MJL Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 (edited) I personally can’t think of any other fish prettier than a brook trout...Resident browns rank a fairly close second. Brookies also live in some of the most beautiful pristine streams and lakes you can find. The last little while I’ve become possessed in ‘mining’ for these little jewels in gin clear streams. Last Sunday I loaded up my hiking pack with food, water, camera gear, waders + boots and my rod, and traveled the roads on my mountain bike. With the bike, I could find the small ditches and streams impossible to see from a car. The fishing wasn’t as great as I hoped but there were a few gems at the end of the trek to make the cramping legs worth it. With rain in the forecast, I left home today at 6am for a full frontal assault on as many streams as I could fish before they blew out and turned to mud. From medium-sized rivers to small ditches no more than 3ft wide and less than a foot deep, I scouted and fished whatever new spots I could find. There was no real plan or schedule to follow. It was just a day of reconnaissance and discovery and getting lost on dirt backroads - My compass really was screwed up The brookies from one of the streams were amazingly coloured with fiery red bellies – They looked as though they were in full spawn mode In one stream I caught a dozen or so small brookies that were a beautiful dark blue/purple colour. The ditch they came from – Stealth was paramount A silvery one I pulled from a hidden culvert...After landing PB chub after PB chub, I definitely wasn’t expecting it A nicely coloured one Some fish-eye view pics I missed the shot but those red fins and spots are stunning Smashed the spinner Hope you enjoyed Edited May 15, 2011 by MJL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Jesus Mike... don't make me go back to walking the cricks. Haven't done that in 25 years.. but you keep posting these and I'm out the door! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Mike, awesome pics man! Are you using a DSLR in a underwater case by chance? I've gotten a Aquapac for my DSLR, haven't had the nerve to dunk it yet though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danc Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Awesome Mike. The photos are spectacular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Hey!! Leave my fish alone I'm not sure if you stopped by or not, I was out most of the day today. Looks like ya had a good one! S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ah_long Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 what camera is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_finder Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 awesome dude!!! its amazing how light gear and such small fish simply make the day! I can't get enough of those little guys. Irish..get out and do it man! You know you wanna! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelfuN Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 great pics mike! your report is making me dying to get out!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 That's just fantastic Mike! WOW. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PikeMolester Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Love the underwater shots man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashhopper Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 awesome ..... between your reports and my friend, Dutchy, busting my chops to go after those little fish, i am almost ready to give it a try Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehg Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Incredible underwater photos! 25 yrs. ago i remember catching little brookies in a ditch on the side of hwy. 115. Turned out they fed into Cavan River a trib of the Otanabee R. Go figure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphaalpha Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Great report and absolutely amazing photos. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookslav Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Love that Panther martin One of my "Go to's" Beautiful under water shots BTW...really Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gil Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Brookies have always been my fave fish ....Bar none! They are absolutely the prettiest fish on the planet! Not only that but until you've had a speck fried in a cast pan with potatoes and beans!!!....... You have not lived!!! thanx a million Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchy Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Beautiful :clapping: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 um, Mike, I need to get out now cause of your post so you better pm me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Very nicely done and truly beautiful pic's Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handlebarz Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 dang them are some amazing underwater shots. I am with Wayne its been many years since I have done that and sure do miss it. Great report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Urban Fisherman Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Buddy these are awesome! I might have to pack up the kids and take them for a walk in search of some of these little guys in the creeks around here.... Tanks for the post as usual - always love reading them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJL Posted May 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Jesus Mike... don't make me go back to walking the cricks. Haven't done that in 25 years.. but you keep posting these and I'm out the door! Wayne, there’s a few of the medium sized rivers I fish where you can comfortably float down them in a canoe...It’s great if you don’t mind hopping over a few hundred beaver dams along the way Mike, awesome pics man! Are you using a DSLR in a underwater case by chance? I've gotten a Aquapac for my DSLR, haven't had the nerve to dunk it yet though Hey Bill, I was using my Canon 40D for the underwater shots – Above water I was using my Panasonic FZ18. I have an Ewa Marine U-B housing and got a 67mm adapter for the lens. Without the adapter, you get strange reflections off the front glass port or you get tunnel vision ...This is what it looks like when the adapter pops out of the front lens port...It's always heartbreaking when you flip through the pics on the computer and see these If I had to do it over again, I’d probably get one of the EWA Marine housings with the flash compartment so I can stick a remote receiver inside for easier shooting. Overall the outfit is fairly hefty and is generally a pain in ass to carry around on the streams…It’s also fairly hard to use and almost impossible to change settings for a lot of things. For the price over a professional hard-case style housing, I can’t complain. It's the most awesome feeling dunking $1200 worth of camera equipment in the drink Hey!! Leave my fish alone I'm not sure if you stopped by or not, I was out most of the day today. Looks like ya had a good one! S. Shayne, I cannot confirm or deny that it might have been me... Love that Panther martin One of my "Go to's" Beautiful under water shots BTW...really Nice! Panther Martins have been my go-to lure for specks since I started fishing for them a couple years ago. Funny thing is I’ve never caught anything on that particular one in the pics (silver with the orange dressing) until yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12footspringbok Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Great report man! Theres some small creeks around my area that rumour has it hold some decent specs i just have to get off my butt and try it one day. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stern Rules Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Nice pics. I always fish for brookies every year when I'm in New Brunswick. Can't wait to try my underwater camera for those this year. Now if I could just find the brookie spots around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laszlo Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 I'm hoping to get my first brookies on the fly this year. Nice job Mike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnsled Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Overall the outfit is fairly hefty and is generally a pain in ass to carry around on the streams…It's also fairly hard to use and almost impossible to change settings for a lot of things. For the price over a professional hard-case style housing, I can't complain. It's the most awesome feeling dunking $1200 worth of camera equipment in the drink Fantastic shots and great report!! If you need someone to lug equipment one day, shoot me PM. I use to take a $40, 000 video camera and stick it in the water, doesn't feel as bad when it's not yours. Never had a problem though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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