Stocked Trout Fishing Help
 

Over the past week I've went out fishing at a local stocked trout pond that I've had good luck with. At the end of May and early June I was catching 4-5 every time I went out there on inline spinners. However in this past week I've either got skunked or only got 1. Yesterday I seen a guy pulling them out one after another using some type of float rig with bait.

My assumption is the water has warmed up and they aren't active in the middle of the water column anymore so that is why they aren't hitting my spinners as often anymore. Although today I seen a guy fly fishing and getting them on the surface.

I'm wondering if anybody could help me with catching these trout. I'm making a trip to Cabela's to get some lures for pike fishing so if anybody has suggestions for some good lures for trout that would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

It sounds like the fish were just a little less active this week and didn't want to take to a spinner, but instead prefer the bait or fly that they did not need to chase. I would try either going the bait route, slowing your retrieve down and add more pauses to it, or buying a couple flys (muddler minnow, woolly bugger, coachman) and use them a few feet behind a bobber to sorta kinda match what that flyfisherman was doing.

There'll be lots of opinions on what'll work, so just gotta try as many options as possible till you find the best one!

Fish are weird sometimes! Haha thanks for the reply. For the bait setup just a float with a few split shots and a hook at end would probably do it then? I do have a fly fishing rod that I got recently but I have still yet to figure out the cast.

Yup, small leeches work great on that set up too

If it's a small pond, I'm guessing it's due to pressure. Could also be weather, water temperature, or the fish Gods. Anyways, in these situations it's good to have multiple strategies. I normally have a rod for casting lures, a rod for casting a slip bobber, and a rod for chucking a weight and bait rig. Throw in a fly rod, and if you're not catching them at that point, it probably isn't anything you're doing wrong.

You can obviously use one rod for the three spinning methods I mentioned, but for the sake of convenience and ease, it's nice to have tailored, dedicated rods for each method. The rods don't need to be expensive.

I've actually talked to the caretaker of the pond and he said he thinks people take more than their limit because at the end of the the summer its incredibly hard to catch the trout. So there is a ton of pressure on this pond but I think they're just not active this week. Guess I'll have to go out with a bait rig and wait for the bites.

Throw it out with some bait and make sure to use a slip bopper, keep the line slack, that way the fish can take the bait and you have a chance to set the hook.

When using a slip bobber at what depth should I fish from the surface and any good baits to use?

Use a small hook (8) or less with a chunk of shrimp, that will be enough weight to get it down or if you use power bait or a worm then put on a small split shot, leave anywhere from 2 to 5ft. below the bopper depends how deep the pond is. Very effective on pond trout especially shrimp.

Okay I went today at the local trout pond. Here's what happened.

I caught 2 fish, 1 on a spinner with a little piece of corn on the hook, and one on a small jerkbait. A few struck my jerkbait right near shore. So on lures it turned out pretty good, but at about 7 or so all bites shut right off. I don't know if the fish went down to the bottom or just didn't want to bite anything else.

I used the float rig while using some corn and pink powerbait trout worms however I didn't get anything. I was fishing about 3 and half feet down from the surface. Should I get a slip bobber and be fishing lower than that?

Here's what i used to do when the trout go deep in the heat of the day. I have a single bait hook on the end of my line, two feet to a swivel, then a weight that slides along the main line (but will stop against the swivel). Put a single mini marshmallow then a garden worm on the hook. Toss out and lightly tighten the line. The worm now floats above the weeds. With the rod in a holder pointing to the location, pull the line down between the first and second line guidesabout 1.5 to 2 feet. i usually hang a bobber from a twist tie or paper clip on this part of the line so it can be quickly removed. This allows the fish to take the line as it slides through the bobber without feeling any resistance. You know a fish is taking the bait because the bobber slowly moves up as the fish swims away and the line tightens. Remove the bobber, set the hook, and enjoy.

Now though, i flyfish from my kayak. But the technique worked great when my kids were young and still workks for the grandkids.

Thanks jhfong I'll try this out when the trout go deep next time! I'm glad to be a part of this forum, I'm learning so much.

I usually catch and release so small spinners and spoons are great for trout as you are doing.

It seems as though your new to all this so in case you dont already know when using bait they will usually suck it in so far fish gets gut hooked 9 times outa 10 and no amount of digging gets the hook out.

Not telling you what to do but the rule ive set for myself is if im keeping i dont mind using bait cause im bonking them anyhow. Dont matter how far down inside the hook is.

Wishing you well and that you catch lots. Ponds are great places to start for sure or if a guy doesnt have much time they are handy.

Yeah I'm pretty new to trout fishing. Went a few times as a kid but usually went pike fishing instead. I've found trout fishing to be a lot of finesse techniques rather than pike fishing where you just need something vibrating in the water for them to strike.