Bite Compass

Brown Trout

Freshwater
Salmo trutta

Introduced freshwater salmonid, the older of WA's two trout species and less actively stocked these days than rainbow. Holdover populations persist in the Pemberton/Donnelly streams, Wellington Dam and some upper south-west tributaries, where wild-spawning fish quietly maintain themselves. Harder to catch than rainbows, generally larger when caught.

Overview

Brown trout were stocked into WA south-west streams from the early 1900s and built small self-sustaining populations in the Donnelly, Warren and Lefroy Brook systems before the rainbow programme took over the heavy stocking work. DPIRD still releases some browns each year, but the focus has shifted to rainbow, and most browns now caught in WA are wild-spawned holdover fish. They run larger on average than rainbows, hold tighter to cover, and feed more selectively. The Pemberton/Donnelly catchments remain the heartland; Wellington Dam and a handful of upper tributaries hold the rest. Same licence framework as rainbow.

How to Catch
Best baits

Scrubworms, mudeyes under a float, small yabbies, garden worms

Lures

Small hardbodies (Rapala CD-3, suspending minnows), 2–3" soft plastics on light jigheads, small spinners, wet and dry flies

Rigs

Light spin gear — 4–6lb mono or 8lb braid, 6lb fluorocarbon leader. Fly anglers run 4–5 weight outfits with floating lines on the streams. Browns are leader-shy; lighter and longer leaders outperform heavy ones in clear water.

Technique

On the streams, work upstream with small hardbodies, plastics or flies, casting tight to cover — undercut banks, log jams, deep pools below riffles. Browns hold in shaded ambush water and feed selectively, so presentation matters more than for stocked rainbows. Dawn and dusk are when bigger browns commit. On the dams, slow-troll suspending hardbodies along the points and inflows, especially through winter.

Best time

April through October is the productive window, with autumn (April–June) and the back end of winter into early spring (August–October) producing the better fish. Browns spawn in winter, and protected spawning waters may be closed during the season — confirm current dates. First and last light, and overcast days, are the standouts.

Size

Up to 5kg, commonly 400–800g

Peak season

Apr–Oct (cooler months)

Eating quality

Good on the table — flesh ranges from pale to pink depending on diet, mild flavour, holds together well smoked, baked or pan-fried. Bleed and ice on capture. Larger browns from clean stream water are particularly good.

Regulations (WA)

Bag limit: 2 trout (combined rainbow and brown — verify against current DPIRD rules). Minimum size: 30cm. South-West Freshwater Angling Licence required. Closed seasons may apply on certain spawning streams — confirm current dates. Always check current DPIRD rules — regulations may change.

Perth Tips

The Donnelly River downstream of One Tree Bridge, the Warren near Pemberton, and Lefroy Brook are the classic brown trout streams — fish them on foot, walk a long way between casts, and dress like you intend to be unseen. Browns are notoriously leader-shy; drop down a tippet size and fish smaller lures than you'd use for rainbows.

Where to Catch Brown Trout
Pemberton / Donnelly River Wellington Dam (Collie)
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