Trout

The waters have finally thawed, the air is ringing with sweet birdsong, and the promise of adventure sparks trout anglers into action. It’s a time of tradition, when trout anglers begin to check stocking reports and watch the roads anxiously for passing hatchery trucks heading to their favorite lakes and ponds. Trout fishing veterans begin to meticulously organize tackle boxes, making sure they have the best lures and baits for the job. They toss out broken lures and rusted hooks still crusted with the mummified remains of last year’s worms, replacing with new gear fresh from the tackle shop.For many new anglers though, this is a time of frustration. Trout stocking locations are often crowded. The fish may only be eating one type of bait. You may feel rushed to learn a new skill. Most trout fishing literature is based around catching wild fish, which can make the sport seem more complex than it needs to be. Truck trout fishing has its quirks and nuances, but we promise you can figure it out if you learn the basics and stay persistent.Stocked Trout vs. Wild TroutA lot of anglers think that a trout is a trout is a trout. It’s a bit more complicated than that.Wild trout are fish that are born in that particular waterbody. This title overlaps with native trout, which weren’t introduced by humans. Wild fish are adapted to their environment and have to fend for themselves from Day One. They eat insects and macroinvertebrates, graduating to larger

Trout Fisherman | Issue 532 This is the last stand-alone issue of Trout Fisherman before it is incorporated into Trout & Salmon magazine. The all-new April issue of Trout &Salmon will be re-launched with more pages and a fresh design, along with trusted trout fishing advice and techniques from your favourite contributors.TACTICSFinal mission:Peter Cockwill and pals fish DeverConvenience fishing:Grayling sport from Ilkley townTACKLEGear on test:Robbie Winram reviews read more read less Trout Fisherman is the UK's biggest-selling trout fishing magazine. Every issue you'll find top instruction on how to catch trout while fly fishing, with the very latest tactics to try; flies; fly-tying instructions and gear reviews. We'll help you catch more trout! As a subscriber you'll receive the following benefits: • A discount off the RRP of your magazine • Your magazine delivered to your device each month • You'll never miss an issue • You’re protected from price rises that may happen later in the year You'll receive 12 issues during a 1 year Trout Fisherman magazine subscription. Note: Digital editions do not include the covermount items or supplements you would find with printed copies. Your purchase here at Pocketmags.com can be read on any of the following platforms. You can read here on the website or download the app for your platform, just remember to login with your Pocketmags username and password. The Pocketmags app runs on all iPad and iPhone devices running iOS 13.0 or above, Android 8.0 or above and Fire Tablet (Gen 3) or

Freestone stream, spring creek, tailwater — which would you rather attack for trout? The answer will depend largely on where you live, but it might also hinge on the style of fishing you prefer. Each type of trout stream offers something different to the fish as well as the angler. Some provide opportunities all year long while others produce killer action within specific windows. Being able to recognize the differences between these three types of trout stream can help you plan long distance trips more effectively or help you stay on the bite outside of the traditional spring season. Here’s a breakdown of the three main types of moving trout water.Freestone StreamPros: Widely accessible to many anglers.Cons: More prone to seasonal influence that can make fishing difficult.Across the United States, freestone streams are most common. They exist even in regions void of trout. Likewise, if you live in a part of the country that’s light on wild trout but rife with stocked trout during the spring, chances are good that your state is planting them in a freestone stream. Freestones tend to start as tiny trickles at higher elevations, and then those trickles often merge. Their bottoms usually consist of shale, sandstone, or crystalline rocks. Their sources, however, do not provide enough water to keep them flowing in full force year-round. Freestone streams rely on snow melt, rain, runoff, and spikes in ground water to maintain their flows, which makes their fishing productivity ebb and flow throughout the season. Once summer arrives and the bump from spring runoff has flushed through, freestones will get low and warm barring frequent rains to keep their levels up. In many parts of the country, trout stocked in spring will not survive the summer, and even in the West, wild trout in freestones can be easily stressed if the water gets too low and hot. In winter, freestone streams will also get cold faster than other types of trout streams and stay frosty longer, making them prone to icing and making off-season fishing very challenging (if not impossible). Spring CreeksPros: Provide ideal conditions for trout year-round, tend to foster exceptional bug life.Cons: Trout can be more wary and dialed into specific food sources.It can be 15 degrees outside with snow on the ground, but you won’t see a stitch of ice on a spring creek. That’s because the water bubbling straight out of the earth at the source will hold between 50 and 60 degrees year-round. You’ll know you’re on a spring creek when you see vibrant, green aquatic vegetation waving in the current in the dead of winter or when the water makes your feet numb in July. But a consistent temperature isn’t the only thing spring creeks have going for them. They often have a higher pH than freestone streams, which fosters aquatic bug life. Caddis, stonefly, and mayfly hatches are usually outstanding in spring and early summer. Likewise, in winter, spring creeks see prolific hatches of midges, olives, and black stoneflies,

