Feeding Frenzy and Fishing Frustration

[deerless]

Hey all! Got skunked this weekend while canoeing at Beauvis lake, out by pincher creek.

1) Has anyone ever seen trout go into a "feeding frenzy"? At about 10pm, just as it's getting dark, the trout go into what I can only assume were feeding frenzies. The water started almost boiling in moving patches around the lake, the trout at the surface were thrashing around so violently. I've never seen this before in my life!

2) I was out for 3 days, and didn't catch squat! I threw everything in my tacklebox in that lake; spoons of all sizes, spinners, plastic crankbait, slip bobber rigs baited with powerbait, jigs, buzz bombs and even an adjust-a-bubble with flies! I caught nothing while the fish jumped and splashed mere feet from my canoe. I did hook ONE little guy with a 5 of diamonds, but he spat out the hook when I tried to land him in the canoe. Probably flipped me the bird as he swam away. What the hell am I doing wrong?

3) I've tried Adjust-A-Bubbles with flies, and it's kinda crap. The bubble always causes problems on my cast. Either it comes loose and slides down against my fly or it and the fly tangle up in each other, or it lands like 2 inches away from my fly and they float right beside each other. Am I using this wrong? Has anyone actually had any success with this, or should I bite the bullet and just learn how to flyfish.

[smitty9]

This happened to me years ago as well. Trout can sometimes get "locked" and hyper focused on a certain insect or certain stage of an insect. Can drive you (and me) crazy. Sometimes the trout get selective and you need a pretty accurate imitation.

That could have been caddis, could have been backswimmers if the boils were violent. I would say minnows, but I would have assumed the hardware would have worked better in that case. So I say...learn to flyfish.

Now, if flyfishing doesn't appeal to you, you can use a slipper bobber setup for flies. Use a long, limber rod. Almost like a noodle rod. Use split shot for weight. Tough to do for dry flies.

Fly-fishing isn't difficult to learn; just takes practice and some good instruction. Try taking a lesson or 2.

[haggis57]

I set my adjust-a-floats up on a separate short section of heavier mono with snaps and swivels at the end to keep the float from interfering with the fly. When I give these to spin fishermen, I recommend attaching a 15 to 20 inch length of tippet, with a fly of course, to the float leader. The float will act as kind of a hinge point and some tangles are inevitable. My neighbour's 6 and 7 year old kids have been using this arrangement this summer and catching some stocked trout.

Ken

[Kingfisher]

I've had really good luck at Beauvais using just trolling a green micro leech. About a size 10 with a small gold bead head.

However, when they are feeding on the surface like that usually there is a hatch going on. Likely chironomids. If they are on the surface then use a chromie chironomid. If you aren't fly fishing and just using a spinning rod then I would recommend tying a small leader (2 - 4 feet) of 6 lb fluorocarbon on the end of your line. But to get the float not to tangle just tie on a small swivel between the main line and the floro. Put your float above the swivel.

If the chromie doesn't work then I go with my "go to" chironomid a black with red rib and a white bead head.

The good thing and the bad thing with chironomids is that they vary in colour even from when they are at the bottom of the lake and while they work their way to the surface. The deeper I go the darker I usually go. The chromie chironomid is a bright silver one with a dark rib. I tie mine with a red or black rib. The chrome represents an air bubble that forms around the chironomid as it ascends in the water column. As it gets to the surface and is ready to emerge the adult will break the surface tension and fly into the air. The fish you're talking about may be taking the chrome chironomid. Or they may be taking the adult as it emerges. That's another whole paragraph.

For now just have a dozen different chironomids on board and give them a try.

You can thank me later.

[S_Mooj]

had this happen to me a few times. they wont take any lure you throw at them, but a bobber and fly that looks like what they are feeding on will absolutely slay. last time this happened to me i got one every cast. "Match the hatch"

[pinelakeperch]

Hey all! Got skunked this weekend while canoeing at Beauvis lake, out by pincher creek.

1) Has anyone ever seen trout go into a "feeding frenzy"? At about 10pm, just as it's getting dark, the trout go into what I can only assume were feeding frenzies. The water started almost boiling in moving patches around the lake, the trout at the surface were thrashing around so violently. I've never seen this before in my life!

2) I was out for 3 days, and didn't catch squat! I threw everything in my tacklebox in that lake; spoons of all sizes, spinners, plastic crankbait, slip bobber rigs baited with powerbait, jigs, buzz bombs and even an adjust-a-bubble with flies! I caught nothing while the fish jumped and splashed mere feet from my canoe. I did hook ONE little guy with a 5 of diamonds, but he spat out the hook when I tried to land him in the canoe. Probably flipped me the bird as he swam away. What the hell am I doing wrong?

3) I've tried Adjust-A-Bubbles with flies, and it's kinda crap. The bubble always causes problems on my cast. Either it comes loose and slides down against my fly or it and the fly tangle up in each other, or it lands like 2 inches away from my fly and they float right beside each other. Am I using this wrong? Has anyone actually had any success with this, or should I bite the bullet and just learn how to flyfish.

The weather has been so hot the last few weeks. I haven't heard of anyone doing particularly well in Southern Alberta's stocked lakes during that period. Some cooler weather coming up!