Where available the brown trout makes for a fantastic Thanksgiving month target.
Entertaining month, November. Particularly from the freshwater fishing end. More specifically, trout. Brown trout. In a moving environ, be it a brook, stream or river.
Sure, November lends itself well to walleye, pike, muskies, pickerel, hybrid stripers, panfish and, in the early weeks, catfish, throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. While autumn stocking programs, such as in my home state of New Jersey, releasing only rainbows since 2015, with others, like neighboring Pennsylvania stocking the rainbow/brown/brookie triumvirate, certainly bolster Indian Summer trout fishing opportunities, there is a niche that, at least from this corner, rivals the quest for the more seasonal upland game and big game quarries: wild spawning brown trout.
No gun or bow, but rod ‘n reel.
Much like the whitetail rut, November is generally the peak time for browns, especially the males, to key and react to the procreative urges. The females, while active, are noticeably less aggressive. Sure, feeding is a part of the daily survival episode, but something about the urge to merge makes the cocks of this notoriously cautious salmonid species just careless enough to up the odds for a meeting.
Spawning activity can occur as early as October, as it does with brookies (a char, not a “true” trout), but on the overall, it’s November that revs the reproductive, and corresponding pugnacious behavior, of browns. This correlates to reactions that would normally not, at least to any regulative degree, occur. Dash out from protective cover to deliver a whack to an invading chub or other finned intruder? Normally, it’s a glance then a pass. This month? It’s pretty much a cocksure encounter.
To be sure, this blend of survival (feeding) and spawning (aggression) makes the November brown trout hunt (where legal; check state regs for closing dates if applicable) a splendid experience. From wild, as in spawned and grown in said water, or a holdover from a previous year’s stocking that’s reacting to inherent urges even though from hatchery antecedents, it’s a great last grasp before the winter chill puts on the clamps on trouting until April’s openings.
Browns are cover loving and prefer the likes of sunken logs and branches, undercut banks, mid or side rocky breaks, and the lower ends of rock-narrowing tails of pools. Another area of expectation is where the lower branches of bank side trees closely hug the water and/or where overhanging brush shields presence.
On a cast-per-contact ratio, miniature crankbaits are the go to. The 2-inch Yo-Zuri Pin’s Minnow, the Aile Goby and Snap Bean draw crushing hits, as does the Rapala 1.5-, 2- and 2.75-inch Rapala Minnow. Twitched, darted or slow rolled just enough to impart motion as close to as the cover allows will draw immediate attention.
As in the forms of the Trout Magnet Grub, Berkley Power Tube, Mr. Twister Nymph and Micro Crawfish, and the Pautzke Fire Ned, among myriad others imitating the stream life food chain victims, are strike makers.
When probing deeper pools, a spinner or spoon can produce results when the swim’s bigger browns are feeling really rambunctious. Mepps, Rooster Tail and Panther Martin whizzers, and the Mepps Bantam Syclops spoon will bring it on.
Playing on the need to feed, a baby nightcrawler, small shiner or fathead minnow (as with lures, bait size predicated on venue physics) is doomed to a violent demise. If available, a small crayfish is equally vulnerable. Allowed to drift into and through holding areas, a live offering almost always assures a tugging response.
Don’t overlook preserved baits. How or when purchased remains a mystery, but in a vest pocket was a packet of Magic Bait preserved shiners dyed some weird gold/chartreuse color. Nose hooked on a #10 octopus style hook with a BB split shot a few inches above and twitched out along an undercut bank and, well, that foot long brown went home for dinner.
Flows in our region right now are low and lower. As such, figure on 2- to 4-pound test line. If flying it with nymphs, figure 5X; small streamers 4X; fluorocarbon, of course.
