Trout

Side-Drifting for Winter Steelhead

Bass Pro Shops 1Source — Sat, 30 May 2020 15:32:15 +0000

Side-Drifting for Winter Steelhead

Bass Pro Shops… Sat, 05/30/2020 - 10:32

Category

By Scott Haugen, Cabela’s Ambassador

Side-drifting is arguably the most effective technique when it comes to fishing for winter steelhead in rivers and it is one of the best ways to cover large amounts of water from a boat.

The natural rate of presentation entices fish to bite a high percentage of the time when compared to other techniques.

Gearing up For Side-Drifting Starts With the Proper Fishing Rod

My fishing rod of choice is a super-high modulus graphite rod that is a 9-feet, 2-inches long and rated for 6- to 10-pound-test line, and lures weighing one-quarter to one-half ounce, with a moderate action and medium-light weight.

Pair the rod with appropriate line and leader to meet the fishing conditions, then focus on the terminal gear.

I’ve fished a wide array of side-drifting presentations over the years, from double-hook bait setups topped with a drift-bobber to bare eggs on a small single hook. Single eggs work well, and beads, Lil’ Corkies and rubber egg clusters, along with yarn balls and rags, all are good side-drifting baits.

My favorite presentation in clear water conditions is a size 1 octopus-style hook with no more than four or five cured eggs, in a cluster, placed in the egg loop. Run a short, two-to-three-inch dropper and attach a weight that is light enough to occasionally tick the bottom during the drift.

Avoid too much weight, which results in dragging, not allowing the bait to be channeled by natural currents into food funnels. In very low conditions, a larger bait with no weight can even be effective.

Thread on a bait-floater, barely exposing the tip of the hook to keep the hook’s point aimed upward, decreasing the chance of it hanging up during a drift.

Have multiple rods rigged and ready to go, along with pre-cut baits and pre-tied leaders, in case the terminal gear is lost while drifting through a section of prime water. Lots of times rivers are flowing too quickly to row back upstream to fish, and you don’t want to miss that prime holding water.

All anglers in the boat should simultaneously cast slightly upstream of the boat, parallel to one another.

The oarsman or motor operator takes over from there, positioning and timing the rate at which the boat moves downstream to that of the lines on the surface and terminal gear.

Bites when side-drifting are often slow to develop, so avoid the tendency to immediately jerk every time you see or feel something, so you don’t yank the terminal gear out of the strike zone.

After you try side-drifting, you’ll see why it’s ranked as one of the most effective ways to catch winter steelhead.

Region

United States

Tags

Stealhead Trout

Trout Fishing

Catching Speckled Trout the Gators of the Gulf

David A. Brown — Fri, 08 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Catching Speckled Trout the Gators of the Gulf

David A. Brown Fri, 05/08/2020 - 06:00

Category

Trout

Folks throughout the Gulf states are well familiar with gators of the reptilian kind, but mentioning “gators” to coastal anglers fosters pleasant thoughts of hefty speckled trout also called sea trout. The basic design and paint job remains consistent with the smaller, barely legal trout, but big gator trout take on a cunning and ferocious nature meriting the allusion.

Despite relatively soft bodies, big trout are ferocious
predators. photo by D. Brown

Indeed, trout reaching two feet or better typically solitary or small pack lifestyles, as opposed to the schooling nature of younger fish. Despite the softer body composition, this is one of the Gulf’s most aggressive predators. Equally accessible by boat, kayak or wading, big trout are cagey creatures, but they will fall for the right presentations.

Matching wits with these giants of freckled flanks may reward you with an Instagram-worthy moment, but consider that these fish have reached impressive proportions by being smart and using every natural factor in their favor. Whether or not you’re savvy enough to “outsmart” a big, wily trout is up to you, but the path to success is paved with diligent attention to those factors.

What is the Seasonality of Speckled Trout?

Big trout like to lay in deeper spots, so look
for depth variances on broad flats.
photo by D. Brown

Late-winter through spring sees larger concentrations of giant Gulf trout moving into coastal shallows for spawning, while the northern Gulf’s aggregations come a little later. In all regions, look for increased opportunity with large numbers of big trout feeding aggressively. Just remember that the largest trout are usually females, so carefully release them to ensure survival and successful spawns.

Along with the calendar reference, we find three key variables that play significant roles in determining where you may encounter giant trout. These truths apply to all, but like humans, the larger, older fish tend to be particularly sensitive — perhaps stubbornly set in their ways.

Salinity: While snook, tarpon, jacks and flounder can tolerate low to zero salinity, trout of all sizes generally prefer saltier water. That means winter-spring rains will lower salinity levels around rivers and outflows. Louisiana anglers see major impacts when the Mississippi River rises, as the increased freshwater influx pushes trout out deeper.

Soft body suspending baits are deadly for big
trout. photo by D. Brown

Clarity: High rivers also influence turbidity and trout simply will not tolerate muddy water. A hungry predator may briefly enter stained areas to feed, but the higher the clarity, the happier the trout.

Worth Noting: Because saltwater is heavier than fresh, you’ll often find a layer of cleaner Gulf brine beneath the upper layer of river water. When depth allows enough space for a significant lower layer, don’t hesitate to fish through the less desirable water to reach the big trout that may be lurking below.

