Trout Fishing Tips

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

Although Spring is quickly approaching, many of us are still enjoying the winter trout fishing season. Depending on where you live, you may be ice fishing or fishing in very cold water. Cold water means lethargic trout.

Some anglers are under the misconception that trout hibernate in winter when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. But this isn't true. The truth is that trout are generally holding in water to conserve energy during the cold winter months. You can still catch them - you just need to get your offering to them.

While trout aren't actively feeding in winter months, they still need eat to survive. Their feeding turns more to "maintenance" rather than eating everything nearby that appeals to them.

In rivers and streams, trout will usually be found hugging the bottom, where the water is warmer. They like deep pools of water, where the water is calmer. In lakes, trout will usually be found in shallower water, often times near shore. Again, they're looking for warmer water that has a good balance of dissolved oxygen.

Artificial lures are very effective on winter trout. Spoons and spinners often produce great results. When fished properly, these lures emit a flash and vibration that can entice non-feeding trout into striking. Often times, this is a defensive strike (trout trying to protect their territory). The flash helps trout to see the lure at a distance and can help wake them out of lethargic stupor. The vibration emits a frequency that sounds similar to baitfish.

Given the choice between a spinner of a spoon, choose spinners when fishing in calmer water and spoons when fishing in fast currents. This is because spinners tend to rise in fast moving water (which may not be where fish are). Likewise, faster moving currents help spoons move more erratically (making them more effective).

Some spoons are designed for jigging, meaning they're fished vertically in an up and down motion. Jigging spoons are typically used by ice fishers. Jigs are another popular ice fishing lure. There many variations to choose from , some with bucktails and some plain.

One way to make your lures more effective in winter is to add a mealworm or a piece of minnow or nightcrawler. Doing so will help appeal to a trout's sense of smell in addition to sight.

Just be sure to check your local fishing regulations ahead of time as some places have rules restricting the use of live bait and artificial lures.

Labels: spinners, spoons, trout fishing, winter trout fishing

A few days ago I told you about the new World Rainbow Trout record set by Adam Konrad. While a fish that size is amazing - even more amazing is the fact that he caught it fishing from shore!

Most fish this size are caught from boats - but not this one! Adam was shore fishing one evening and when he hooked this trophy trout.

Want to know his secret weapon? It was a 4-inch orange Mepps Syclops spoon. It was attached to 6-lb test line! In order to keep the line from snapping, Adam loosened the drag on the reel several times waiting for the fish to tire from the fight.

Experienced anglers have known for a while that spoons have a high success rate in catching larger trout (like Steelheads and trophy trout). And once again, a spoon proved to be the secret weapon for this master trout angler!

By the way, if you're looking to stock up, Cabelas sells Mepps Syclops lures!

Labels: mepps syclops, spoons, trophy trout, world rainbow trout record