Fishing the spawn:
This seems like an appropriate first entry, as we head into fall spawning season for brown trout. We all enjoy catching lots of big fish. Many of us have discovered that the spawning periods (fall for char species like brook trout, and browns / spring for rainbows and cutthroat) provides just the opportunity to do so. This is because fish are either coming out of or going into winter and are trying to fatten up after or before they spawn. You may notice changes in the coloration of the fish. They become brighter or darker due to physiological changes associated with reproduction. Some decide not to fish the spawning periods entirely, for their own ethical reasons. Others love to fish the spawn seasons for all the reasons listed above. This first entry is directed to the latter crown, myself included.
It's important for everyone to learn what a Redd is and what is looks like. A Redd is essentially the spawning bed for male and female trout. This is the spot where trout "clean" off an area of gravel in the stream where the female lays her eggs and the male covers those eggs with his white milt. While fishing in the fall and spring, it's VERY IMPORTANT to watch where you step, and avoid these areas where possible. For some people who are unaware of what a redd is and how important they are to protect, the sight of dozens of fish congregated in a stream clouds their thinking and they can't resist disturbing these fish. While we're not saying that you can't catch these fish, we want everyone to be on the same page about not walking through their spawning beds and educating others on the water when you have a chance. This is our fishery at stake. So, we're going to post some photos of what Redds look like below and a video from another fly shop that helps as well. One thing to remember as well is, if you find yourself in the middle of the stream during spawning season and discover that you're really close to a redd and are trying to avoid it, often times they are surrounded by other redds, and you have to pick your way through them. This happens to me a lot. Please remember that the important part of the Redd, the area of that cleaned off gravel that contains the eggs, is actually the HUMP not the downstream and biggest portion of the cleaned gravel. This is contrary to what you would assume, but if you think about it, it makes sense. So, if you're stuck in a spawning area suddenly, remember that if you absolutely have to, step on the downstream portion of the gravel, and not the raised upstream hump. That's where eggs are!
Here's some photos of Redds. They are almost always found in shallow gravel areas, where the gravel is golf ball sized. If you see moss in the stream, you can assume that section has no Redds and can dance your way across. This is a good trick to learn when crossing streams in the fall and spring - find areas where you see bigger rock bottoms, slightly deeper water, and/or vegetation. These areas are not used by spawning trout. Lastly, remember that individual Redds can be one right behind the other for hundreds of yards, if the stream conditions allow. So, it may be harder to tell the difference between cleaned gravel and surrounding non-spawning gravel, since all you see is clean gravel. Do a good check upstream and down before crossing.
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HERE for a great article on fishing the spawn from Fly Fisherman Magazine.
All of the images of various Redds in the slideshow below came from a quick google search of "brown trout redd" and are not ours.