Temperature: The cooler to moderate temperatures of the year’s first two quarters offers comfortable conditions for big trout, but summer’s swelter will drive them out of the shallows. That being said, it’s not uncommon to find beastly trout hunting whisper-thin depths right at daybreak. Finger mullet and other forage fish running the edges of barrier islands, break walls and other hard lines are prime targets for big speckled trout, so stay sharp and approach shallow feeding zones with supreme stealth.

Big Trout go With the Flow

Artificial shrimp are one of the most
effective lures for trout. photo by D. Brown

Coastal predators generally feed best when the water’s moving, but big trout get big by employing an energy conservation strategy — they like the path of least resistance. So, while all those little trout are keen to zip in and out of a racing current, your big gator trout are going to do most of their work during the first and last hour of a tide cycle, when they don’t have to fight the full force of the water.

Pay attention, however, to bait balls — tight groups of sardines, threadfin herring, or glass minnows — gathered by a swift tide. Such concentrations of food may tempt big trout, so it’s usually worth exploring a flock of terns or gulls hovering and screeching over the surface — a clear sign that predators are pushing the baitfish topside.

Popping cork rigs will attract attention to
your trout lures. photo by D. Brown

Also, consider that low tides allow shallow rocks and oyster bars to absorb the sun’s heat and then radiate that warmth like a heating blanket with the incoming cycle covers the area. You may pick up the occasional big trout during low tide, but increased depth plus a cozy heating source equals maximum attraction.

Finding the Sea Trout Habitat

Drifting vast sea grass flats or barrier island surf zones will often turn up plenty of keeper trout, but when you run into a legitimate gator, it’s almost always because you came across a key feature that suits their ambush feeding strategy. That could be an isolated rock pile, a submerged oyster reef or simply a deeper area on a broad flat.

Bass Pro Shops XTS Lures Pencil Plug

The latter scenario is often the key ingredient, as big trout love to lay in small troughs, potholes and cuts where they can wait for meals to pass overhead. Finding these subtle sweet spots can feel like the proverbial needle-in-a-haystack search, so pick a line, fish across the flat, move over a cast length, fish across the area again and repeat until you pick up a few big bites. From there, you can usually find big trout in similar depths throughout the flat.

Knowing the Gator Trout Strategy & What They Like

MirrOlure MirrOdine 37MR XXL
Suspending Twitchbait

Minimum output for maximum input — knowing this gator trout strategy helps anglers wisely select their offerings. Hanging jumbo shrimp, sardines, pinfish, pigfish, or croakers beneath a float keeps these big meals visible and vulnerable; but use circle or kahle hooks, like the Trokar Saltwater Circle Inline or Saltwater Kahle hook, which prevent gut hooking and facilitate safe release.

D.O.A. Shrimp Lures

On the artificial side, big trout will absolutely blast topwater walking baits like the Bass Pro Shops XTS Lures Pencil Plug, Heddon Saltwater Super Spook or Rapala Skitterwalk. The big-bait-big-fish mantra is definitely true, but if the fish are playing hard to get, downsizing to a Heddon Super Spook Jr. or a MirrOlure MirrOMullet often does the trick. Whatever your choice, avoid startling shallow gators by feathering your cast for a softer entry, or bombing the bait well past your target zone and working it into range.

Paul Brown Soft-Dine Suspending Twitchbait

Another proven trout getter, slow sinking twitchbaits like MirrOlure’s MirrOdine, the LIVETARGET Scaled Sardine, or Paul Brown’s Soft-Dine suspending twitchbait work well over deep grass, potholes and troughs. You’ll also tempt your targets with synthetic shrimp like the original D.O.A. Shrimp lure, Egret Vudu Shrimp or Savage Gear TPE 3D Manic shrimp. Free lining on jig heads or weighted wide gap hooks works, but for maximum attention, work a shrimp lure under a popping cork — rig your own or use the prerigged Offshore Angler Knockout Combo.

Release trout carefully to ensure survival.
photo by D. Brown

Trout that reach “gator” proportions strike hard and fight with an impressive ferocity exceeding their relatively soft form. Enjoy the moment, but be aware of local regulations on size/bag limits and carefully release the ones you’re not keeping.

Tip: Note Florida’s current closure here

Region

United States

Tags

Trout Fishing

Spotted Seatrout

A Place to Enjoy Trout Fishing is Montauk State Park

Heath Wood — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 06:00:00 +0000

A Place to Enjoy Trout Fishing is Montauk State Park

Heath Wood Fri, 02/14/2020 - 00:00

Category

Trout

Like clockwork on the 1st of March each year, hundreds of anglers gather along banks overlooking streams, ready to kick off the start of Missouri’s trout season. One of the most popular destinations in Missouri, the show me state is Montauk State Park. Montauk State Park is 15 miles southwest of Salem, Missouri.

On the first day of trout season, the crowds tend to be heavy enough that anglers are standing elbow to elbow surrounded by one another in hopes of catching a trophy trout. Throughout the years, I have come to enjoy this beautiful fishery so much; it’s one of my top go-to fishing destinations. It is a great place to take one’s family and friends to bask in the great outdoors, as well as a place to enjoy trout fishing for newcomers and experienced fishers alike.

Tip: More information on Missouri State Parks here

Where is Montauk State Park?

Montauk State Park, photo Missouri State Parks

Montauk is a state park that hosts nearly 3,000 acres and located at the head of the Current River. The park is known to many locals as an exceptional river for fishing. This Missouri state park contains a fish hatchery and recognized for its rainbow and brown trout angling opportunities. The Montauk Park springs combine with tiny Pigeon Creek to supply more than 40 million gallons of water to the river daily. Within the park area, there are several picnic areas, lodging from cabins and a motel, as well as a beautiful dining lodge that serves home-cooked style breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Montauk State Park is near the town of Salem, Missouri.

