The right presentation brings a savage strike and a clear demonstration of why rivers provide the definitive brook trout experience. Their propensity to strike means river brookies can be quickly fished down. Some of the best remaining waters are remote, difficult to access, or tough to fish. The prospect of trudging over long portages, wading shallow gravel runs, and running or lining rapids limits the number of people paddling top trout rivers. In the case of brook trout, however, the calibre of fishing is often equivalent to the resources used in finding and fishing them.
Rivers vary, but spring is often the best time for a brookie excursion.
After the seasonal freshet subsides and the murky debris-filled waters clear, river brook trout go on the hunt. Travelling by canoe on many flows is only possible with spring's high water, but in systems with a consistent cold, clean flow, trout continue to hit throughout summer. However, some rivers dry up significantly, and low water and rising temperatures see summer brookies dispersed and hunkered down in deep pools or holed up in lakes or ponds within the system. If there are brook trout in a river, they're usually easy to find. Water cradled through the rugged topography of brook trout country creates some obvious strongholds.