Brown Trout in the Great Lakes in depth.

Question
QUESTION: Hi Marc! I have been a fan of your articles for quite some time. I fish alot and been reading all I could at a young age--just the other day I picked up an April 1989 In Fisherman and read your article on smelt run browns to see if there's any tips I could use pertaining fall run browns as well. Brown trout in the Great lakes seem to be my Achilles heel. I am from the Illinois/Wisconsin border so I fish Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee and alot up in Door County. I have tried alot of things up there in Door County. I fish off shore in harbors such as Baileys harbor, Sister Bay, Ephraim, Fish Creek, etc. The water up there stays gin clear year round (whereas in the southern harbors of Wisconsin we have greenish water). I need help with catching these browns. You can see browns and kings milling around off the piers (in water as shallow as 1 ft at the boat ramps to the deeper parts of the inner  harbor at 20+ feet). I have tried skein, spawn sacs on the bottom, jerkbaits, spinners,-- you name it. I've had success with the kings on skein and spawn sacs. The browns seem to have lock jaw 24/7. So I ask, what would Marc Wisniewski do? Do you ignore the fish in shallow water that you can see and fish out deep where you cant see bottom (15+ ft of water) ? What presentations would you use in what order and why? I never really seen anyone successful with the hardware (jerkbaits, cranks, spoons) other than snagging fish. Some of these harbors have a weird weed growth (tall patches of weeds growing randomly here and there which makes presentations difficult). I've tried fishing at night with decent success on kings (again on fresh spawn). No such luck with the browns. Only thing I haven't tried is jigs. hair jigs or darters and gulp. Sorry for the long post- I wanted to give you an idea of what i have tried and what the fish do up there.

ANSWER: Hi Al,

Thanks for reading the articles.  Its always good to hear that someone is using the information.

Spawning Browns....... sigh.  These are the hardest fish to catch or even get to show interest in a lure or bait.  I have been doing this for 35 years now and have yet to find anything that can get them to hit on a regular basis.  It's maddening!!!

Reading your history, you have really done all you can.  When you have Kings, Coho, and Steelhead in this same situation, you can catch them.  The Browns, no.  If they don't want to eat, they wont eat, I don't care what you throw at them.

Now that said, not every one of those Browns in an area is in the same stage of spawning.  My best bait for spawning Browns is a 4 1/2" Thunderstick.  Reel it, jerk it, twitch it, fish it erratically.  You will get some of them to follow or eat it.  My best one is the one with the gold prism insert with the black back.  The flash gets their attention.  Now remember that this is my best bait and this doesn't even work every time.  Some times they are so thick that you could walk across them and you still cant get a strike.  

Then there are times when you can't get a strike for two days on a big pod of spawners and all of a sudden they turn on and you can't stop catching them.  It's so sporadic.  I know this, first light is your best and at times, ONLY shot at them.  

One other thing that has worked for me is a single egg on a #14 hook, no weight, 4# test and a noodle rod.  Cast it out and let it sink (it takes forever)and occasionally a fish will grab it.

I have also caught them on an unweighted nightcrawler doing the same thing.  

Bottom line is that nothing is guaranteed with these spawners.  Honestly, after first light I don't waste too much time on them.  There is usually something else going on in deeper water that is a better opportunity.  

I hope this helps a little, but actually you aren't doing anything wrong.  These fish are unique when spawning and the most difficult challenge on Lake Michigan.  

The bright spot is that when they are done spawning, they could be the most aggressive feeders of the season.  I love November and December because of this.  

Good luck and if you have any further questions please write back.

Marc

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Marc for the very prompt reply. The browns I see milling around seem to cruise from one part of the harbor to a certain spot, mill around , then cruise some more. Would these fish be the fish you consider spawning and hard to catch? (I fish Door county waters in October so not sure if they are actually spawning or just staging) Another reason artificial might not work too well is the fact the harbors (inside among the piers) aren't far enough apart to warrant a long cast. I see you have written about the goby connection and your success. Have you had any success with the hair jigs in gin clear water in the conditions I mentioned? What would you do starting at early dawn? Would you start off covering alot of water with say your Jerkbait then switch over to finesse? Or would you try to finesse them before you spook them? Sorry for all the questions- I know of a Milwaukee guide who is known for "putting the hammer" on the browns with Gulp and jigs but I don't know if that's for his sponsors or what. Is it true that brown trout eggs are the best for brown trout? Or does it not matter? Thanks again Marc!

ANSWER: Hi Al,

Yes those are the spawners.  They cruise around in groups.  It's a false spawn but they are going through the motions.

The goby connection works from about April through August.  It's not a viable option for fall.

When I am approaching an area in fall where I know there are spawning browns, I am there before dawn and I'll be casting a T-Stick.  I will pretty much stick with that till the sun comes up.  An hour after sunrise your chances are getting slim unless the weather is bad and you have some heavy cloud cover.  Change colors every 10-12 casts so they don't get bored with the presentations.  I like the gold prism, but firetiger, pearl, chrome and blue, gold chrome with orange, watermelon, or silver prism are good too.  Mix it up if possible.  Husky Jerks are good too as are J-11 Jointed Rapalas.  But they like the minnow baits.  There really is no finesse option after that.  If the sun comes up they will be impossible to catch so your window is small.  

I am guessing that you are talking about Eric Haataja.  He is a very good fisherman and a great self promoter.  What he is doing isn't anything new.  I was jigging in the gaps back in the late 1970's (mostly because we had no downriggers!).  That clean water discharge that he has made a living at has been a perch hotspot for 40+ years.  Nothing new, he just made it popular recently.
Four inch Gulp minnows are very good, not just a Haataja promo.  I'm a little torn about Gulp.  It works great.  The fish are also eating it and they cant digest it.  It's an issue that no one is mentioning.  I have cleaned Browns that had one or more Gulp Minnows lumped in their stomach. It has to be fatal at some point.  In my opinion it isn't a lure it is artificial "bait".  You can throw the stuff out on the bottom on a slip sinker rig and fish will pick it up.  

Yes, Brown Trout spawn is the best choice for everything.  I can't tell you why, but it has always been the best.

Good fishing,

Marc

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Marc,
Thanks for the replies. What model thunderstick are you using? Are we talking about the shallow thunderstick or medium diver? Also what rod are you throwing these on? I fish my bass jerkbaits on 6'6" rods. But for some reason everyone says i should be throwing them on longer rods. Must be a pretty fast action because some jerkbaits take quite a bit of tip to work. Braid to fluro carbon or straight braid? Thanks.

Answer
Hi Al,

The original "AJ" 4.5" model. Shallow model. Color #183.
http://www.stormlures.com/products/luresdetail.cfm?modelName=original_thundersti

Click on color #183 to see it in living color.

For all my shore casting I am using steelhead rods in the 8 1/2 to 11 foot range.  They help you cast further and fight these fish on light line better.  Not drift or noodle rods,  Yes, fast action medium or medium-heavy blanks.  

Don't get too crazy twitching.  Not like bass.  Some nice easy sweeps.  Pull the rod from 9 o'clock to 7 o'clock.  Easy sweeps, especially in cold water.  

NEVER straight braid.  I don't use any braid at all.  They can see it.  If you must, at least 8 feet of fluorocarbon.  And don't use fluorocarbon when it gets below freezing.  

I use clear lines.  Eight pound Magnathin, Silver Thread, and Suffix.  I have been using that Suffix for a couple years and I really like it.  A small Duo-Lock snap on the T-Sticks.  Thats all.  Size #2.

Good fishing,

Marc