My son and I are trout nuts. We've caught many Lakers in the bdub but never targeted brook trout. Any help/suggestions aware greatly appreciated! If you are willing to share lake names please message me.

Trout have been a white whale for me so I'm afraid I have no anecdotes about how/where to catch them in the park. But this table will tell you which lakes have them and if that lake is in the park. Good luck to you and your boy!

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/trout_lakes/list.html https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/trout_lakes/list.html

Totalbogie posted the lake list, start there. Makes no sense to fish for brookies if they are not in the lake. Then plan a route that hits a few of the designated trout lakes that contain brookies. Brookies to some are like finding gold. Not many people give up the goods. There are a couple of guys here that know a lot about Brookies up there. Maybe they will chime in. I have no time but I will check my records and email you in a few days.

Email sent to you.

The brookie lakes in the bwca are fun. Here's the drill:

Find 'em on the list
Use the "search" function here to research
plan a trip and Go to one of the lakes
drop a crawler on a small jig
reel up and put in pan
be all happy inside

Time of year is key - Spring and Fall when the fish are shallow, makes it infinitely easier to catch them. Like the previous poster said, check the list on the DNR site, find a lake and fish it. Floating Crawlers or trolling spinners are the easiest techniques to put fish in the pan.

We've had luck at every brookie lake we've fished in the BW. I would find one that either has a campsite on it or near it in an area that you'd like to go.

Good Luck!

We're going to be on Clearwater mid-June and I'm considering beaching the boat down on the far East end and taking a little hike on the BRT over to Gogebic. I know it's all based on water temps and changes from year to year, but any idea if I would be able to get to them casting from shore that time of year, and if so, suggested tackle?

thegildedgopher: "We're going to be on Clearwater mid-June and I'm considering beaching the boat down on the far East end and taking a little hike on the BRT over to Gogebic. I know it's all based on water temps and changes from year to year, but any idea if I would be able to get to them casting from shore that time of year, and if so, suggested tackle?"

like many lakes in the BW walking fishing shoreline is sometimes easier said than done , BUT there are some spots on Gogebic and if the shale rock campsite is not taken you can walk to it (might get the boots a little wet) but doable and a nice stretch for shore fishing and if i recall correctly some grassy shore spots on the east side.
lures: spinners-spoons. one of my favorite spinners is a shyster spinner(middle bottom) because still some what small , it is heavy to cover a larger/longer casting area also heavier spoons like a K.O.
pic of brook trout box & K.O. spoon 1 of my most productive applications is soaking a whole crawler on a phelps floater off that campsite.
as the water warms up the closer to sunrise and sundown can be best.
adding a little piece of crawler to any spoons never hurts ;)

I used to catch them on Skull Lake off of Moose many moons ago. Don't know if they are still there.

Bluto-
I caught some real nice brookies in Skull in 1982. I went back about 20 years ago, hooked up right away...largemouth. VERY disappointing.

Bramrains: "My son and I are trout nuts. We've caught many Lakers in the bdub but never targeted brook trout. Any help/suggestions aware greatly appreciated! If you are willing to share lake names please message me."

Start with the Minnesota Dnr and go to lakefinder search brook trout lakes theres some good info in there. I wont list individual lakes but I have fished 97 percent of the Brookie lakes in Minnesota and having little cleos, mepps spinners, kastmaster spoons, will help you locate them in these lakes. Water temp and time of year will determine the rest .

shock: " like many lakes in the BW walking fishing shoreline is sometimes easier said than done , BUT there are some spots on Gogebic and if the shale rock campsite is not taken you can walk to it (might get the boots a little wet) but doable and a nice stretch for shore fishing and if i recall correctly some grassy shore spots on the east side.
lures: spinners-spoons. one of my favorite spinners is a shyster spinner(middle bottom) because still some what small , it is heavy to cover a larger/longer casting area also heavier spoons like a K.O.
pic of brook trout box & K.O. spoon 1 of my most productive applications is soaking a whole crawler on a phelps floater off that campsite.
as the water warms up the closer to sunrise and sundown can be best.
adding a little piece of crawler to any spoons never hurts ;)"

Awesome advice shock. I’ll be staying at the Clearwater lodge bunkhouse so I will ask them some advice as well.

Anybody actually carry a canoe back to gogebic?

The MN DNR because of disease completely eliminated their entire brook trout population in hatcheries a few years ago. They are just ramping up again. So some BWCA lakes that got brook trout for decades may have a gap of a couple of years of no stocking.

Anybody actually carry a canoe back to gogebic?" oh yes , it's an easy portage ,,,,,,,up to the bridge ;) ,,,

Those are some really nice fish in the pics. For those wondering - they're not the norm (at least not for me). The majority of brookies caught in stock lakes are under 12 inches.