To get directions specifically from your starting point, visit www.mostateparks.com.

When Can You Fish at Montauk State Park?

Lew's American Hero Speed Spin
Spinning Rod and Reel Combo

Trout season is from March 1st and runs through October 31st. All that is required to fish for rainbow or brown trout at Montauk are three things; a Missouri fishing license, a trout tag/stamp ($2 - $3 depending upon your age), and a daily park fishing permit ($3.50 - $7 also depending upon your age). Here’s a link to the Missouri Department of Conservation for more information. There are three different areas for trout fishing. These areas include a “catch and release only” zone. In that zone, all trout must be returned immediately after catching to the water unharmed.

Another area located inside of the park is a fly fishing only area. Here the fishing fly lures shall be constructed on a single point hook of feathers, tinsel, chenille, yarn, fur, silk, rayon, nylon thread, or floss, with or without a spinner. In the “fly fishing” area, your daily limit of trout is four fish. That same limit of four fish carries over to the other fishing locations in the park. In this location, you can use fishing lures, natural bait as well as the using flies. Each day, the park will announce the beginning of legal fishing hours with the sound of a horn.

Fishing for Trout at Montauk State Park

Berkley Trilene XL Smooth Casting
Line Filler Spool

Whether one prefers fly fishing or fishing with artificial bait, there is a designated area that is suitable for one’s favorite style of fishing. On a recent trip to Montauk, my wife and I enjoyed the use of a spinning reel and rod while using artificial bait to catch rainbow trout. My personal choice was a Lew’s American Hero Spinning Rod and Reel fishing combo, with Berkley Trilene 4lb fishing line in a low-vis green color, with multiple types of dough style baits such as Berkley Trout Power Bait Glitter Chroma Glow Dough.

Berkley PowerBait Glitter Chroma
Glow Dough

The spinning reel is excellent for making a shorter cast and has plenty of strength to reel the trout in quickly once hooked. I prefer using 4lb, low-vis green Berkley fishing line because it is invisible in the water. I have used heavier line and have scene trout swimming close to my bait, only to swim away because they could see the line in the clear spring water. As for bait, I prefer using colors such as orange, green, and rainbow in the Berkley Trout Power Bait.

Eagle Claw 374T Bronze 2X Treble Hook

I use these types of baits on a size 18 treble fish hook like the Eagle Claw 374T Bronze 2X Treble hook with a small sinker approximately 6 to 8

inches up from the hook. This type of hook is small enough for a trout to bite even though they have smaller mouths. The treble style hook can hold a pea-size amount of bait long enough for the trout to smell, see and bite. Once the bait is in place, make a simple 10 to 15-foot cast, after the cast, let the bait sit in place until the trout find it. If you don’t get a bite in 2-3 minutes, reel in and cast again.

Preparing Trout to Eat

When you catch the daily limit of trout, the trout can either be taken home with the angler or taken to a designated fish cleaning station in the Montauk State Park. My favorite method of preparing trout includes that of peeling the outer skin off the fish. Followed by fileting each side, which removes the meat from any small bones. Next, I cut the fish into long narrow pieces, and score the filet every ¼ inch.

Uncle Buck's Light ‘n Krispy Fish Batter
Mix

The scoring makes crispier fish and will cook up any tiny bones that are hard to see. After rinsing with water, I put the trout into my Bass Pro Shops Uncle Buck's Batter Box, that is ½ full of cornmeal and is mixed with salt and pepper or with a pre-mixed fish batter, such as Uncle Bucks light and crispy fish batter mix. I deep fry the battered fish in vegetable oil until the mixture is golden brown. My favorite way to serve trout is alongside sliced potatoes that have been cooked in the same oil and with a serving of fresh homemade slaw.

For more information about trout fishing at Missouri’s Montauk State Park, visit www.mostateparks.com.

Region

United States

Tags

Fishing Spinners for Trout

Bass Pro Shops 1Source — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 15:25:42 +0000

Fishing Spinners for Trout

Bass Pro Shops… Sun, 08/11/2019 - 10:25

Category

Trout

The Simple In-Line Spinner is a Great Lure for Catching Trout

By Scott Haugen, Cabela's Ambassador

When it comes to catching rainbow trout from a river or lake, one of the best approaches is a lure. Fishing lures and spinners work great, year round, but the key is knowing how to fish them.

P-Line CXX X-tra Strong
Copolymer

As for rigging spinners, simply tie them to a 4 or 6 pound mainline; I like P-Line CXX-Xtra Strong line due to the true line diameter, its strength and low visibility. For most lures and some spinners, a small snap swivel will be needed to prevent the line from twisting.

A favorite trout spinning rod of mine is a two-piece, 6-foot, 6-inch G.Loomis GL2 Trout & Panfish Spinning Rod with a 4- to 8-pound-test fishing line rating and handling 1/16- to 5/16-ounce lures. Pair this with a Shimano Symetre reel for ease of casting and reeling.

Be Mobile When Casting Spinners in a Lake or Pond

The last thing you want to do is stay in one place, casting repeatedly to the same spot. Don’t expect fish to find you, rather you go on the search for them. Make each cast land in a different spot, and vary the speed of your retrieve.

