I'll be heading up to Cook county in about three weeks for some fishing and kayaking outside the bdub and had the idea of going to some streams for brookies in the afternoons between the morning and night walleye prowls. I've never fished brookies before. Is the afternoon a decent time to go for stream brookies? Will something like a mepps #2 black fury work? Where do I want to look for them? Any and all advice is very welcome, thanks!

Well I've never fished for Trout in the BWCA area before, but I have down here in SE Mn many times. Mepps should be killer on them as they work great down here. I cast directly across the stream, let the current take it and reel, making sweeping arcs on the retrieve. Take a few steps down stream and repeat lol.

Another thing that really gets them down here is a lure called "Super Dupers". Had luck using small Panther Martins as well.

When I lived in Texas, we would fish the mountain streams of New Mexico using Berkleys Powerbait, trout formula. Take a small hook, form a small ball of that stuff around it, attach a small split shot about 2 feet about that and cast. Power bait floats and if you have a small enough sinker, the current will just bounce it across the bottom. That stuff worked so well in fact, it should have been illegal LOL.

Well, that's my 2 cents on trout. Whatever you use, I wish you good fishing.

I have had great success in that area for Brookies. I have had better luck using a mepps 0 or # 1 then I have had with a #2. Try the Black fury with red or yellow dots on the blade.

Go small, Mepps 0 or my favorite is 00. If you"re targeting bigger brookies (8+ in.) find small streams. Alot of bushwhacking and a lot of bug dope and a lot of patience is needed. A very small jig will work as will or a bit of worm on a #10 or #12 hook. Stealth is important as they are easily spooked. Look for deeper holes or beaver dams. Ultra light is essential. 2#test. I even throw bead heads with my spinning rod. Luck to you.

Black Roostertail 1/8 oz is all I use for stream Brookies. Look for deeper pools at the end of shallow riffles and work them like Meathunter said. Though occasionally you'll have to, try not to make cast's that are more than a few degrees upstream from where your standing, especially in fast water. I rarely stay in one place longer than 5 minutes before moving on. If they're in there and hungry, you'll get them in the first few cast's. The only reason you'll need waders is to go in and untangle your lure from the brush. On small streams, you'll do more flipping than casting and you'll get good at it.

If your going up anytime soon, you may be in for a challenge since the rivers are up and a lot of food has washed in.

Awesome, I have a much better idea now of how to approach this way of fishing, thank you all! Just curious, has anyone here ever tried the southeastern Minnesota streams? I've heard the stream trout get bigger down there because the streams are bigger and because of its geology

quote Basspro69: " "

+1
A small Marabou jig as well.

S.E. Minnesota, S.W. Wisconsin and N.E. Iowa all have excellent trout fishing. More rainbows and browns.

quote kayakrookie1: "Awesome, I have a much better idea now of how to approach this way of fishing, thank you all! Just curious, has anyone here ever tried the southeastern Minnesota streams? I've heard the stream trout get bigger down there because the streams are bigger and because of its geology"

many times. Trout Run and the Bucksnort Dam awesome fishing .

quote Basspro69: "

quote kayakrookie1: "Awesome, I have a much better idea now of how to approach this way of fishing, thank you all! Just curious, has anyone here ever tried the southeastern Minnesota streams? I've heard the stream trout get bigger down there because the streams are bigger and because of its geology"

many times. Trout Run and the Bucksnort Dam awesome fishing ."

Hey basspro, I know you've fished fourmile, but did you know about that tiny lake ( I think it's called feather lake) just about a mile north of fourmile on a rough road off the grade that has brookies? It's only about 8 acres big but gets down to about 24 feet depth. I guess the dnr drops fingerlings out of a plane once a year or so. I want to try that one out at least once on my next trip, was looking at the dnr survey and it looked pretty decent.

quote kayakrookie1: "

quote Basspro69: "

quote kayakrookie1: "Awesome, I have a much better idea now of how to approach this way of fishing, thank you all! Just curious, has anyone here ever tried the southeastern Minnesota streams? I've heard the stream trout get bigger down there because the streams are bigger and because of its geology"

many times. Trout Run and the Bucksnort Dam awesome fishing ."

Hey basspro, I know you've fished fourmile, but did you know about that tiny lake ( I think it's called feather lake) just about a mile north of fourmile on a rough road off the grade that has brookies? It's only about 8 acres big but gets down to about 24 feet depth. I guess the dnr drops fingerlings out of a plane once a year or so. I want to try that one out at least once on my next trip, was looking at the dnr survey and it looked pretty decent. "

I will email you.

Kayak can you tell me your email address having problems sending to you.

jolsen@blc.edu

quote bruceye: "Black Roostertail 1/8 oz is all I use for stream Brookies. Look for deeper pools at the end of shallow riffles and work them like Meathunter said. Though occasionally you'll have to, try not to make cast's that are more than a few degrees upstream from where your standing, especially in fast water. I rarely stay in one place longer than 5 minutes before moving on. If they're in there and hungry, you'll get them in the first few cast's. The only reason you'll need waders is to go in and untangle your lure from the brush. On small streams, you'll do more flipping than casting and you'll get good at it.


If your going up anytime soon, you may be in for a challenge since the rivers are up and a lot of food has washed in."

The black Roostertail has always been my favorite lure for brookies out here in California.