Speck: "Those are some really nice fish in the pics. For those wondering - they're not the norm (at least not for me). The majority of brookies caught in stock lakes are under 12 inches. "

This has generally been true for me as well however on our last trip we caught roughly 2 limits nothing smaller than 12.5 inches and as big as 15.5
We never hit the schools of 8 to 12 inch fish I remember coming across in the past.

Pinetree: "The MN DNR because of disease completely eliminated their entire brook trout population in hatcheries a few years ago. They are just ramping up again. So some BWCA lakes that got brook trout for decades may have a gap of a couple of years of no stocking. "

Interesting. One of the lakes I'm looking at was stocked regularly every 2 years over the last 10. However the 2018 stocking was by far the smallest by weight in that span.

thegildedgopher: "

Pinetree: "The MN DNR because of disease completely eliminated their entire brook trout population in hatcheries a few years ago. They are just ramping up again. So some BWCA lakes that got brook trout for decades may have a gap of a couple of years of no stocking. "

Interesting. One of the lakes I'm looking at was stocked regularly every 2 years over the last 10. However the 2018 stocking was by far the smallest by weight in that span."

They bought some from a Federal hatchery and another State short term at least.

the DNR has gone to every other year stocking for awhile now , so you either have 1 or 3 or 5 year old brookies on most brook trout lakes in the BW. with the exception of the resent stocking issues
1 trip i was fortunate enough to catch a person best with each brookie i caught , and it went like this #2-8 #2-10 #3-0 #3-8(mount) and the last was a #3-12 CPR, that was in a day and a half , then,,,, fishing shut right down for the remainder of the trip :( , brook trout fishing , timing can be everything ;)

They thought about getting Nipigon strain which live like 2 years longer than most brook trout. I guess paper work and cost and disease potential coming across the border stopped that. Too bad.

Pinetree: "They thought about getting Nipigon strain which live like 2 years longer than most brook trout. I guess paper work and cost and disease potential coming across the border stopped that. Too bad."

now that would have been tax dollars well spent ;)

Shock -- When i first looked at those photos on my phone, the one in the green shirt specifically, I thought, hmmm, I wonder why he's wearing that SERIOUS gold chain out in the wilderness? And then later I realized it was a fish hook on your shirt, and that kind of took the wind outta my sail. For a minute or two there I had this vision of you as this hardcore dude who never takes his gold chain off, not even to slay brookies in the b-dub.

Acually, I gotta go. The local pawn shop is calling my name...

shock: "

Pinetree: "They thought about getting Nipigon strain which live like 2 years longer than most brook trout. I guess paper work and cost and disease potential coming across the border stopped that. Too bad."

now that would have been tax dollars well spent ;)"

I agree,I pushed it with a few friends in the DNR and they at least proposed it.
I forgot what strains they got now,one is from out east and the other?

It would be great if we could increase the life span of brook trout in lightly fished lakes or lakes with catch and release practice. We would see some very huge Brook Trout.

You get outside of the BWCA,most stream trout lakes the fish don't even make it to age 2 very often. Such high explotation(sp).

thegildedgopher: "Shock -- When i first looked at those photos on my phone, the one in the green shirt specifically, I thought, hmmm, I wonder why he's wearing that SERIOUS gold chain out in the wilderness? And then later I realized it was a fish hook on your shirt, and that kind of took the wind outta my sail. For a minute or two there I had this vision of you as this hardcore dude who never takes his gold chain off, not even to slay brookies in the b-dub.


Acually, I gotta go. The local pawn shop is calling my name..."

thanks for the laugh , good stuff , still laughing !

It's a bit of a haul, but the Nakina area in Ontario has great fishing for native brook trout.

user0317: "It's a bit of a haul, but the Nakina area in Ontario has great fishing for native brook trout.


"

Fall trout colors I love it.

shock: "the DNR has gone to every other year stocking for awhile now , so you either have 1 or 3 or 5 year old brookies on most brook trout lakes in the BW. with the exception of the resent stocking issues
1 trip i was fortunate enough to catch a person best with each brookie i caught , and it went like this #2-8 #2-10 #3-0 #3-8(mount) and the last was a #3-12 CPR, that was in a day and a half , then,,,, fishing shut right down for the remainder of the trip :( , brook trout fishing , timing can be everything ;) "

Awesome Brookies !

here's the prettiest one I ever caught in the BWCA, I've been exploring Brookie lakes now for at least 15 years, some years you hit them just right sometimes nothing, but that's fishing LOL

here's another one out of the BWCA Nice Brookie

The last ten years also they switched to the Wild strain brook trout from southeastern Minnesota. Does good in streams. Survival was terrible in lakes. Now the DNR will be trying two different strains in lakes.
One thing you better keep active and let the DNR how important these programs are now. Otherwise number of lakes stocked will dwindle.

