Fly Fishing Wyoming

Brook trout fishing: identification

Brook trout, like Lake trout, really belong to the char family. They are most easily
identified by the white edge to their anal, pectoral and pelvic fins. Their backs are
covered with many worm-like markings.

Brookies are fairly aggressive feeders so will take any tasty morsel that is presented well.
They are also very wary. A careful approach is vital when fishing for Brook trout.

Brook Trout fishing in the high country

A hike into the high country can provide you with a rewarding Brook trout fishing
experience in quiet and solitude. Spectacular scenery is an added bonus.

Brookies like cold, clean water and native populations are often found in these high
streams. Competition with Browns and Rainbows has destroyed many of the Brook
populations.

Tips for Brook trout fishing

The key to Brook trout fishing is to check the water temperatures. Brookies like cool
water with plenty of oxygen. Fish fast moving rivers and streams with temperatures of
around 53 degrees or less.

The need for cooler waters can fool the novice angler. Brook trout will migrate up and
down rivers for their preferred water. A trip into a productive area in April might be a
waste of time in July.

You might find Brookies in pools but they are more likely to be holding where the water
bubbles. Because they are usually small, use the smaller flies and hooks. Brookies are not
very particular about what they are eating, although matching a hatch can produce good
results.

Brookies are easily spooked so your approach must be careful. Enter the water well down
from the target area then cast upstream and let your fly drift down into the feeding zone.

Knowing their life history will enhance your Brook trout fishing experience

Brook trout do not live as long as Browns or Rainbows. They become mature at about a
year old and live to about 6 years.

Because of their short life span, Brookies are usually smaller than other trout. They can
grow to 18 inches, but you'll not often see one more than 12 to 15 inches. In areas where
they are over populated, the average length is more like 5 inches.

Where to go Brook trout fishing

Beaver ponds are likely places to go Brook trout fishing. Beaver ponds can be fished out
quickly so it is wise to apply catch and release practices.

We've already talked about high mountain streams, one of my favorite places to fish for
Brook trout. However, Brookies can also be found in lakes and other rivers.

If you find a lake where Brook trout are living, try fishing any structure that is in the
water. Brookies often feed near the shoreline if the wind is blowing in that direction.

In the summer the trout gather around underwater springs and fishing in those areas often
results in a full creel.

If you are fishing rivers look for Brook trout in pools at the bottom of waterfalls, or in
pocket waters near moving water. Even the smallest holding area should be fished.
Brookies can gather in large numbers in the least amount of water.

Remember that Brook trout travel up and down the rivers to find cool water.

Brook trout fishing requires patience and an understanding of their habits. The rewards
are well worth the effort and the experience of latching onto a nice Brookie will have you
coming back time after time.

In the history of fly fishing, the brown trout was the species
that began it all. The lure of Rainbows, Cutthroats and Brookies
came later.

Brown trout fishing is both challenging and frustrating. This
fish is the most difficult of all trout to catch. Practicing
catch and release on them can be unsuccessful because they
will exhaust themselves in their efforts to throw the hook.

The tactics used for catching other trout often fail when trying
for the Brown. If you are lucky enough to hook into one of
these beauties, your challenge is just beginning.

Browns are not the acrobats of the fishing world. A hooked
Brown will head for the nearest obstacle trying to break
your line. It will take off downstream in a run than sends
the line screaming from your reel. In a final effort it might
take to the skies, but it is pretty much an underwater fighter.

Identifying the species when Brown trout fishing

It is common for the novice Brown trout angler to have a
problem identifying the Brown. Color variations and behaviors
vary from fish to fish and habitat to habitat. Variations are
common even within the same waters.

It is also possible for the Brown to change his color as he
moves from one area to another. This is a very effective
camouflage technique that protects the Brown not only from
natural predators, but from Human anglers also.

The Brown colors can be anything from a creamy brown to olive
green; dark on the back and fading towards the belly. Black
and red spots cover its back. Occasionally you may see a few
spots on the tail. A lake Brown is often more silver in color
and its spots can be hard to see.

If you see a fish resting on the bottom of the stream, you
are looking at a Brown. They are the only trout that do this.

Don't assume that no Browns are present if you can't see them
in the clearest of waters. A major part of their success is
in their ability to camouflage themselves.

When you compare a Brown trout to a Brook you'll see that
the Brown doesn't have the wavy lines found on the Brook and
it has more teeth.

Tactics for Brown trout fishing

Knowing how Browns behave is a major tactic in successful
Brown trout fishing. As a Brown gets bigger its feeding
pattern changes.

A small Brown, 12 inches and under, feeds on items that come
floating down on the currents. These drift feeders find a
holding spot close to the feeding zone and wait quietly until
an insect or other food item floats by.

As the Brown matures he feeds on larger items including other
trout. These fish often become creatures of habit, staying in
the same area day after day, or as long as the food supplies
continue.

An observant angler can watch for signs of fish rising in the
same spot. When returning to the river on another occasion it
pays to cast to those same areas, the fish is likely to be
still holding there.

A fish that is disturbed by predators or other distractions
may well return to the same feeding area after a half hour
or so.

Although the common belief is that Browns are nocturnal
feeders, they will feed during the day. Nocturnal feeding
seems to happen if the river is busy during the day. When
this is the case the Brown will wait until the activity dies
down and then come out to feed.

Brown trout like cool waters, but will survive in warmer
temperatures than other trout. They will compete in areas
where Brook trout are found. The Brown and the Brook will
sometimes crossbreed to produce a Tiger trout.

Although Browns of 40 pounds have been hooked, anything above
four pounds is considered a good fish. Browns typically live
for about seven years. They are less susceptible to Whirling
disease than Rainbows.

