Brook Trout

The Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is a species of freshwater fish in the Salmonidae family belonging to the Char. It is also known as the Eastern Brook Trout, Speckled Trout, Spotted Trout, Aurora Trout, Mountain Trout, Speckled Char, Brook Charr, Salter, Sea Trout, Square tailed Trout, Squaretail, Mud Trout, Brookie, Breac, and Coaster Trout. Commonly referred to as Brookie.

It is native to Northeastern North America, primarily from the Great Lakes north to the Hudson Bay and east to the Atlantic and Arctic coasts. Their southern historic native range has been drastically reduced, with fish being restricted to higher-elevation, remote streams due to habitat loss and introductions of Brown and Rainbow Trout.

The Brook Trout has a dark green to brown colour, with a distinctive marbled pattern of lighter shades across the sides and back extending to the dorsal fin and often to the tail. The belly and lower fins are reddish colour, with white leading edges on the lower fins. The tail is squared off or very slightly indented. Light green to cream coloured wavy lines on the back and top of the head. Pale yellowish or greenish spots and distinctive sprinkling of red dots surrounded by blue halos occurring along the sides.

Average size of Brook Trout vary from 25 to 65 cm (9.8 to 25.6 inches) in length and weights from 0.3 to 3 kg (0.66 to 6.61 lbs). The maximum recorded length is 86 cm (34 inches) and world record weight of 6.6 kg (15 lbs) caught in the Nipigon River Ontario in Canada on July 1st, 1916 according to the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). The Brook Trout lifespan is typically 7-8 years, but reports show some specimens living 15 years old.

They inhabit clear cold mountain streams and lakes, preferring clear, high purity and water temperatures from 34°F to 72°F (1°C to 22°C). Warm summer temperatures and low flow rates are stressful on Brook Trout populations, especially larger fish. They inhabitant streams with cool, quiet pools between runs of fast water and rapids. Their diet is diverse including aquatic insects such as mayflies. Terrestrial insects such as grasshoppers that fall into the water. Crustaceans, frogs and other amphibians, molluscs, smaller fish, invertebrates and even small aquatic mammals such as small rodents are also part of the Brook Trout’s diet.

They are found near overhanging trees, submerged wood, rocky points and shoals. Inland- lake Brook Trout are most active during the spring and fall. River Brook Trout stay in cold pools at the base of falls and rapids through the summer and spread out during the spring and fall. Worms and other natural baits are preferred during high water periods. If using a flyrod and flies watch for the water temperature rising and Trout moving from deep pools into riffles in search of insects.

Angling tips for fishing Brook Trout

Using a light action 7-foot road and a spinning reel holding 4 to 8-pound test. Common baits use when fishing for Brook Trout are small minnow-imitating plugs, spoons, jigs, spinners, artificial flies, worms, minnows, leeches and insects.

Brook Trout Fishing Season for Zone 4th

January 1st to Labor Day with Limits of 2 for conservation license and 5 for sportsman license with not more than 1 greater than 30 cm (11.8 inches). Please checkout www.ontario.ca/fishing for updates on fishing regulations in Ontario for Zone 4.