Tips for stocked trout
Nov 7, 2019 13:15:06 #
Any pointers on fishing for stocked trout? The small lake near me in pa just stocked rainbow trout. Was there for 3 hours today and caught nothing, nor did the 8 guys I saw around the lake. Trout were stocked yesterday
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by hhw
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by hhw
Nov 7, 2019 13:15:10 #
Trout take a while to adjust to a new environment. Give it a day or 2 then just try some easy to eat stuff like worms or minnows, power bait.
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by K2_Adventures
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by K2_Adventures
Nov 7, 2019 13:15:14 #
They’re a little out of sorts & traumatized after being loved. They need 2-3 days to calm down and consider eating, in my experience.
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by youtubefishingfamily
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by youtubefishingfamily
Nov 7, 2019 13:15:19 #
I used spinners and spoons with great success when they stock Pine Lake in Washington State in late April. Kastmasters and Dardevles were the best. Kastmasters I could find at any local store, Dardevles were harder to find so I ended up ordering online.
Could be the fish need a few days to chill out and get used to not eating hand fed pellets on the surface? We would see schools swim by our dock and if we flashed our palms in the air (like we’re throwing in food) they would scramble up.
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by theron_b
Could be the fish need a few days to chill out and get used to not eating hand fed pellets on the surface? We would see schools swim by our dock and if we flashed our palms in the air (like we’re throwing in food) they would scramble up.
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by theron_b
Nov 7, 2019 13:15:24 #
If you know what ramp or shoreline they did the actual stocking from, cast around there after a day or two. I guess they chill in the area for a spell. Thats the advice I got when going to stocked waters, hope it helps!
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by PraiseKeysare
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by PraiseKeysare
Nov 7, 2019 16:31:02 #
Powerbait works really well for stocked trout. In fact it should be illegal. If you've never fished with it it's really simple. Make a Caroline rig with a 24 to 36 inch fluorocarbon leader (4 lb works real well, but you could go a little heavier), a number 8 or 10 single egg hook, and a 1/4 oz or so egg sinker. Put a wad of powerbait on your hook, enough to cover it, throw the whole shebang out as far a you can. Let it sit. The powerbait floats and the sinker holds it all in place. I nothing happens after 10 or 15 minutes or so, reel in and repeat the whole process in a different direction or another spot entirely. There are a bazillion different floating baits that you can do this with, but for just starting out get you a jar of Berkley Powerbait, whatever color/flavor you think they'll like, and go catch some fish.
Nov 7, 2019 16:37:56 #
Powerbait on tiny treble hook , use small split shot, power bait floats up a little off the bottom , bingo
Nov 7, 2019 16:53:09 #
Yeah treble hook works really well as long as you're gonna keep em and eat em. Not so much if you want to let em go. HHW if you want to release them safely let me know and we can talk about barbless circle hooks, how to use them and where to get them. If you're gonna keep em, treble is the way to go.
Nov 8, 2019 08:03:40 #
tuboshu
Loc: Kennebunk, Maine
All the above bait recommendations are good, but you shouldn't get too worried about it. I once caught a stocked trout that had 6 cigarette filters in its stomach.
Nov 8, 2019 11:42:42 #
Stocked trout are not finicky. But I still wouldn't use a cigarette butt as bait. That one you caught was just hooked on nicotine. It happens.
Nov 8, 2019 13:10:57 #
Here in the great state of Illinois (Not), the dnr stocks lakes around the state two times a year, once in the spring and fewer lakes in the fall. The stocked fish last for about two weeks, but in this state those two weeks are about the only good fishing opportunity that exists. As mentioned prior the Berkley power bait works great, but I have also found that bright colored Rooster Tails and dark colored Panther Martin's work when their being sluggish. I've been trying to find a fly that will work but so far no luck, so if anyone has had success fishing these stocked pond fish with a fly, please let me know.
Nov 8, 2019 13:52:20 #
If you're fishing from the bank put a casting bubble on your conventional rig, put some water in to give it some weight, and put a 36" fluorocarbon leader and tie on a olive or black woolybugger. Trout love em and any way you can get it out there to em and wave it in their faces is gonna get you some fish.
Nov 8, 2019 20:05:44 #
I've been fishing in FINS lakes that are stocked with rainbow trout by the state of Kentucky for about 2 years now. The best lure and most fun I've had is by using a 1/4 oz Blue Fox classic silver vibrax spinnner. Several fisherman around the lake have switched to them since seeing my luck. You can get them at Rural King farm store if you have them there.
Nov 8, 2019 22:18:28 #
Armando
Loc: Rancho Cucamonga ca
Me and my buddy recently went fishing and we did not catch a thing! So as we were leaving we ask the girl at the check in booth when was the last time the lake was stocked? She said it was just stocked 2 hrs ago with 1,500 lbs if trout but it’s going to take them about a week to start biting. Ugh . So next time find out when they stocked the lake so you know when the fish are hungry.
Nov 8, 2019 23:18:15 #
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