Somewhere On The East Coast - With Eric Braker

Words and Images by Ambassador Eric Braker

You can feel it in the air and see it in the trees. After a long and humid summer in the East, Autumn is here, and I could not be more excited. Among many other traditions, for me, Fall means weekend trips into the mountains to chase some of my favorite little fish.

Eric uses a Standard Black River Quiver 2-Banger on his East Coast adventures

Brook trout are what we call an “indicator species.” Which means that they are fragile and require a pristine environment to live and thrive.

Salvelinus fontinalis - or more commonly known as a brook trout - is native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada

This makes them an important fish for us to study in science and conservation, and on a selfish level, assures that you’re in some of the most magnificent environments when targeting them on the fly.

Eric Braker in the wild

Some may be confused by the allure of chasing a 5-inch fish, but after crawling through some rhododendron and making a bow and arrow cast towards a clear-water creek, it never gets old watching your dry get smoked as it drifts back towards you.