Large trout habitat
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salmonoid
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You'll probably get as many opinions as responses for a question like this 🙂
You may catch a single large trout in streams that don't have the type of habitat that you think would generally produce big fish; they are usually migratory fish and probably not long term residents.
When I think of the few streams that I know of that consistently have large trout in them, the common component is an abundance of deep holes with a good amount of cover. There is also an abundance of bait fish - sculpins, white suckers, dace, etc. and most larger fish will shift over to a meatier diet. That doesn't mean they can't be caught on a trico imitation, but I'd say their primary diet is larger food stuffs - hoppers, crickets, mice, bait fish, baby/juvenile salmo truttas and baby/juvenile savelinus fontinalis. Deep hole creation is enhanced by the presence of woody debris, or often time single large rocks (like small house size rocks). Another type of cover that is often presence is deep undercut banks. Sometimes, these will go back in three to six feet and there's often a ball of roots, that serves almost like a jail that keeps out predators. I matched wits with a wily brown in such a setting for a few years running, before finally catching the fish; in the process of steering the fish out of his lair when I finally caught him, he kicked out a fish that was only about 3" his junior, which attested to how much space there must have been under there.
The other class of large trout habitat is, as Pete notes, is lakes or larger streams, and the fish that live there will move into smaller tributaries, either under thermal pressure, or to spawn.
You may catch a single large trout in streams that don't have the type of habitat that you think would generally produce big fish; they are usually migratory fish and probably not long term residents.
When I think of the few streams that I know of that consistently have large trout in them, the common component is an abundance of deep holes with a good amount of cover. There is also an abundance of bait fish - sculpins, white suckers, dace, etc. and most larger fish will shift over to a meatier diet. That doesn't mean they can't be caught on a trico imitation, but I'd say their primary diet is larger food stuffs - hoppers, crickets, mice, bait fish, baby/juvenile salmo truttas and baby/juvenile savelinus fontinalis. Deep hole creation is enhanced by the presence of woody debris, or often time single large rocks (like small house size rocks). Another type of cover that is often presence is deep undercut banks. Sometimes, these will go back in three to six feet and there's often a ball of roots, that serves almost like a jail that keeps out predators. I matched wits with a wily brown in such a setting for a few years running, before finally catching the fish; in the process of steering the fish out of his lair when I finally caught him, he kicked out a fish that was only about 3" his junior, which attested to how much space there must have been under there.
The other class of large trout habitat is, as Pete notes, is lakes or larger streams, and the fish that live there will move into smaller tributaries, either under thermal pressure, or to spawn.
salvelinusfontinalis
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Large Woody Debis *coughtroutcoughbert*
Look for it and fish it.
Large undercut banks, root systems from trees, large rocks, undercut rocks......structure of any kind.
Deep pools
Try fishing large bends in rivers. Usual spot.
Bridges.
Large fish like stream edges about calf deep too.
Try a streamer here.
In fact,chuck one everywhere.
Large fish well, they can be just about anywhere... ;-)
It should be noted that large brown trout in PA are actually fairly common and can be in surprising places. I've caught 20 inch fish in tiny streams.
In fact I believe an electro fishing survey turned up a 20+ inch brown in Lyman run.
Look for it and fish it.
Large undercut banks, root systems from trees, large rocks, undercut rocks......structure of any kind.
Deep pools
Try fishing large bends in rivers. Usual spot.
Bridges.
Large fish like stream edges about calf deep too.
Try a streamer here.
In fact,chuck one everywhere.
Large fish well, they can be just about anywhere... ;-)
It should be noted that large brown trout in PA are actually fairly common and can be in surprising places. I've caught 20 inch fish in tiny streams.
In fact I believe an electro fishing survey turned up a 20+ inch brown in Lyman run.
blueheron
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The most rewarding way to discover large trout habitat is to go fishing. Alot. Eventually you will catch large trout, make note of where they were laying and you have your answer. Really, there is no substitute for time on the water , all will be revealed .
BrookieChaser
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Blueheron, that is one of the best answers I've read on this board.
foxtrapper1972
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Big trout are exactly where you would expect to find them except when they aren't which is fairly often.
Chaz
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Look for big trout anywhere there is deep water with overhead cover, i.e., tree roots where the current enters a pool, outside bends where there is a overhanging back with trees above the cut bank, large trees where there are no other large trees, plunge pools below ledges and falls, under ledges, large pools where there is cover, junction pools that have overhead cover.
Runs where there is a deep cut and current break, under overhead cover.
Runs where there is a deep cut and current break, under overhead cover.
Fish rivers and streams known for larger trout
Fish low light periods like dawn, dusk, cloudy or rainy days and at night (your best chance for lunkers)
Fish larger flies > big streamers, big nymphs on the bottom, mouse patterns, etc.
Have a spool with a sink tip line or attach a polyleader to fish deep
Be prepared with heavier tackle with respect rod weight and leader/tippet
CHECK YOUR KNOTS and retie often
Fish all the places Chaz described above ^
Be prepared to get skunked and appreciate every fish you do land
Good luck
Fish low light periods like dawn, dusk, cloudy or rainy days and at night (your best chance for lunkers)
Fish larger flies > big streamers, big nymphs on the bottom, mouse patterns, etc.
Have a spool with a sink tip line or attach a polyleader to fish deep
Be prepared with heavier tackle with respect rod weight and leader/tippet
CHECK YOUR KNOTS and retie often
Fish all the places Chaz described above ^
Be prepared to get skunked and appreciate every fish you do land
Good luck
Just about every truly large trout that I have seen and/or caught have all been relatively close to the bank. Deep water is relative. Food, cover, and decent water temps and ph is all they really need. The big ones got big by eating big and being smart. You gotta fish big and smarter.
pabrookie94
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A lot of the biggest fish I have seen caught have come from outflows of dams...which also seem to have many other fish and A LOT of bug life.
I think that the deep water is in NO WAY a factor. Sure, some sort of depths need to be not too far away, but I often find big fish of all varieties in shallow water. As Blue Heron said, fish a lot and discover for yourself the patterns of fish movement.
If I were to add anything to all the solid suggestions offered so far, it would be to put in some time on transitional or marginal water. Stream sections that are either at or below the downstream approved trout water limit. These sections often have the best forage base as well as the deepest pools in a given watershed and big browns will set up shop in these places and stay there for years.
Back in the 70's and 80's, local friends and I spent a lot of time chasing smallies with UL spin gear and small Rapalas and Rebel crawdads in creeks like this in NW PA and some of the browns we saw/caught/lost or missed would curl your hair. Even curl my hair and I barely have any left to curl...
Back in the 70's and 80's, local friends and I spent a lot of time chasing smallies with UL spin gear and small Rapalas and Rebel crawdads in creeks like this in NW PA and some of the browns we saw/caught/lost or missed would curl your hair. Even curl my hair and I barely have any left to curl...
