BROWN TROUT (Salmo trutta)

HISTORY:
The Brown Trout is native to Europe and western Asia, including Iceland and the British Isles. The Brown Trout arrived in North America as early as 1883 and were introduced into New York and Michigan waters. In 1880 they made it to Canada and were stocked in southern Quebec. All Canadian provinces except Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories have had successful introductions since then. Alberta has had several introductions and self-sustaining brown Trout Populations and can be found throughout the southern half of the province. BIOLOGY Brown Trout spawn in late fall to early winter. Females create a shallow depression called a REDD in the streambed, in which eggs and sperm are deposited. This process is repeated many times with the female covering the redd with gravel when done. Larger females lay more eggs than the smaller ones. Growth rates can be rapid in our southern Alberta waters, growing up to six inches long the first year. These fish are carnivores and eat a wide variety of organisms, including aquatic and terrestrial larvae and insects, crustaceans, frogs, mice, voles, and a lot of fish, including smaller brown trout. Brown's can grow to over ten pounds. Larger fish tend to feed at sunset and into the night, their diet consists of large prey, fish, frogs, and mice.

Biologists have noted that brown trout, especially the large ones, are considered to be "resistant to angling pressure". In plain English, these fish are smart. Brown trout have earned a reputation as the most difficult of all trout to catch. Once hooked, they break out into a spectacular battle, with sudden runs, spectacular jumps, and an uncanny ability to wrap fishing line around sunken objects.

HOT SPOTS:
Southern Alberta drainage systems have excellent brown trout fishing. The Oldman system has great browns in the lower reaches and the newly created oldman reservoir has genuine lunkers. The Bow River system has wonderful Browns, mostly from the Banff national park eastern boundary right through to Carseland. The Bow grows truly tremendous browns, in fact you can catch 4 and 5 pounders in right under the Crowchild Bridge! The Red Deer River was recently seeded with brown trout from the upper Bow. Reports are very encouraging so far on this new fishery. Angling Techniques.

Browns have earned a reputation as smart and wary fish, especially the large ones. Big browns are most likely to feed at dusk or later and are truly predacious, eating any other fish available..including smaller browns!

ANGLING TECHNIQUES:
Common Sense Tips for Success with Browns

1- use as little terminal tackle as possible.

2- use as light a line as possible. Use long fine leaders with appropriate tippet strength for your fly.

3- Browns generally do not like bright sunny days and stay deep. Cloudy or rainy days offer good chances at rising fish or fish that have moved shallower. If it is a sunny day and fish are not willing to feed at the surface start fishing the deeper holes with deep presentations. Large flies or lures worked in a downstream presentation through the deepest part of the run or pool can pay off handsomely.

4- A favorite technique is drifting a nymph deep on sunny days. This can be accomplished with both fly or spin gear. Nymphing with a spinning rod is similar to nymphing with a fly rod, except the spin fisher will have a greater range and reach. Attaching a float allows for easy depth adjustment to ensure that the nymph is just off the bottom. Cast upstream and let the current work, drifting the fly at the speed of the water. Try not to pull on line or float to ensure a drag-free drift, presenting the fly in a natural manner. Weight the line with split shot attached 12 inches up the line from the fly, use just enough weight to sink the fly without slowing down the natural drift. Adjust float when fishing different water depths. Deep drifting a nymph is a simply deadly technique.

5- Favorite flies for nymphing include San Juan worms, prince nymphs, stonefly nymphs such as a montana stone, gold ribbed hares ear nymphs and midges.

6- Favorite spinning lures include Rapalas, Buzz Bombs and Spinners.