MY
STERIE
S
By Chris Zimmerman
“Bear” and guide Matt Brejcha just below Croton Dam.
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THE CANADIAN LAKER
Target Brown Trout with Local Fishing Guide
I
t is often said that every fisherman goes through three stages during his or her time on the water. The first phase is to catch as many fish as they can. The second is the biggest, followed by the smartest. Very seldom are the biggest and the smartest fish available at the same time...that is of course, until targeting brown trout after dark. Brown trout are notorious for feeding during the overnight hours. In the blazing Michigan summer sun, they sulk in the river’s deeper pools, particularly those pools that are protected by a fallen tree. Two or three trees are even better because it offers overhead protection and shade from the sun. While kayakers and canoers, jet boats and sun worshipers do their thing during the day, the biggest, smartest brown trout hide until the sun sets. What draws the big browns out of hiding? Food, of course. In mid-June until the first part of July, Michigan’s largest mayflies (commonly called “hex” flies or “fish flies”) hatch on some of our local rivers. After nightfall, the big mayflies emerge from mucky portions
Mouse flies are remarkably life-like and surprisingly easy to cast.
of the river, offering brown trout a nighttime snack of epic proportions. Most hex flies are over an inch long, not including the tail. They’re packed with protein and it doesn’t take much energy to slurp them off the water’s surface. That’s where it gets interesting for fly fishermen. Casting a big, hairy fly to a giant fish in pitch black conditions is a challenge like no other. Imagine closing your eyes and casting a fly to the steady sound of a gulping monster. It’s all finesse and touch. When a big brown takes the fly, it turns into a brawl that makes the highlight reel of every fisherman’s dreams. I’ve nailed some beautiful big brown trout in those instances, including earlier this summer. With the big flies gone, no longer hatching, the biggest, smartest brown trout still like to cruise for food after dark. It’s no mystery what big brown trout like to eat: crawfish, minnows, small birds and mice. When local fishing guide Matt Brejcha said he would take me “mousing” for browns after dark, I jumped at the chance. Brejcha lives in Stanwood and takes clients fishing on several west Michigan rivers, including the Pere Marquette, Muskegon, and Manistee. The Muskegon is one of the state’s largest, longest rivers and boasts impressive runs of salmon and