Lake trout might be the ultimate winter trophy. A tangle with one of these denizens of the deep is not soon forgotten. Lake trout fight with spirit and are always game for a battle in winter’s cold water. Plus, they grow large. A 20-pounder is a possibility nearly anywhere they swim, and in some waters, a fish topping 50 pounds isn’t out of the question! They will test your skill, your tackle and most of all, your patience because sometimes you’ll go hours without a bite. But it’s all worth it when a fish smacks your jig.Because they require cold water, in summer, you automatically look for them in deep water. However, in winter, when all the water is cold, lake trout can be more scattered and can easily tolerate shallower water. Still, most anglers target them in deep water, say 40 feet or more.Look for lake trout along deep structure. Identify sharp drop-offs where fish can slide up and ambush prey, then retreat to deeper water. Steeply dropping shorelines, points and islands are good bets, especially if they are rocky. A look at the shoreline is often a good indication of how the lake bottom appears. Find a rocky hill along a lake and there’s a good chance the drop-off continues below the ice. Other good lake trout locations are deep humps and narrows in between two humps or shorelines.Andy Arens hoists a lake trout he caught while ice fishing in northern Minnesota. / Joe SheadA flasher is also a great resource after a fish spots your bait. Lakers are notorious for examining baits without biting. Sometimes you have to rile them up to draw a strike. If you see a fish come in without hitting, crank the bait up a few feet. Monitor the fish’s reaction on your flasher. If the fish gives chase but doesn’t hit, crank it up some more. Raising your bait 20 feet isn’t out of the question. If the fish still doesn’t strike, plunge the bait back down to the original depth. Continue messing with the fish until it strikes or swims off. This method is a great way to elicit strikes. It also demonstrates the importance of a flasher. Without it you don’t know if fish are present or if they are reacting to your jigging.The author holds a Lake Superior lake trout, caught while jigging a heavy lure tipped with smelt. / Joe SheadA mackinaw angler, someone who fishes for mackinaw trout, also known as lake trout or lake char, packs a tackle box that need not contain too many baits. The Northland Level-Head Predator and Air-Plane jigs are both excellent choices for jigging lake trout through the ice. / NorthlandThe medium or medium-heavy Fenwick Elite Tech Ice combo will provide plenty of backbone for setting the hook on potentially large fish in deeper water. / FenwickLake trout fishing isn’t for everyone. Like muskie fishing, there are many fishless days and a lot of down time between bites. But once you

Feed as they grow.Stocked trout, on the other hand, spend the first few years of their lives living in ponds and tanks where they are fed on a daily basis before being planted in lakes, ponds, and streams. So, even though their palates will adapt to natural trout fare, in the early days of the season, hatchery trout will often eat almost anything. This isn’t always the case, but it does seem the spirit of competition from hatchery pond environment stays alive in these fish.The most commonly stocked trout species are rainbow, brown, and brook. Many hatcheries clip the adipose fin (the little one on top just ahead of the tail) in order to identify artificially propagated trout, but not always. Bent or rounded fins and noses are also good indicators of stocked fish. Most fish and game agencies list stocking locations and dates on their websites.Gear for Stocked TroutUnlike trout fishing in rivers, where you seemingly need a different rod or line for every situation, you just need the basics for stocked lakes and ponds. Conventional anglers can use the same light-action spinning rod they use for panfish or perch. Spool your reel with 4- to 8-pound monofilament line, depending on the size of fish you expect to catch. Read about choosing lines here.Bait anglers will also want to bring split-shot sinkers, barrel swivels, and a couple packs sizes 8 and 10 hooks.Anglers using lures can also capitalize on these fishes’ competitive reaction to motion. Small and flashy spoons