Often thought of as "the prettiest of trout", the Brook trout is well known
throughout North America as one of the most fun fish to catch. Its brilliant colors and stocky body are always a marvel
to hold in your hand! Brook trout are an excellent quarry on a light fly rod, and are very willing to rise to the dry fly.
The Brook Trout is native to Eastern North America, and has been transplanted
widely throughout the West as well. Requiring clear, cold, oxygenated water, fishing for this species often takes us to some
of the prettiest places we could imagine.
Our Brook trout in Alberta commonly range from 5 - 12 inches, with a few
larger fish here and there. They love undercut banks, submerged logs and roots, and pocket water in riffles. Almost every
square foot of of a good stream seems to have a Brookie willing to take a slash at your fly. Some methods for small stream
brook trout fly fishing would be flicking a hopper in every pocket, fishing a small dry starting at the head of the deeper
pools, or swinging a small streamer through those same pools. All are very effective.
For many of us, some of the most memorable days on stream have been those
days of 8 inch brookies. There is something about being on a pristine mountain creek expecting a strike every time your fly
hits the water...totally losing track of time, just immersed in the experience.
