The best locations to catch brook trout are where you find consistently cold, clean waters. In the Mid-Atlantic region where I live, much of the coldest water is found in areas that are relatively high in elevation for the East—somewhere around the 2,700-foot mark and up. Brook trout are also closely aligned with healthy, forested, riparian areas, meaning streams surrounded by mature forests.
In West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland, there are abundant public lands, like the Monongahela and George Washington and Jefferson national forests, that host these types of environs. However, you can find outliers as well, especially in karst geology. Geology plays an important role in the health and productivity of streams, and limestone can result in amazing spring-fed systems teaming with life. This geology can make or break your…
You're reading a preview of
Game & Fish East (Digital) - 1 Issue, May 2024