If the amount of bank you can cover on a lake is limited by brush, steep cuts or other obstacles, then work all the water you can with one presentation, then switch to another and cover the same water, again. Vary the color, size and action of the lures and spinners being used. Oftentimes, all it takes to get a finicky trout to bite is giving it a different spinner to look at.

When Fishing Rivers With Spinners

Let the speed of the river current dictate how you fish.

In the upper sections of a riffle, the water is shallow and fast flowing, so work current edges. As you reach the middle of the riffle, the water gets deeper and more riffles and boils are encountered, so you might need to go with a heavier spinner and work every inch of water, including the middle of the river. Keep the rod tip a couple inches above the water so the spinner stays deep, where the fish are.

Worden's Rooster Tail Trout Pak II

As you reach the end of the rifle, the water gets deeper and slower moving, and this is where many trout congregate. Work the edges, behind any boulders and along rock ledges. This is a good place to jig spinners and lures, as the falling action will often elicit a strike.

At the very end of the riffle you get to what’s called a tail-out. This is where the water shallows and starts moving faster as it spills into the head of the next riffle. Tail-outs are usually clear, so be careful not to spook trout as you fish.

Using the Best Spinner Bait for Trout

Some of the best all-around trout spinners include a Rooster Tail like Worden's Lures Rooster Tail Trout Pak, the Thomas Buoyant, Mepps Spinner and Dardevle lures. Of course, there are others, and a bit of research into what historically seems to catch trout in the waters you’ll be fishing, can save a lot of time. Get a selection of spinners and lures, including different colors and sizes, and be willing to try them all.

It doesn’t take much gear to be a successful trout angler, and nowhere is this truer than when it comes to fishing spinners.

Pay attention to the water, make each cast count, and you’ll soon be on your way to putting more trout on the dinner table.

Region

International

Tags

Trout Fishing

Fishing Gear

Use 3-Way Rigs on One of the Strangest Fighting Freshwater Fish, Lake Trout (video)

Wes David — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 13:22:46 +0000

Use 3-Way Rigs on One of the Strangest Fighting Freshwater Fish, Lake Trout (video)

Wes David Wed, 10/31/2018 - 08:22

Category

Trout

Lake trout are considered by many anglers to be one of the strangest fighting freshwater fish species throughout North America. If you’ve had the good fortune of setting your hook into a large lake trout than you have a good understanding of what avid lake trout anglers are talking about. Lake trout will test an angler’s patience, stamina, gear, and fishing ability, during any given hookup. In large waterbodies, a lake trout’s size will range from fingerling, all the way up to the current IGFA (International Game Fish Association) world record of 72-pounds caught in August 1995, in Great Bear Lake, in the Northwest Territories, Canada. I’ve had the good fortune of fishing several lakes in the Northwest Territories, and I personally believe the next world record lake trout will come out of Nonacho Lake, Northwest Territories.

Where to Find and Fish Lake Trout?

Lake trout are a native fish species to the northern portion of North America, most common in the northeastern United States, Canada, Alaska, and have successfully been introduced into a wide variety of non-native waterbodies throughout North America for conservation efforts and to increase angling opportunities. Lake trout inhabit large, deep, and cold oxygen-rich waterbodies and will not only live but thrive at depths ranging from 50 to over 200 feet of water. Many avid lake trout anglers target deep lake trout using down-riggers which allows the angler to keep their bait on the bottom or at a desired depth as they troll their presentation looking for active feeding fish. Like any fish species, to consistently trigger bites from lake trout, your bait needs to be in the strike zone. However, how do you consistently do that if you don’t have down-riggers?

Tip: Click to watch Wes David's video fishing big lake trout using a 3-Way Rig

What is a Three-Way Rig and How do You Fish It?

Often referred to as a poor man's down rigging, a three-way rig is simply a three-way swivel acting as an intersection. The mainline from your rod and reel is the first connection at the (top) of the three-way swivel. On the second position of the swivel (middle) is the line that is tied to your bait and runs horizontal (when trolled) to your mainline. The third line ties to the (bottom) portion of the three-way and runs vertical to the mainline and secures a large ball-weight that will get your bait down to the desired depth. However, the real key to the three-way system is a good quality line counter reel. Your sonar and line counter reel are your eyes to accurately fishing the depth the fish are holding at. For example, if I’m fishing in 100-feet of water and the fish are holding at 80-feet, I will let out enough line, taking in account speed, line, and lure drag, to run my presentation at 78 to 82-feet of water so I’m consistently trolling my lure in the strike zone. Each time you get a hit take note of the depth and speed your presentation was running and repeat both speed and depth.

You want the fish to exert the least amount of effort to take your offering. I believe with any fish species if they don’t have to work hard for a meal they will feed even if they’re in a negative feeding pattern. The three-way works similar to a downrigger, however, it’s more hands-on. Anglers can easily adjust the depth of their lure by reeling in or releasing line using their line counter reel. This method can be just as effective as downriggers when fished correctly.

How to Troll for Lake Trout Using a 3-Way Rig

The 3-Way Rig Setup:

Fishing Rod: Bass Pro Shops Power Plus Trophy Class Casting Rod, 7’ 6” Medium Heavy action.

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Line Counter Reel

Fishing Reel:Abu Garcia Ambassadeur line counter 5500LC or 6500LC reel with a 5.3:1 gear ratio.

Fishing Line: Bass Pro Shops Hyper Braid 30lb or 40lb line and spool on 300 yards or better.

Triangle Style Three-Way Swivel: Bass Pro Shops Three-Way Brass Swivel size# 1/0.

