Browns Under Bridges

I have recently found a small bridge over an equally small creek with a deeper pool with very large rocks in and around it along the bank. I know there are some big trout holding under these rocks, as they occasionally make appearances for 5 to 10 seconds before heding back under a rock. i have tried drifting red worms by them until i was blue in the face, without a any luck. does anyone have any ideas on how to get one of these to bite? thanks in advance

Feed them meat. A slightly squashed minnow or a fresh fillet of chub on a #4 or #2 aberdeen hook laid on the bottom in front of the hole will get bit.

Fish at night for browns with bigger raps.

Small rapalas drifted under bridges or culverts has produced many fish. Keep the line tight on the lure. That way the lure has action even if it is drifting with the current downstream. The smart trout only takes a lure if it drifts by his hole the same way the other natural food drifts by. Those rocks can create little eddies that may cause your lure to have a unnatural drift to it. Watch the water and change your angle of presentation so your bait drifts by naturally. Be aware that culverts and bridges are full of snags. Those rapalas really hang up on those snags. Bright days and hungry birds make culverts attractive to trout. I have seen big trout hide behind a big rock, just waiting for something nice to drift their way. They grab the bait and swim to a deep hole. Trouter

Glad to hear it was helpful! good luck and tight lines!

i took your advice and used a plastic minnow with a spinner on it, and just vertical jigged it out of sight. worked like a charm, and pulled in a real nice one within 10 minutes. yur advice was spot on, thanks a ton!!

Try a small ultralight crankbait: something you would use for crappies, or a small rapala minnow maybe. silver is a good color choice. Or better yet, trap or dip net some minnows from the same creek and fish them live. Big browns often eat minnows as a primary food source, and will bite on them in preference to worms or other lures. Also, try fishing at dusk, or just after dark if possible. Older bigger browns are often at their most active at these times, especially in warm weather. Good luck and let us know what works!