Trout Fishing Tips, News, & More

Big Savings on Fishing Gear

It's a brand new year and that means that many of us are taking advantage of year end sales. Several of the big companies are offering huge savings right now. Be sure to check out the links below to take advantage of the sales currently going on before they end!

Labels: fishing equipment, Fishing gear

22nd Annual Trout Tournament in Florida

The Nassau Sport Fishing Association will host their 22nd Annual Trout Tournament on November 8th, 2008. The entry fee is $120 for per boat.

There will be a captain's meeting on November 7th, 6:30 p.m. at Tiger Point Marina. The trout tournament will begin at 6 a.m. at Fernandina Beach Marina. Following the tournament, there will be an awards dinner at 7 p.m.

For more information about the 22nd Annual Trout Tournament, click here.

Labels: Florida, Florida Trout Fishing, Trout Tournaments

Fishing with Spoons

Some anglers aren't comfortable fishing with spoons. They don't know what they're missing!

Last week I took my nephew fishing at our local lake and the trout weren't biting that well. We couldn't get a nibble on worms or powerbait that day to save our life. Sticking to my motto of trying different tactics until I figure out what trout will take .... I reached into my tackle box and pulled out a silver Kastmaster's spoon. I only had one with me, so I tied a different spoon on my nephew's line.

Within minutes trout started hitting those spoons ... and before long, we were taking a nice stringer of trout home!

That day was the first time my nephew (age 12) fished with a spoon - let alone catch a fish with one. He was using a pock-marked, blue-nickle tear drop spoon made by Blue Fox. He was able to entice several trout into striking that spoon that day.

Why do trout strike spoons? There are a couple of reasons. First, when fished properly spoons can mimic a wounded minnow. Trout love an easy meal. Secondly, the light and vibrations emitted by spoons often cause excitement. Trout will sometimes make a defensive strike on a spoon. Either way, spoons are effective in catching trout!

But to be effective, the spoon (like other lures) must be fished properly. Spoons wobble in the water during retrieval. It's important to get the retrieval speed right in order to achieve maximum wobble. If the spoon isn't wobbling, it's useless.

Once a fish strikes the spoon, it's important to keep your line tight when reeling in. Fishing with spoons is a lot different than fishing with bait. Trout normally swallow bait, ensuring that you'll keep the fish on the hook while reeling in.

However, with spoons (and other lures), trout are usually hooked in the lip - which means they can often work themselves ... and slack line will help them do it! Keeping the line tight will help increase your chances of being able to land the fish.

The really fun part of fishing with spoons is that the fish who strike them tend to be a bit more aggressive than those feeding on power bait and worms. This makes the fishing experience more exciting!

Don't be afraid to try a spoon the next time you're trout fishing. The worst that can happen is you lose spoon and don't catch any trout. But the rewards are worth it!

By the way, the world record trout was caught using a spoon!

Labels: fishing with spoons, spoons, trout spoons

Try Darker Lures This Fall Trout Season

It's not secret that fishing for trout during the Fall season usually produces great results. However, many anglers don't understand how altering their fishing tactics can help them catch even more trout!

With cooler outdoor and water temps, comes a few other important environmental conditions during the Fall season - which can affect the number of trout you catch. Heavy rains can make the water murky or muddy ... which can affect a trout's ability to see your lure or bait. Overcast days can also affect how your lure or bait look underwater.

One of the unwritten rules of trout fishing is that darker lures tend to work better on overcast days and in murky water. Without going into a long explanation, this has a lot to do with the visual light spectrum and how colors are under water.

In any case try this theory out for yourself. As we get later into the Fall trout season, try fishing darker lures. Try black and gold patterns. Lures with red and copper in them also tend to work well. Chartreuse is another good color during these conditions.

You also might like to try some glow in the dark lures - especially when fishing at night or in very murky water. These lures are effective because they're easier for trout to see under water.

Mepps makes some of the best trout lures available. They sell special trout lure kits containing some of the most effective lures in a single kit. Here are some of the more popular trout lure kits offered by Mepps.

Labels: dark lures, darker lures, fall trout season

Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season Opens October 18th

Trout anglers in Illinois are anxiously awaiting the 2008 Fall Trout Fishing Season. This year, October 18th, 2008 marks the season opener. Over 30 lakes and ponds will be stocked with trout before the season opener.

It's important to remember that trout may not be taken from these lakes and ponds from October 1st until 5 a.m. on October 18th.

A valid fishing license and inland trout stamp is required for all trout anglers unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces.

For more information on the Illinois fall trout season, contact the IDNR Division of Fisheries at (217) 782-6424.

Labels: Illinois, Illinois trout fishing

Fly Fishing Workshop for Trout Anglers in Arizona

The Arizona Fish and Game Department is co-sponsoring a trout fly fishing workshop at Becker Lake for anglers on October 4, 2008.

The 3 and half hour workshop is open to the public and will feature one-on-one instruction on the use of lures and artificial flies to improve angling success. Fly-fishing techniques, proper use of trout lures and presentation, use of casting bubbles with flies and trolling techniques will also be covered. There will be demonstrations on fly tying and methods of cooking and smoking fish.

Bring your own equipment if you have it .... otherwise equipment will be provided for those who don't have any.

There will be a morning session and and afternoon session with each session limited to 20 people. The cost is $10 per person. You must pre-register at the Pinetop Office if you want to participate. For more information, call (928) 367-4281.

Labels: arizona, Becker Lake, fly fishing workshop

Are You Ready for the Fall Trout Season?

In addition to Spring, Fall is traditionally one of the best seasons to catch trout. One of the primary reasons is because several water changes take place which in turn affect trout feeding habits.

First, water temps cool down. Trout prefer cooler water. Cooler water also becomes more oxygenated so trout have plenty of oxygen to breathe. Fall also brings new insects (caddis and mayflies) into the world for trout to feed on.

Together, these things make Fall one of the best trout fishing seasons for anglers everywhere.

If you're a fly fisher in the Pacific Northwest, you might want to focus on the October Caddis. This dry fly represents some of the bigger Fall caddis hatches.

Spin fishers usually do well on a variety of baits including worms, powerbait, and spinners.

While trout fishing generally tends to improve in September, October and November are typically better. Much of this depends on where you live and how early winter sets in.

If you've been frustrated by slow summer fishing, then you don't want to miss the Fall trout season. To help you get ready and get the most out of your fishing efforts, check out the Trout Fishing Tips eBook.

Labels: Fall trout fishing, fall trout season, october caddis