Won't tell you where but I can tell you what worked for me :) I had a bear tracking them down/getting any action but was finally able to hook a few after a few days of futility. I believe I pulled this in on a small KO Wobbler in the blue/silver color pattern casted from the shallowed out over a drop off ~45 feet deep. Let the spoon fall (for longer than you think) and slowly retrieve. Later on in the day when they come up to feed you may have luck trolling small minnow baits or working spinners or worms under a bobber.

shock: "



Anybody actually carry a canoe back to gogebic?"

oh yes , it's an easy portage ,,,,,,,up to the bridge ;) ,,, "

It's not TOO bad. You'll definitely earn your whiskey that night but it's totally doable and is a gorgeous little lake. Would be a real bummer to schlep your stuff up there and have the site be taken, though, so may be worth walking it first to check.

Re: shore fishing I can't speak in certainties since fish are fish and you may well be able to find some shallow if you're lucky but IIRC you can't get to any real depth from any walk able approach on Gogebic and brookies like to hide deep. You can, however, get into the lake near the portage and from the site that's located directly on the hiking trail. If you've got time to kill give it a shot.

Thanks Xand!

thegildedgopher: "Anybody actually carry a canoe back to gogebic?"

Here's a trip report with a full description of both portages up to Gogebic. Shangri-la up along the BRT

Also.... Gogebic in the winter

mcsweem: "here's the prettiest one I ever caught in the BWCA, I've been exploring Brookie lakes now for at least 15 years, some years you hit them just right sometimes nothing, but that's fishing LOL "

no doubt that is 1 awesome looking brookie !

Brooke Trout fishing is a addiction. I get as much thrill catching them, especially in small secluded North shore streams as I do catching big Lakers.

shock: "

mcsweem: "here's the prettiest one I ever caught in the BWCA, I've been exploring Brookie lakes now for at least 15 years, some years you hit them just right sometimes nothing, but that's fishing LOL "

no doubt that is 1 awesome looking brookie !"

Agree very beautiful fish

Bingshick Lake 13 years ago.
20"......Long and tall with a big hook jawed head.

Duff: "Bingshick Lake 13 years ago.
20"......Long and tall with a big hook jawed head.







"

spring brookie ? definitely over #4 all day . very nice !

Yep, first week of the season, water was still cold enough that the Lake Trout were surface feeding on Paulson Lake, a person would have had a great time fly fishing for them there.

As for the Brookie, it's one of the few times I actually wish I had brought a scale with.
But I'll take your 4 lb estimate. :)

Oh.....and that fish was caught with my first cast on the lake.

I have caught some of those bingshick football brookies..but here is a real trophy..and not from bingshick

Nice brookie. Does the lake start with a letter M?

Big brookies are my favorite! They are sometimes uncooperative.when they are in the mood for attacking my lure it is the best. I will post a pic when I can find it! Marc

Big brookies are my favorite! They are sometimes uncooperative.when they are in the mood for attacking my lure it is the best. I will post a pic when I can find it! Marc

Big Brookies means great food resource,low fishing pressure and catch and release at times so maybe someone else the same summer can catch your 5 pound fish again.
If someone else harvested it. You wouldn't of caught it either. Each waters is different but over a certain size there is no reason to keep it.
Yes in past years like 20 years ago I killed a few 5 pound brook trout. No more at least on my part.
Yes each to his own. But these stream trout lakes are so small and so easy to fish out by so few people.
Enjoyed the pictures and joy they bring to all.

mcsweem: "here's the prettiest one I ever caught in the BWCA, I've been exploring Brookie lakes now for at least 15 years, some years you hit them just right sometimes nothing, but that's fishing LOL "

Gorgeous Brookie

Duff: "Bingshick Lake 13 years ago.
20"......Long and tall with a big hook jawed head.







"

Awesome. !

brantlars: "I have caught some of those bingshick football brookies..but here is a real trophy..and not from bingshick "

Monster Brookie !

Basspro69: "

brantlars: "I have caught some of those bingshick football brookies..but here is a real trophy..and not from bingshick "

Monster Brookie !"

nice

Basspro69: "

brantlars: "I have caught some of those bingshick football brookies..but here is a real trophy..and not from bingshick "

Monster Brookie !"

Same lake as Brants fish. Thankfully It didnt eat mine :)



Had the rap hand painted for this lake.

timatkn: "

shock: "

mcsweem: "here's the prettiest one I ever caught in the BWCA, I've been exploring Brookie lakes now for at least 15 years, some years you hit them just right sometimes nothing, but that's fishing LOL "

no doubt that is 1 awesome looking brookie !"

Agree very beautiful fish"

I think so too, they sure are a beautiful fish!!!

thegildedgopher: "Shock -- When i first looked at those photos on my phone, the one in the green shirt specifically, I thought, hmmm, I wonder why he's wearing that SERIOUS gold chain out in the wilderness? And then later I realized it was a fish hook on your shirt, and that kind of took the wind outta my sail. For a minute or two there I had this vision of you as this hardcore dude who never takes his gold chain off, not even to slay brookies in the b-dub.


Acually, I gotta go. The local pawn shop is calling my name..."