Brown Trout - How do you catch them?

[Fozzy]

I've caught tons of rainbows on powerbait, a few on little cleos and very small sinking trout color rapalas (about 1 1/4 inches long).

I have only caught one brown trout in years of fishing there a nice one 15 inch was promptly released. Brown trout to me are a better looking and far 'Mean'er fish than a rainbow.

I don't think they will hit power baits... So what do you throw to catch them?

Can you throw standard bass style crankbaits? Like a shad rap say a medium sized one like for bass? Light line?

Just wondering...it seems the browns are very rare either that or very very smart fish...

Would love to catch a few more...

[RSBreth]

I think it isn't so much what lures you are using, because rapala type baits in floating, sinking, and suspending take lots of big browns every year, although most bigger brown are caught on 3"-5" lures of this type- not the ultralight 1 1/2" - 2" size.

It is more about fishing early, late, or in the dark. Most of my big browns have came from early morning 4-6 a.m.

If you fish in the dark with bigger lures I wouldn't use less than 8-10 lb. line.

On the White a lot of folks swear by shad rap crankbaits, but this is when the water is up. In the the upper area of Taney floating baits around 3" are my favorites, when I am not using a big streamer on my 8 weight fly rod, which sometimes works better than any lure.

[Greg]

I don't know the exact statistics but I'll bet the rainbows on taneycomo outnumber the browns at least 5:1 or maybe even 10:1. MDC just stocks more rainbows. The reason they stock more rainbows is because they are easier to catch. The rainbows are more of a put and take fishery - although some do reach good sizes. But the browns are entirely a put and grow fishery. They are harder to catch.

I'm a fly fisherman so I can't answer your question about crankbaits and power bait. But in the upper lake I find browns in calmer water. By calmer I mean without much current. Like the deepest part of a hole or at the calm edges of a large pool. It's interesting to watch both species side by side. The rainbows are much more active - darting here and there. But the browns in my experience will find a quiet area and just sit there. They (browns) do become much more active at dusk and at night.

I hope that helps a bit. I thoroughly enjoy both browns and rainbows. I like browns the best because when you catch one it feels like more of an accomplishment to me. Some of the colors on the Taney browns are so striking as well.

Greg

[Andrew Schaefer]

Just use bigger rapalas, jigs work alright too. My favorite is a number 5 countdown in rainbow or brown trout colors. floaters and husky jerks work well too. I'd stick with 4 pund test unless you're going for the really big browns then I'd switch to 8. Fish along the banks in fallen trees. You'll catch a lot of rainbows at the same time.

I've never caught too many browns in taneycomo on the flashy stuff like roostertails or cleos, I think they tend to be better lures for rainbows. But I should mention that my largest trout, 28 inches, came across from cooper creek on a white roostertail on 4 pound test in the middle of the day. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while, eh?

[Barn]

You will have a better chance of catching browns by fishing more like you would for bass that rainbows. They tend to hang around the bank and thick cover. Rapalas type baits do work well. But, I have caught a lot on Cleo's too and Roostertails usually in a orange or brown colors.

Big dry flies or woolly buggers work well if you are fly fishing.

I also agree you will want to go up to 6lb - 8lb or more if you are using lures. Once they start getting bigger so do their teeth. They are real good about breaking off light line.

If you are wanting catch them using bait then good old fashion corn works well. Just make sure you are not above Fall Creek.

[Gavin]

Brown trout are a little different than rainbows. Rainbows tend to hang in current and feed off what is drifting in the water while browns are more of an ambush type predator (slower current, wood or rock cover, etc). Browns will feed on tiny stuff if its in abundance but they tend to feed at low light and have a preference for larger food forms (minnows, sculpins, crayfish, large terrestrial insects, stocker rainbows, etc). Fish accordingly. Cheers.

[Fozzy]

Hey guys thank you for the tips, i'm heading to BPS to get some rapalas as suggested above! I wanna catch another one...i think they are a very nice looking fish, and hate to say it but far more "mean" than a rainbow. Seems like they fight alot harder, maybe it is just me...

thanks for the tips

[Cory Lomon]

Hi i Just found you forum

i nabed my 17 1/2" brown on corn on the bottom by the fosyth dam

it was my 1st brown since then i have never got 1 so i mostly fish with corn or powerbait. but i just got in to fly fishing so what fly's and hard baits to use for brown's and rainbows?

[kelly]

I have this really big net and I throw it...um...never mind