BROOK TROUT FISHING… WITHOUT WORMS?

Sometimes, we run out of worms. Sometimes also, after leaving on a lake trout or pike trip, we stop by a good brook trout spot later in the day (as may be the case if you go to Lake Piraube!) and realize we have not brought any worms. And finally, there are those times when classical presentations do not seem to work.

For all these reasons, worm-free brook trout fishing must be part of your planning, at Aventures Nipissi and elsewhere!

I know. Many of you are wondering how to entice a predatory trout to eat a lure without using bait. It can surely be done with a fly. But though many small water bodies at Aventures Nipissi present great fly fishing opportunities, it is not the technique I am interested in for the purposes of this short text. What I have in mind is literally to spoon feed trout directly with the lure, to make it eat metal!

Obviously, the huge spoons I recommend for the gigantic structures found on Lake Maupertuis are not appropriate for this finesse technique. The lures that fit the bill are very, very small, which makes them extremely lifelike. They imitate small fish or nymphs, and I have had such terrific success with them in areas south of Aventures Nipissi that I could not but give them a try up north, and they have once more proven how deadly they can be.

The lineup of lures that are productive with this technique is composed of the Super Duper, Williams PeeWee Wablers #10 and 20, the smallest Mepps Syclops, the Little Cleo, the Weaver Grabber, the Mepps Xtra Deep and Rebel’s full series of ultralight lures that imitate all kinds of prey.

In all cases, it is essential not to alter the balance of these tiny lures whose action is significantly affected by the mere addition of a swivel or any other unnecessary weight. It is always best to use the smallest French swivel, or even better, to tie them directly to the line. You need not worry about line twist as the lures’ miniature size does not give them enough pull in the water to twist the line.

Cast these lures with the lightest rod and reel combo that you have. A 6 to 8 lbs line works, but if you own an ultralight kit, you will gain casting distance with 4 to 6lbs line, and the thrill you will have with such light tackle when a large fish strikes will be like no other.

These lures are designed to have the treble hooks left on them, and you will soon realize that even the smallest fish are not spooked by those hooks. However, do not forget to bring your long nose pliers along, for when a large fish engulfs the lure, it gets tricky to remove it with your bare hands.

As regards the best spots to use this technique, you should focus on shallow areas such as small rivers, bays, weedbeds and underwater humps.

Patrick Savard