brook trout

there's a small trout stream I go to. never saw this before, about 25 trout, all sizes, are in a 4 foot circle. I can run a worm or crawler right on their back or in front of their nose, they won't bite. I tried spinners same result. the weather got a lot colder , but other than that I never saw this before. ever happen to anybody else??

Is possible they're on to your presence? Especially if they're used to pressure they might shut down but not flee. In my experience brookies will usually hit a worm no matter how cold the water is, flies and spinners not as much.

I sneak up to creek, cast from afar away as possible, tried at daybreak, and just before dark, even make sure my shadow doesn't hit creek, been fishing this spot for 33 years. never happened before

My friend and I stumbled upon the same thing....a 4 foot pool ...boiling with trout. After a few beers....we netted our limit in 2 scoops..7 fish each at the time. Then proudly waited for our buddies to come back from down stream ,with no fish for their efforts. We handed them the net...told them where the fish were....and they came back with their limits....lol. It is by far our best fish story 35 years later !

can I get those red eggs at wallmart or fleet ?

Pautski Green label premium salmon eggs yes at Wally World

I know it is the wrong time of year but try a fly or a grasshopper.

Nessy, is that legal? LOL

You can try dole bait call power bait. I seen for when the state stock the trout that they will mainly go after the dole bait since they are use to being feed ,Walmart dose sell it , put out by Berkley. You put it on a triple hook with a split shot. For me I do not like to fish that way and start to cost for what the cost of the bait. I use spinner lures away from the creek they stock mainly. They also will go after some colors better then others. Like when I went out Thursday I caught 2 good size rainbows and had a brook jump out of the water after a fly and for what I use they did not want to hit it , But the rainbows did and a small mouth bass did also that was under size. Other times I use a different color and is able to catch Rainbows and Brooks and Browns.

I'm not questioning your ability to identify fish, but those would likely be spawning suckers this time of year, in the streams around me.

-NC

I seen that one time in spring ,an it was when the weather took a turn for the cold , don't no if that had any thing to do with it , but they would not bite anything ,

Chum them with a handful of worms first.

Ive never seen that.

My thoughts as well. Suckers are bunched up right now here.

Go upstream of the fish a ways and make the water muddy. Make it full the pool with muddy water
Now they will take a worm, used it many times to make trout go in the feed

While doing what wet dog said look under stones for what kind and size the stone flies and other insects are there.
What minnows are natural there?

Net them and see what they are.. release and try all thats listed above.