Lay a Rainbow and a Brown side by side and the Rainbow will
win the beauty prize every time. Hook into a good sized Brown
and you'll think that Rainbow fishing is for the kids. An
angler who is successful at Brown trout fishing is the PhD of
the fly fishing world.

There are many species of trout that swim the waters of Wyoming. It's always a good idea to be familiar with the species that are in the area that you plan to do your fly fishing. There are also several sub species but for now we'll talk about the basic species found in the waters of Wyoming.

Trout species: the beautiful Rainbow

The rainbow is the trout species you are most likely to encounter in your trout fishing
outings. They can be exciting to catch, often leaping and fighting hard.

Of all the stocked fish, the rainbow is the most common. The pink band that colors both
sides of its body easily identifies this trout.

Like many trout the rainbow prefers cool, clear waters. When sharing waters with
Brookies, Rainbow trout often become the dominant species.

In spring and fall, around spawning time, Rainbows can be veracious feeders and will
take any tasty looking fly. During the other seasons, they are pickier.

Trout species: Cutthroat

One of the most exciting of the trout species to catch is the cutthroat so named for the red
marking under the jaw. Cutthroats, or Cutts, can live to 12 years and grow to around 28
inches.

Not all cutthroat have the distinctive red throat slash. The Bonneville cutthroat, for
example, is much less colorful than some of its cousins.

An aggressive eater, the cutthroat likes to ambush its food. It will hide under any cover
and attack as a tasty morsel floats into its food zone. If you present to the right spot, the
cutthroat will take almost any offering that you provide.

There are several sub-species of cutthroat, often named for the areas in which they are
found. The Snake River Cutt is the favorite target of many a Jackson Hole fly fisherman.

Trout species: the wary Brown trout

Hardy and resilient, this trout species is arguably the most difficult to catch of all the
trout. They are identifiable by their square tails and the dark brown and red spots on their
yellow-brown bodies.

Browns tolerate much warmer waters than most trout. Stocking practices will put these
fish in waters not normally thought of as trout habitat. They grow rapidly and typically
reach weights up to 10 pounds.

Brown trout feed mostly at night so the angler needs to be on the waters at dusk or during
the evening hours to have chance of hooking one. They can be selective feeders and are
extremely wary.

Trout species: the high country Brookies

The trout species found mostly in high country streams is the Brook trout, often referred
to as Brookies. They spawn annually and are a fine indicator of the healthiness of a
stream.

These small trout will feed on almost anything you throw at them. They tend to school so
if you hook one, keep on fishing the same area.

Identify a Brookie by its high coloring and the white edge on its bottom fins. Competition
from other trout species has negatively impacted the Brook trout habitat.

These are the most common trout species that attract the angler. Check regulations
carefully when trout fishing as there are often restrictions not only on a particular species,
but also any cross breed of that species.

The Wyoming cutthroat trout is Wyoming's state fish and can be found in
every part of the state. The Cutthroat Trout is the native trout of the
Rocky Mountains. Unlike Brown Trout which were originally introduced to
the Eastern part of the United States. Cutthroat Trout are originally
from the Western part of the United States.

The cutthroat is popular with
fly fishers because they are not
as wary as other species of trout. They tend to be aggressive feeders
and scrappy fighters and can be caught on a wide variety
of fly patterns.

Cutthroat trout have
unmistakable color and markings. The main
difference between cutthroats and other trout is a red line that runs
under their jaws. Cutthroats can have pink pectoral
and ventral fins. Cutthroats can grow from 10 to 20 inches in
length. They typically have longer heads and jaws than rainbow
and can often be distinguished from the rainbow by their bigger
spots.

Wyoming has four subspecies of
cutthroat trout, which is
reported to be more than any other state. They include...

The Snake River Cutthroat

The Snake River cutthroat is the most popular of the four
Wyoming cutthroat trout subspecies. The Snake River cutthroat,
is also known as the fine spotted cutthroat. This is because
of their small spots scattered along their body.

The
Snake River cutthroat's native range is from Jackson Lake to the area now flooded
by Palisades Reservoir. Snake River cutthroat trout do well in
hatcheries and have been used to stock a variety of rivers and lakes
outside of their native range. They tend to like big bushy dry flies and provide
anglers with plenty of action and scrappy fights.

The Yellowstone Cutthroat

The Yellowstone cutthroat
trout is easily distinguished from
the other trout species by its two prominent red slashes on the lower
jaw. It also stands out from other Wyoming cutthroat trout subspecies
by its large black spots.
It has drab brownish, yellow, or silvery color. Even in mature
fish, the Yellowstone cutthroat doesn't develop the brighter colors
that
the other species do.

The Colorado River cutthroat

The Colorado River cutthroat
is found in the headwaters
of the Green and Little Snake rivers. And typically reside
in the Southwest corner of the state.

The Bonneville Cutthroat

The Bonneville cutthroat
trout, also known as the Utah or Bear
River cutthroat, is Wyoming's rarest cutthroat. It's found in the upper
Bear River watershed. This includes the Smiths Fork
River, Thomas Fork river, Woodruff reservoir and Sulfur Creek
Reservoirs.

The Cutt-Slam Program

The Wyoming Game and Fish has created a program designed to
encourage anglers to become familiar with the Wyoming cutthroat trout
subspecies.

The Cutt-Slam program will also help people gain appreciation for the department cutthroat management program.

Summary

The Wyoming cutthroat trout is a beautiful native fish that
will give anglers joy for years to come. Provided we do our
part to insure and preserve their wild and natural habitat.

I encourage everyone to be
good stewards of the environment.
Practice catch and release, and when you leave the back country, take
everything that you brought with you. By practicing
good conservation we can preserve the native Wyoming cutthroat trout
for future generations.