Bait line: 30lb monofilament 3-feet in length with a Bass Pro Shops Barrel Swivel with interlock size# 1/0 tied to both ends of the line for easy bait changeout.

Ball-weight Fishing Line: 12-inches 30 lb monofilament line like Bass Pro Shops Excel Monoflament Line.

Wes David with lake trout his catch of the day.

Bullet Fishing Weights: 8 to 10 oz.

My favorite fishing bait is a #4 Len Thompson lure spoon in the red and white or 5 of Diamonds color pattern at Cabela's.

Trolling Methods

Three-way trolling methods will work on suspended lake trout that are holding at deeper depths within the water column or lake trout resting right on the bottom. Trolling a three-way rig system is an inexpensive way to cover deep water and get your bait in front of active feeding lake trout.

Three Way Rigging Lake Trout bu Fishing the Wild West TV

Region

Northeast

Tags

Fish the Finest Brook Trout Streams at Shenandoah Park

Gerald Almy — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 20:52:27 +0000

Fish the Finest Brook Trout Streams at Shenandoah Park

Gerald Almy Mon, 08/27/2018 - 15:52

Category

Trout

Since it was created in 1936, Shenandoah National Park has been a prime destination for sportsmen seeking to backpack, camp, photograph, and explore a piece of unblemished mountain wilderness. But the 102-mile long park also offers something special for fishermen: some of the finest wild brook trout streams in the East.

Inside Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, some 40 streams cascade down both the east and west slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, beckoning anglers with their crystalline pools, gurgling rapids and native brookies. While much of the brook trout’s natural range throughout the East has been depleted through development and poor forestry practices, these streams have been preserved in their pristine state.

Tip: Brook Trout Atlas by Trout Unlimited - click here: These interactive atlases provide a means to explore mapped data related to brook trout populations, habitats, and threats in local watersheds and across their eastern range. Also, click here for the Brook Trout Atlas User Guide

Any hatchery introductions by the Virginia Game Department have been in much lower, valley stretches of the streams. And fortunately, the rainbows stocked have not migrated up and taken over the native brook trout habitat.

Whiteoak Water Falls photo credit: NPS

Anglers who have fished the Park waters for decades say that the sport here has not declined one bit over the years because of protection from development and conservative fishing regulations. While it’s true the size of the fish is not large, their beauty and wariness make them a challenging quarry and a joy to try for.

Tip: Roads reach very few of these waters. But that’s good because it keeps fishing pressure light. Most you must either hike into from dirt or gravel roads in the lowlands, hiking up, or by parking on the Skyline drive and walking a mile or two down steep mountain trails.

The Shenandoah Scenery

Mature trees grow thick on surrounding slopes and the air smells heavy of fir, spruce, hemlock, mountain laurel and pine. The water is cold and clear, splashing loudly over current-polished stones.

Tip: While most of the park’s brook trout run 6-9 inches, sometimes you’ll latch onto a brute in the 10-14 inch class. Those are very old fish and deserve to be gently released to provide a challenge to future anglers. Handle these trout with care!

Special Regulations Protect the Fishery

Only artificial lures with single hooks and flies are allowed on the Park’s streams. Some are designated as catch-and-release while others have strict size and creel limits to protect the fishery.

For Skittish Brook Trout, Use a Cautious, Stealthy Approach

When going after Shenandoah Park’s skittish brook trout, keep in mind how shy and wary these native fish are. Don’t walk loudly or stumble over rocks as you approach the water. Keep a low profile, hunching down where necessary so the fish don’t see you.

Fly Casting Considerations

Keep casts low and sidearm as much as possible. Use the upstream approach in most cases, so you can work in close for a precise cast, yet avoid spooking the wary trout.

Tip: The brush-choked quarters in which they are found can make casting difficult. Often it’s best to stay in mid-stream and cast straight up to the next pool.

Fly Fishing Gear

Fly fishing is the most popular method for catching the park’s trout. The tight quarters with overhanging vegetation make a light action rod of 7-8 feet just right, with a size 3-5 double taper or weight forward floating line. Add a 7 ½-10 foot leader tapering to a 4x-7x tippet and you’re set.

Aquatic Hatches, Terrestrials Form a Large Part of the Trout's Diet

Good hatches on the native brook trout streams include the Quill Gordon, Grey Fox, March Brown, Blue Quill and Little Yellow Stonefly. Various caddis flies also hatch occasionally, and terrestrials are abundant. Those land-based insects form a large part of the mountain trout’s diet. Beetles, ants, crickets, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and caterpillars are continuously tumbling in from shoreline shrubbery.

Tip: More important than imitating exactly what is hatching or abundant along the stream is choosing a fly that looks buggy and tempting, and then presenting it without drag.

Montana Fly Company Elk Hair Caddis Flies

Some top offerings for the park trout include the irresistible, Gray Wulff, Humpy, Adams, Mr. Rapidan, Blue Winged Olive, Elk Hair Caddis like Montana Fly Company Elk Hair Caddis Flies, and terrestrials such as ants, beetles, crickets and grasshoppers. Sizes 12-18 are best.

For nymph fishing, the Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail, and Montana Stone are good choices. Wet patterns, fished with a second offering on a dropper, are also excellent.

Tip: For high water conditions a small streamer such as the Clouser Minnow, Woolly Bugger, or Muddler Minnow can produce. Sizes 2-6 are best.

