Catching stocked fish can be an excellent entry-point for a beginner angler. And when it comes to stocked fishes, none is as popular as the rainbow trout. There is a high chance that you can find stocked rainbow trout in a pond, river, or stream near you where you can hone your fishing skill.
Even if you have a decent level of angling experience, trout fishing can be an exciting way to spend your afternoon. Besides, a cooked stocked trout is also quite delicious. Although trout fishing is pretty easy, a beginner might find it a bit difficult to get started.
In this article, we will give you a brief yet thorough rundown on how to catch stocked trout like a pro, even if you have absolutely no idea what you are doing.
Where to Find Stocked Trout
The first thing you must do to fish for trout is to find out where you can find them. You can ask a friend who fishes regularly or even go check the website for your local wildlife or natural resources. Typically, you should be able to find the information on the website for your local wildlife.
Usually, trout are stocked in lakes or small streams near the city. Sometimes you can even find them in reservoirs as a secondary species of fish that you can catch. You also want to stay up-to-date with the restocking schedule. That way, you can be the first one to catch trout before other anglers start fishing.
After stocking a pond or lake with trout, you can find the fishes in certain places of the waterbody. By knowing which parts of the water the fishes roam most of the time, you will be able to increase your chances of catching it drastically. Here are the most common parts where trout tend to roam.
- Trout tend to move towards deeper parts where the water is cooler.
- If there is a tree hanging over the water, there is a high chance of trout activity under it. The shade from the tree protects the fishes from both the sun and predators. In addition, there is a chance of worms and insects falling from the tree, which serve as food for trout.
- Structures like docks, or fallen trees, or even underwater rocks can also offer protection for the trout. It can even catch smaller fish that trout prefer to eat.
- Oxygenated cool waters typically attract trout. So if there are wide streams of water, there is a high chance of trout activity near it. In addition, dams or fountains also serve as a source of oxygenated water for trout.
Best Time to Catch Trout
As we have already said before, you want to get to the trout fishing spot as soon as the stocking truck leaves. The fishes take a little while to get adjusted to their new surroundings. You can use this to your advantage. In a new location, trout tend to move around in packs.
This means, if you see a single trout jump up in a certain position, there is a high chance that you have spotted a pack of fishes. Besides, newly stocked trout also get hooked more because of their natural instincts. So you will be able to catch more fishes with a lure.
A tip for spotting newly stocked trout is to start where the stocking truck parked. In most cases, the fishes take a while to stray away from the stocking spot. If there is a boat ramp or similar spots where a truck can park, that is where you should start looking.
When it comes to the time of the day, you should start your fishing early; the earlier you can start, the better. Trout prefer cooler water and usually shy away from bright direct sunlight. If you get to the fishing spot at dawn, your chance of catching stocked trout is better.
As time moves towards the middle of the day, the sun is brighter, and the water gets cooler. At that point, trout tend to migrate to deeper water which can make spotting them a bit tougher. However, during cloudy days, you will have a long time since the sun will be blocked by the clouds, and water will not be as warm.
If you do not want to fish early in the morning, evenings can also be a nice time. As the sun goes down, the temperature in the water starts dropping. However, you might have a harder time spotting trout activity then and might need proper fishing gear to see clearly.
How to Catch Stocked Trout and Bait Recommendations
Thankfully, catching stocked trout is extremely easy, and even a beginner can handle it without any hassle. As long as you are using the right bait and choosing the fishing spot wisely, it is only a matter of time until you can hook and reel in a stocked trout.
You also have a lot of different options when it comes to choosing the right bait. Some of the commonly used baits for catching stocked trout are:
- Salmon Eggs: Often regarded as the best bait for stocked trout. You can buy salmon eggs bait from almost any fishing shop.
- Power bait: Hooking power bait is a tried-and-true method for catching many fishes, including stocked trout. Its rate of success is extremely high.
- Corn: Although a bit unorthodox, corn works wonders as bait for stocked trout fishing.
- Minnows: If you want to catch a larger trout, you need to use small fishes as bait. Minnows are a well-known bait that attracts larger trout.
- Worms: For people who want to go with the classic, worm bait is also highly effective for catching stocked trout. However, it might also attract other fishes if they are in that location.
Final Thoughts
Catching stocked trout is a lot easier than catching wild fishes. As a result, beginners can use it as an excellent learning opportunity.
We hope all the information in our article could help you figure out the basics of stocked trout fishing.
Leave a Reply