# Very Small Stream Brookies



## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

It's the time of year when my son and I traditionally try our hand on small stream trout. In spite of the mosquitos and black flies just now hitting their stride and never ending rains beginning in late June that seemed to fall in Biblical quantities right up to the second day we fished, those pan sized fish could still be caught. A couple males were even beginning to put on their spawning colors.

High water fishing has its challenges (read more snags and lots of shoreline mud) but patience eventually paid off. A couple limits of 8" fish, caught on two different days while fishing in a total of six different streams provided enough for a meal of fresh fish and plenty of trout for the trout part of the traditional trout and grouse dinner at deer camp. Life is good. FM


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## Dantana (Dec 3, 2009)

Very cool. Hope the rains hold off the next few weeks, we are coming up for a week long camping trip to Munising and Tahquamenon. Catch stream brookies tops my list of things to do.


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## Walleye1991 (Jul 29, 2017)

I wish I was in the the UP right now.... My go-to area is Mackinac County, SO many different streams and forks to fish to your heart's content for those pretty Brookies. Really hoping I can find the time to make a trip back up.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Walleye1991 said:


> I wish I was in the the UP right now.... My go-to area is Mackinac County, SO many different streams and forks to fish to your heart's content for those pretty Brookies. Really hoping I can find the time to make a trip back up.


Three words of advice, speaking as the voice of experience: Make the time. FM


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## Walleye1991 (Jul 29, 2017)

Forest Meister said:


> Three words of advice, speaking as the voice of experience: Make the time. FM


That's currently in the works my friend. Cannot wait.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Walleye1991 said:


> That's currently in the works my friend. Cannot wait.


September is probably one of the better months.


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## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

I've been up at my camp in the Keweenaw since June, I've had a great time fishing the BIG lake and its tributaries. I now will be leaving in a day or two for football practice on Monday. My summer is over....but there is plenty of good fishing left up here.
And by the way....it's POURING up here right now! Sitting in my cabin drinking a U.P beer and having a chew. Gonna hit the river in the AM rain or shine


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Was getting tired of fishing water connected to the Great Lakes - lost track of how many smolts I have caught. I like catching Steelhead of course but I was starting to miss Brookies.

But lots of smolts make for fat Brook Trout ...


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

A nice little run - two 12"+ in a row, lying just ten feet apart. Took many tries to land them but I knew there nice fish in under those Alders. Above them another 10' was an 8". But the only catch-able fish in heavy cover, and all 3 looked female so I left them to spawn this Fall. I am hoping this stream produces Coasters, actually. These were caught just 50 yards up from the wave action rolling in. We'll see...


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Forest Meister said:


> A couple males were even beginning to put on their spawning colors.


I hadn't thought about this much, until today. Amidst catching some smolts last week, I thought that twice I did see a flash of orange on a nicer fish in the water, that I couldn't catch. Hook the Brookie on the first go, or come back later.

Anyhow I had a great day fishing again today, fishing the same little creek as yesterday, but much higher up, where elevation began to change, creating more pools, etc. 

I caught the Brookie I will post a picture of in my next response in this thread, about 12.5". It swallowed a hook and was starting to bleed some. After putting two double-digits back in the stream yesterday, I figured to keep one. On the next hole up, I caught an 11" nearly identical to the others - all Females, I thought, and fat, but I let that one go to.

The surprise for me came when I cleaned the nice fish - it had two spawn sacs coming along nicely. They seemed about the same size as ones I have caught - in late September.

Is this normal in early August?


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Today's fish...

So in total I caught a 12, 12, 8, 12, 11. The only little fish were Rainbows.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Nice fish!


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## Gamechanger (Sep 26, 2014)

B. Jarvinen,

Great photos and reports. Thanks for taking us along on your outings.


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## NEW HUDSON WALT (Jan 11, 2009)

B.Jarvinen said:


> View attachment 264598
> Today's fish...
> 
> So in total I caught a 12, 12, 8, 12, 11. The only little fish were Rainbows.


Hey B.Jarvinen that 12,12,12,11, is a FAN-TAS-TIC cacth....I would be happy to 
catch a total of that size for the season.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

B.Jarvinen said:


> I hadn't thought about this much, until today. Amidst catching some smolts last week, I thought that twice I did see a flash of orange on a nicer fish in the water, that I couldn't catch. Hook the Brookie on the first go, or come back later.
> 
> Anyhow I had a great day fishing again today, fishing the same little creek as yesterday, but much higher up, where elevation began to change, creating more pools, etc.
> 
> ...


Most males seem indiscernible from females this time of year......until you get them ready for the table. My experience on the arguably limited number of streams I have fished over the years is that as a general rule the smaller the stream the sooner more males seem to start taking on fall color. I once caught a beautiful deep bellied 8.5" male with fiery red fins and lower body along with a deeply hooked jaw that only came together at the tip just like a ready to spawn salmon. That fish was caught in mid August deep in a cedar swamp from a little undercut in a small stream you could walk across on logs about anywhere you wished and jump across where you couldn't.

A few females will have large eggs when the rest still have small eggs starting this month too. A biologist explained that to me several years ago by saying that the varying degrees of spawning maturity in both males and females was more or less a survival mechanism. With fish spawning at different times there was a better chance of at least some being successful. Made sense to me. FM


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Now would be the time to hit some EUP streams with all of the rainfall that we have had this summer their should be some trout moving around. A couple of my buddies went and had some fantastic fishing a week ago and they released everything.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

Pretty soon, I'm gonna have to figger out how to fillet 'em

(I've never kept a 14 yet, like this. Settled for one 12 for the pan from a choice of four double digit fish. Small streams = loaded.)


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

@B.Jarvinen Very nice brookie! I'm headed up in 7 days from now. I can hardly wait. I've been doing _*a lot*_ of scouting for some new (to me) spots to fish. If I find anything worthwhile, expect a report in two weeks or so. Nothing _specific_, mind, but hopefully some nice pictures at least.


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## Quig7557 (Dec 31, 2008)

Your doing well and putting in a lot of effort on those small streams.

Good job


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