Dry Flies...the Go-To Option for Brook Trout

Dry flies such as this black ant fly are very effective on the Park's trout

Ninety percent of the time, you’ll want to tie on a dry fly like the Betts Black Ant fly for fishing these wild brook trout waters. It’s just too much fun watching the speedy native trout lurch up and splashily take a dry from the surface to go deep unless absolutely necessary.

Tip: Drop your surface offerings into the crystalline pools and deep pockets behind boulders with just enough slack or curve thrown into the cast so you get a few seconds of drag-free float. That’s usually all the time it takes for a hungry brookie to swirl up and snatch your offering from the surface in a flash of orange and olive brilliance.

Region

United States

Tags

Trout Fishing: When Bug Eaters Turn Bad on the River Systems (video)

Wes David — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:04:50 +0000

Trout Fishing: When Bug Eaters Turn Bad on the River Systems (video)

Wes David Tue, 05/01/2018 - 10:04

Category

Trout

Rainbow trout are one of the most sought-after trout species throughout North America by avid fly fisherman. There is nothing like the anticipation of a rainbow trout taking your well-placed imitation fly on the surface of the water. Especially, if you’ve hand tied that well-placed fly yourself. Yes, rainbow trout love to feed on creepy-crawlies that float on the surface, however, rainbow trout can be very aggressive and consume much more substantial meals and when the bug eater turns bad, my go-to lures are Rapala Shadow-Rap jerkbaits.

Fishing River Trout

North America has hundreds of thousands of miles of amazing river systems and tributaries that rainbow trout and other trout species call home. Depending on the river system they can either be fished from a float tube such as the Fish Cat 4, or the Outcast Fish Cat Panther Pontoon boat, a riverboat or if the river conditions allow your Tracker boat. Many river systems are also ideal for shoreline anglers. However, a few years ago I truly learned the fine art of crankbait fishing rainbow trout on a guided fishing trip with Bow River Blog on the Bow River in Alberta, Canada.

Rapala Shadow Rap Shad Jerkbait

When Fishing Target River Corners and Current Breaks

Regardless of what you’re fishing from, anglers should target inside and outside corners, current breaks, and large rock areas where the current is interrupted. Rainbow trout will often rest in these areas to get a break from the current. However, as rainbow trout rest, they are also on the lookout for potential meals that may be washed past their hidden location by the current. In the river systems, rainbow trout hide and rest in the current breaks but as the current is washing potential meals past their resting areas they’re forced to make a quick decision if they are going to feed. Any hesitation means their potential meal is washed down the river with the current. Regardless of what you’re fishing from, casting Rapala Shadow-Rap Shad Jerkbaits in the 4 3/8" size to the inside and outside corners and any other area or structure that interrupts the current and provides a current break in the river is a great way to trigger bites from resting rainbow trout.

Position in the River Makes a Difference

I like to position myself up-river and cast my lure on the up-river side of the current break that I’m targeting. I cast my lure five or 10 feet short of my target then let the current take my lure past the target area. The Rapala Shadow-Rap Shad Jerkbaits working against the current causes the lure to swim and look like a natural potential meal as the lure moves past the current break at the same speed as the current. The lure and the speed of the lure have now become a natural river presentation that the resident rainbow are accustomed to seeing. If the lure makes it past your target without a strike anglers may get a second opportunity by retrieving their lure against the current and past the current break.

If a resting rainbow missed the lure or was hesitant on the first pass you have just provided the trout with a second opportunity to feed. This presentation has served me well as I believe the Shadow-Rap Shad being retrieved against the current now looks like a tired and stressed minnow fighting the current which makes an easy target for resting rainbows.Taking a page from the fly fishermen's handbook, anglers must be aware of their shadow. Whenever possible when fishing current breaks, be mindful of you or your boat’s shadow that it’s not casted overtop of your targets. Over the years my hookups have greatly depleted when my shadow was protruding overtop of my targets.

Preferences to Rod and Reel Combos

When fishing from my float tube or pontoon boat I prefer the 5’6” Bass Pro Shops XPS Bionic Spinning Rod and Spinning Reel combo in a medium-action. The shorter rod allows easier casting and positioning when working my float tube or pontoon boat in the current. When fishing from a boat I prefer the same rod reel combo but in a 6’ or 6’5” length which allows me to keep my boat further away from my targets and make accurate casts to my targets. And regardless of the brand, I highly recommend a no-stretch fishing line. Anglers are not only fighting the fish, they are also fighting the current and line-stretch in the current can cause an angler a great deal of grief.

This season when bug eaters turn bad, try casting a few Shadow Raps to the current breaks.

Watch Video: How to Use a Crankbait to Catch Trout

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Northeast

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Fishing Cold Weather Trout—Best Flies, Waters & Times to Go

Gerald Almy — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 21:48:36 +0000

Fishing Cold Weather Trout—Best Flies, Waters & Times to Go

Gerald Almy Wed, 02/15/2017 - 15:48

Category

Trout

Few of us would choose winter as a favorite season for trout fishing with its bleak gray landscape and raw air that penetrates cold-weary bones like a knife. But if the alternative is no fishing at all, never mind the weather. We’ll make the plunge, waddling out into the currents bundled up in thick layers of clothes and waders to ward off the chill.

If you’d like to join this diehard group of winter fly anglers, there are three keys to making your cold-weather foray a success. These include 1) choosing the right waters, 2) timing the trip for the best weather patterns, and 3) using the appropriate flies.

