Blackdiamond1983 said:
Ok I know I am asking a lot but what would be the ideal gear set up for browns. Rod, reel, line kinda stuff. Possibly lures and bait? Lastly method. Keep in mind I am a bank fisherman for the most part. Thanks.
For average fish - the same gear you'd use for rainbows. For above average fish - the same gear you'd use for big rainbows or bass. Where are you going to be fishing mostly - Wickiup? Harriet? The Deschutes? Where you plan on fishing has a big effect on the method, and thus the gear you'd be best with. Generally speaking though...
Brown trout are known for their love of meat when they start getting bigger - they like baitfish imitations, like crank baits and jigs, or streamer type flies. A 6 to 8' medium action rod for 6-12lb line and 8lb mono should be fine for this, throwing crankbaits upto 3 inches long or so. This rod would also work well as a bait fishing rod, and you can throw in line spinners (blue fox, rooster tail, etc) with it too. I'd probably opt for a baitcasting reel/rod combo for this vs spinning reel if you're going to stick with lures 3/8 oz and larger. If you're tossing stuff that's mostly 1/4 oz or lighter - go with spinning tackle and 4 or 6lb line. Or get both types of setup and carry both with you.
They also like leeches and crawfish and other sources of protien. Since real leeches are illegal to use in oregon - gotta go with fakes. Soft plastics, flies, and jigs will be needed here. Crawfish can be fished with (dead, not alive), or you can use crawfish imitation flies and jigs, or crank baits.
How experienced of a fisherman are you, and if inexperienced, how much effort are you willing to put in learning your new gear? If you're new to fishing, or new to baitcasting reels, you're going to want to spend a lot of time practicing off the water, battling the spool over-runs (aka birds nests) when you don't have to worry about loosing fish, loosing lures, or loosing your mind. Spinning outfits are much easier to learn on, and have fewer birds nests.
The other solution would to become a fly flinger. You can throw everything from itty bitty midge imitations to meaty looking minnow patterns on one rod (something like a 10 foot long 5 or 6 weight fly rod would be good for a bank bound angler wanting the power to fish some bigger flies and still throw the small stuff that even big fish will key onto occasionally.)
