead of standing out. Be sneaky. Use your background to blend in. Hide behind trees if you can.

Keep you leader/line out and ready to cast. Having to pull line out each time you get to a hole is unnecessary movement that will spook the fish. I typically walk and keep the fly pinched between the cork and my finger. That way, when I approach the hole, Im ready to cast.

Practice your bow and arrow casts if you fish tiny streams. I find my self casting this way more than the conventional way on a lot of the streams I fish. A lot of the times there isnt enough room to get a good back cast or even a roll cast. A bow and arrow cast works well in these spots.

As for handling the fish. Keep em wet. Keep your hands wet. Keep the release quick.

Cheers

 

[willdeb]

Thanks so Much!!!

 

[willdeb]

Great advise thank you!!!

 

[willdeb]

Thanks!!!

 

[bigslackwater]

Ideally, in low clear conditions, I like to fish upstream at about a 45 Degree angle. On small streams this is a good approach since you don't have too many varying currents to contend with. The angle will help keep the line off to the side of the creek while your leader drifts over the strike zone, rather than your line passing over their heads before the fly comes along. When possible stay out of the water. I also stopped wearing my studded boots and go with felt when the water is low. Soft foot steps! If I think the fish are spooky, I will sometimes wait in my position for a few minutes before casting. Take time to observe the fish if you can see them. I'm not one to stand around doing nothing so I will often take this time to make adjustments to my rig or change flies. Practice doing this without making tons of movement. I usually hold my rod handle under my armpit tightly so it doesn't move and then work with just the end of my leader close to my chest if I'm tying on tippet and new flies.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

LOW and slow. Good polarized glasses are a must. Upstream unless the light is behind you ,then on the bank to reduce shadows. GG

 

[wildtrout2]

In a nutshell, simply fish upstream, unless it's not an option because of topography in a certain stream section. I'll sometimes walk 2 miles down a stream, staying away from the water, just so I can fish it upstream. Many high gradient streams can only be accessed from the top or the bottom.

 

[bigslackwater]

My favorite time to fish low and clear is when it rains. These moments can be hard to come by but if there is rain coming your way and you can get there in time, GO! Get there when it starts, while the water level has not risen and it's still rolling clear. You'll have the advantage of the rain distorting the surface.

As far as handling the trout, Do as much as you can while the trout is in the net. I net the fish and then allow some slack in the line. Sometimes a barbless hook will simply fall out. You can even release a trout this way without ever touching it or lifting it out of the water. Otherwise use forceps to remove the hook while the fish is in the net, slightly submerged in water. If you need a pic, lift it out of the net. Try to keep the net bellow the fish. It's always important to be aware of what is bellow the fish while you are handling it. If you are holding the fish 4 feet above rocky ground, the fish could flop and crack it's head on a rock. It's best not to take it to the bank, at that point you are wasting valuable time out of water. Get a waterproof camera or cell phone case and put it on a lanyard. When you are doing the juggling act of catch and release, you need to be protecting the fish not your camera. That's about all I can think of for now!

 

[wbranch]

I don't think I saw it mentioned anywhere in the other comments - if you are concerned about the welfare of these little wild fish use barbless hooks and don't take them out of the water for any photos. When you have them at your feet just grab hold of your fly with your fingers, or hemostat, and shake the little guys off of your fly.

Buy a water proof digital camera so you can take an underwater picture of your fish and don't have to worry about getting it wet. If you are going to take a photo (I take pictures of less than 10% of the wild trout I catch) don't take the fish out of the water until the camera is on and you are totally ready to take the picture.

Personally I will never understand why so many practitioners of pursuing wild brookies and browns even touch these little fish that they seem so protective of? If you are so worried about their survival rate don't ever touch them.

That being said I do take pictures of some of the wild trout that I catch, I don't use barbless hooks, and I do lift the fish out of the water for a few seconds. I'm just thinking that an 18" or bigger wild trout might be able to stand a little more handling than a 4" - 6" wild brookie.

 

[k-bob]

browns are much more shy than brookies, imho. I fish upstream except when access is too crazy to do it, or would take too much time.

I have done a fair amount of brookie fishing in safety orange for hunting seasons. you can still catch fish but of course a blaze orange vest does not help. makes you realize that wild trout may be spooky but they arent psychic.

 

[troutbert]

Fish upstream, where possible.

Also, make long casts upstream into pools, where possible.

In some cases there are too many obstructions to get a clear casting lane for a long cast.

But in other cases, even on small streams, you can find a clear casting lane for long casts.

Making a long cast upstream, the trout are much less likely to spook than if you walk up close.

A buddy and I fished a brookie stream yesterday in NC PA. The water was very low and clear and the fish were very spooky. We caught some, also but spooked out a lot of fish.

I've fished this stream a few times when the water was up, and the fishing was MUCH better, both in numbers of trout, and in size of trout caught.

 

[willdeb]

Thank you all for responses.

 

[Chaz]

Stay back from the stream bank, and don't walk in the stream except to cross the water. We are clothes that blend into the back ground. Make your approach from downstream and use the trees and shrubs along the stream to hide you from the trout.
One last thing, don't slap the water with your line or fly.