How to Set Up Your First Fly Fishing Outfit - LINK

Winter fishing on the Lackawaxen River in PA. Using a wading staff is wise in big waters like these.

Select the Trout Right Waters

Spring creeks and tailwaters are particularly good for winter trout fishing because their temperatures seldom drop as low as freestone streams. Baitfish and insects remain more active. And so do the trout.

Tip: If you don’t have any spring creeks or tailwater rivers nearby and must fish freestone streams, choose shallow ones. Those will warm up more quickly after a few days of sunny, moderate temperatures.

Tip: 5 Simple Steps to Fillet Trout - LINK

Watch the Weather Successful Trout Fishing

This factor can be very important for successful cold-weather trout fishing. If temperatures in your local waters hover in the mid-30’s, the best advice is to stay home. When readings rise above 40, the situation changes and good fishing is possible, but it will be mostly a bottom-scraping affair. As temperatures climb into the mid-40’s to low 50’s, excellent action is on tap.

Tip: As much as the exact temperature, it’s important to pay attention to the direction the mercury is heading. When you get a two or three day warming trend, go on the peak day of the warming cycle. If a cold snap comes, hold off and wait for better conditions.

Tip: There’s no rush to be on the water at the crack of dawn, either. Enjoy an extra cup of coffee and hit the stream in mid-morning. The warming air and sunlight can increase water temperatures two or three degrees during the course of a day. Expect peak trout feeding activity from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m.

The Flies—Nymphs, Streamers & Dries Can All Produce on Winter Fishing Trips

Here’s a look at each group.

Prince Nymph is a great imitation of a stonefly or mayfly nymph.

Fly Nymphs

One of the best ways to enjoy action on winter trout is by scouring the bottom with a nymph like the popular Prince Nymph Fly. Use an 8-10 foot leader tapering to a 3-5X tippet with a strike indicator. Top nymphs for cold water trout include the Golden Stonefly, Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail, Montana Stone, Scud, caddis larva and Cress Bug, sizes 8-18.

Tip: You can use weighted flies, squeeze a tiny split shot or two on 10 inches above the nymph, or buy versions with heavy eyes to take them down deep. Whatever method you choose, keep them close to the bottom. Trout won’t move far to take a fly now.

Tip: Deliver these flies dead-drift through heads and tails of pools during warming trends, in the deep mid-sections during colder spells. If you detect a pause in the strike indicator’s drift or sense a slight tap, set the hook immediately.

White River Fly Shop 20-Piece Streamer Assortment

Fly Streamers

Fish love to nail a chunky minnow or sculpin in winter since it helps fill their bellies quickly without much effort. Use either split shot or a sink-tip line to take the flies deep and a slightly shorter leader than you use for nymphs.

Crawl patterns like the Woolly Bugger flies, Clouser Minnow, Sculpin, Matuka and Zonker across the bottom, inching them along slowly. Cast across and slightly upstream, then let the fly sink as close to the bottom as possible.

Tip: Keep the rod tip low to the water and strip the streamer with sharp 6-12 inch pulls and distinct pauses in between. You want to slowly tease winter fish, making your fly look like a wounded minnow helplessly struggling in the current.

Adams dry flies are a great choice anytime mayflies are hatching as well as when mosquitoes, caddis and duns are coming off the water.

Dry Flies

You probably won’t see much surface feeding activity on the coldest days. But when the sun peeks out and a warming trend sets in, some surprisingly good top-water fishing can occur in winter. Watch in side sloughs warmed by the sun and swirling back eddies as well as the tails of long, slow pools. The fish will likely be feeding on midges, small dark stoneflies, stray caddis, or Blue-Winged Olives (Baetis). These are the staple patterns for winter dry fly aficionados.

Tip: Size of the fly you use in winter is critical. Stock a selection of patterns imitating the insects listed above in these sizes: 20-22 for the midges, 14-18 for the stoneflies, caddis and olives. Good specific choices include the Griffith’s Gnat, Elk Hair Caddis, Adams flies, and Little Black Stonefly, plus Parachute, Sparkle Dun or Thorax Style Olive flies.

Don’t expect the action to match what you’d experience on a spring or early summer outing. But a few trout snatching your fly off the surface of a stream can help immensely in getting through the final cold, gray days of winter.

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International

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Fish Simple: Use the Three Best Flies for Spring Trout

Gerald Almy — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 20:45:37 +0000

Fish Simple: Use the Three Best Flies for Spring Trout

Gerald Almy Fri, 04/22/2016 - 15:45

Category

Trout

If you’re a devoted trout fly fisherman, you’ll probably carry a vest chock full of flies when you hit the streams this spring. But sometimes that just complicates matters and makes choosing the best fly for a given situation confusing.

If you’d like to simplify things or are just getting into fly fishing and want three broadly effective patterns, give this trio of offerings a try. Based on a lifelong devotion to trout fly fishing that has taken me from tiny creeks in Venezuela’s Andes Mountains to the glacier-fed waters of Iceland, these three flies are about as universal as any patterns you can buy.

The selection includes one nymph, one streamer, and one dry fly. These three flies will catch trout in virtually any type of water from spring creeks to freestone streams to tailwaters, anywhere from Georgia to Washington State.

Extra Tip: Tips for Trout Fishing in the Summer Heat

Woolly Bugger: One of the Most popular Streamers for Fishing Trout

Though visions of trout heads poking above the surface to sip in mayflies often sustain us through long winter days, spring isn’t always so kind. Often waters will be high, cold, and sometimes off-color.

