Where to start for bigger wild Browns/Brooks?

[Broodstock]

I’ve found a few things to be true regardless of geography. Low density streams tend to have larger fish. Marginal waters that might be bass fishing for most. Barriers to upstream migration- which could be a dam or otherwise.

More than the where- the how and the when also make a big difference. Bite windows are a thing for predatory fish. Fishing streamers is a low numbers high size strategy. Sure you could nymph and catch numbers and possibly get a 20” fish or larger but it’s just a different game at that point. Or just mouse at night.

Then there is head hunting a riser on the far bank that’s shown itself to be a very nice fish, and making the cast and getting the drift. That’s the best.

If you focus less on the where, more on the how and when - you’re going to start to move the needle.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

I think enough big wild trout exist in the Yellow Breeches. I caught a decent sized brown in the post-spawning period last year in the special regs section. Other times when I’ve been there at night I’ve heard surface eats that practically make the trees shake.

A long time ago I and a buddy kicked up some large wild browns in the Yellow Breeches below the Special Regs area. I'm bet there a still wild ones like that in there. I would go after them at night with streamers if I were still in that area.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

There is not really many wild trout streams between Lancaster and Exton let alone ones that produce large wild trout. Your best bet is to stick close to home and fish the letort and big spring. Those are both very extremely hard streams to fish but given enough time, you will probably catch a substantial sized brook trout or brown trout. I’ll PM you some Lancaster county streams that have the potential to produce 14+ in brown trout from time to time.

A little further east, in Valley Creek, closer to the Schuylkill, at certain times of the year, some big brown trout are present. There's also a smaller creek near Birdsboro that spills into the Schuk that has very decent size browns near the mouth of the river. I don't want to give away the location of sizable brookies in SEPA. Bottom line, explore and ye shall find. They are out there.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

For long-time Breeches regulars: Has that always been the case? Or has the wild trout population changed a lot over the years?

Not an expert on how abundant the population is below the Spec Regs area, but I kicked up a few big wilds 50 years ago in that stream.