Hatches may be delayed or simply not appear in sufficient quantities to draw fish up. When that happens, try a searching pattern. For that role, it’s hard to top the proven Woolly Bugger, which can represent minnows, sculpins, leeches, crayfish, and nymphs.

This fly is basically a Woolly Worm with a long marabou tail added for bulk and fluttering appeal. Sometimes a few strands of flashy tinsel are mixed in with the marabou tail. Top colors are black, olive and brown. Hook sizes 4-10 are all useful, depending on the size of the stream you’re fishing and the trout residing in it, as well as how clear the water is.

On a murky river with big browns, go with 4’s and 6’s. On a small crystalline brookie stream, opt for 8’s or even 10’s.

In shallow waters and riffles an unweighted Bugger can be useful. More often than not, a fly tied with a bit of lead on the shank is preferable. Alternately, you can pinch a small split shot on a foot in front of the fly or use a sinking-tip line. Leaders should be short, with a tippet testing 4-8 pounds.

The top presentation for the Woolly Bugger is generally across and slightly downstream. This draws the fly through the current broadside, giving the fish the best look at it. Adding sharp line-strips of six to 12 inches seals the deal.

Work pools, runs, eddies and undercut banks. Besides fast-stripping, try a slow hand-twist retrieve. Occasionally even dead-drifting the streamer along the bottom works well. This gives the appearance of a dislodged insect tumbling along helplessly in the current.

Extra Tip: Tips for Pocket Water Trout Fishing

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear: A Legendary Fly Used as an Imitation of Many Different Insects

Nymphs come in a wide array of shapes and sizes. But for a productive all-purpose pattern, stock a selection of Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ears. This fly imitates the dull grayish-brown color of most natural mayfly nymphs and the gold ribbing adds a segmented look and some flash for extra fish appeal.

The intriguing thing about this pattern is its versatility. On the one hand, it can be tumbled with weight on size 6 and 8 hooks through heavy currents and catch fish. On the other, it can be delivered on threadlike 6X and 7X tippets in size 18 and take trout delicately plucking foods from the surface film. The Hare’s Ear is also productive just about anywhere in between these two extremes.

To fully utilize this fly’s versatility, I prefer to stock a variety of sizes from 6-18 in both weighted and unweighted versions. Keep them organized by wrapping the heads of the ones with lead in a different color from the unweighted ones.

Use the large heavy patterns for big deep waters and off-color river conditions. Use the smaller sized unweighted versions for clear streams and when tiny insects are active.

A floating line works best for most nymphing with an 8-10 foot leader tapering to a 4X-6X tippet. Add a strike indicator near the point where the leader joins the line or closer to the fly if you’re fishing shallow. For especially deep or swift water, add a split shot or two to the line to take the offering down quickly into the strike zone.

Extra Tip: 5 Best Fly Fishing Organization Tools & Accessories

Adams Dry Fly: Is a Traditional Dry Fly Primarily Used for Trout

The Adams is a rather plain-looking dry fly. But don’t let that fool you. The drab colors actually duplicate those of most aquatic insects quite well. That makes this a great fly to turn to on both lakes and flowing waters ranging from tiny spring creeks to broad plunging rivers.

The Adams is particularly deadly when aquatic insects are active, since it makes a good replica of many mayfly species. It also does a fair job when caddis flies are emerging. For most of these situations, sizes 12-18 are appropriate.

When midges are prevalent, the Adams is also a great pattern in sizes 20-24. When tying flies this tiny, if you dress your own, it’s okay to leave out the wings. The fly seems to work fine without them in these small versions.

When spinners are on the water, a variation of the Adams tied with wings spread farther out and more parallel to the water can be very effective. If the trout refuse this fly during a spinner fall, try clipping the bottom hackle so the body lies flush on the surface film.

A parachute dressing with a clump deer hair wing and hackle tied around the wing parallel to the water is another style I often turn to. This works well on slick, clear waters or when fishing over hard-pressured trout. But for day-in, day-out use as a searching pattern, few flies can compare with the classic Adams pattern tied on a size 12-18 hook.

Extra Tip: Fly Fishing Flies & Fly Tying Supplies & Materials

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International

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Go Hunting for Spring Trout

Larry Whiteley — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 22:37:50 +0000

Go Hunting for Spring Trout

Larry Whiteley Tue, 03/08/2016 - 16:37

Category

Trout

Springtime brings more light and warmer temperatures changing the creeks, rivers and streams into outstanding trout havens bursting with insect hatchess and hungry fish. A key to getting great trout fishing action in the early spring season is to slow down, explore and get to know the spring creeks and tailwater, ponds, lakes or rivers before you approach those likely trout hideouts.

Where Trout Like to Hide

Trout like to hide under logs, behind rocks, near overhanging branches, and along banks. During peak feeding activity, they will drop downstream to the tailwater of the pool or surface out away from the bank. If you can spot trout that are a good distance from cover, they will usually be eager to strike.

If you’re fishing a trout stream, stay low and use the surrounding cover to sneak up on the fish. Lake fishermen should idle or drift into the area where fish were spotted—always keeping at casting distance.

When stalking trout, you get to see how fish react to your lure or presentation. Trout that are visible teach valuable lessons that can only be learned after a stealthy approach.

Read: Bass Baits for Stream Trout

Read: 5 Important Catch & Release for Trout Survival

Read: Scout for Trout

By Larry Whiteley, Host of the award winning
Outdoor World Radio

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United States

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