Any tips on catching big Rainbows?

[CMichaud]

Hi guys

I am somewhat new to fishing and have had good success with catching small rainbows at the local pond. Gives me something to do with the kids throughout the summer so am having a great time.

Are there any tips (bait, rigs, time etc) on how to get the bigger trouts out of these stocked ponds? The best I have done is one or two 12-13" The vast majority are the little guys.

Thanks!

[fishman]

Most stocked ponds don't have bigger fish
Put and take and year end usually very few
Fish left
Go go bigger body of water if u want bigger fish

[RavYak]

Find bigger, deeper lakes and/or remote locations. Overstocked lakes will have few big fish, the biggest fish will be in the lightly stocked lakes that see little fishing pressure and the fish will be hard to catch.

Big rainbows are caught very differently then small rainbows in some cases. Larger lures, deeper water and often pickier fish make them tough to catch but after you catch some big trout you won't want to catch anything else.

[CMichaud]

Originally Posted by RavYak

Find bigger, deeper lakes and/or remote locations. Overstocked lakes will have few big fish, the biggest fish will be in the lightly stocked lakes that see little fishing pressure and the fish will be hard to catch.

Big rainbows are caught very differently then small rainbows in some cases. Larger lures, deeper water and often pickier fish make them tough to catch but after you catch some big trout you won't want to catch anything else.

Thanks for the great info.

Any good spots North of Edmonton within 1 hour for big ones?

Can you recommend a good lure/rig to get started?

Cheers

[FlyTheory]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

Thanks for the great info.

Any good spots North of Edmonton within 1 hour for big ones?

Can you recommend a good lure/rig to get started?

Cheers

Muir lake has big rainbows, but it's catch and release for under 50cm.

[CMichaud]

Originally Posted by FlyTheory

Muir lake has big rainbows, but it's catch and release for under 50cm.

Outstanding! Can you advise re boats permitted or is there decent shore fishing?

[RavYak]

Lakes that might have a few bigger rainbows within an hour are Muir, Spring, Star, East Pit, Fort Sask, Leduc Reservoir, Genessee Pond, Sauer and Salter's. All these have the potential to overwinter and/or were stocked with brood stock recently.

Muir should be considered catch and release, even if you catch a keeper it should be released.

[CMichaud]

These are great...I am actually just north of Edmonton and many of these are actually quite close.

The boy and I are C&R types.

Might try Muir tonight but am wondering if we should bring the Tinytanic aka the inflate oar boat.

[Chief16]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

These are great...I am actually just north of Edmonton and many of these are actually quite close.

The boy and I are C&R types.

Might try Muir tonight but am wondering if we should bring the Tinytanic aka the inflate oar boat.

Most people who fish at muir have a boat of some sort

[waterninja]

Other members have given you pretty well the same lakes I would have suggested, so all I can add is Good Luck and hope to see you post a big Bow soon.
I will add that a simple hook and worm has always been my prefered method, though you can't use bait at muir.

[Granrey]

Originally Posted by RavYak

Big rainbows are caught very differently then small rainbows in some cases. Larger lures, deeper water and often pickier fish make them tough to catch but after you catch some big trout you won't want to catch anything else.

I have no doubt that big fish mus , pickier than smaller fish. Somehow this fish has survived fishermen in stocked pond.

Now, I think trouts can detect bait / pray /predator above them than in front or below or behind them. Due to this if I have to error on depth. I prefer to error putting the bait higher than below.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by Granrey

I have no doubt that big fish mus , pickier than smaller fish. Somehow this fish has survived fishermen in stocked pond.

Now, I think trouts can detect bait / pray /predator above them than in front or below or behind them. Due to this if I have to error on depth. I prefer to error putting the bait higher than below.

You do want to put your bait/lure above them but the bigger trout will be in deeper colder water.

[CMichaud]

Checked it out tonight. We rowed around and went to the little island. Very few rising overall but did manage to catch and release one 8" rainbow in the narrows between the island and the west shore. Caught him on float/fly combo from the island shore.

The shore was very soft in most places I went/landed. My son got a good mudding trying to get out of the boat.

Only one other dingy and one guy on shore. The guy on shore got nothing he said.

Thanks for all the good recommendations. Will try another one this weekend I reckon

[CMichaud]

Oops...forgot to ask...

For the big ones, will they rise for flies or is it best to catch them on a sink rig?

[scel]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

Oops...forgot to ask...

For the big ones, will they rise for flies or is it best to catch them on a sink rig?

My biggest rainbow (21") was caught using a topwater size 20 midge pattern. Rainbows are not like cutties, who will ruthlessly hit topwater flies. The fly fishing forum will tell you the 'match the hatch', which will, by and large, be true. Sometimes, like later in the summer, rainbows will randomly hit big topwater flies, like grasshoppers or beetles.

If I were targeting big rainbows, I would probably use bigger flies and lures, like streamers (for flies) or crank-baits/rapalas (for spin-casting). It would allow you to cover more water than using bait. And when you catch that big brute, it is more likely that you can release it back for someone else to catch (or to make more massive rainbows). The big ones are not very good to eat anyway.

[CMichaud]

Thank you for the tips.

What size is generally considered to be the best eating out of curiosity? As mentioned, I rarely keep them although we did keep this one - it was big by our standards!

[Northern Yaker]

From the stocked mud hole ponds around Edmonton I don't think there is a size that tastes any better than the other. They taste like the mud and goose shot they live in.

[Chief16]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

Checked it out tonight. We rowed around and went to the little island. Very few rising overall but did manage to catch and release one 8" rainbow in the narrows between the island and the west shore. Caught him on float/fly combo from the island shore.

The shore was very soft in most places I went/landed. My son got a good mudding trying to get out of the boat.

Only one other dingy and one guy on shore. The guy on shore got nothing he said.

Thanks for all the good recommendations. Will try another one this weekend I reckon

I do believe that island is a loon sanctuary that is a protected area

[CMichaud]

Didn't see any postings but it will double check next time I am out. We just pulled in next to the burnt out fire logs that were there.

[Carson13]

Use about an inch and a half five of diamonds and troll it in 6-10 fow around the lake... This time of year may not be the easiest to catch them but can be done.

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

Thank you for the tips.

What size is generally considered to be the best eating out of curiosity? As mentioned, I rarely keep them although we did keep this one - it was big by our standards!

Thats a great size for tasting good.
Small is best.
I grew up on pan fry trout.....crispy tails like bacon yummy

Of course that way of fishing is illegal now

Nice pic.....you cant beat the smile of a youngster and his catch.
I think I still react that way lol

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

Thank you for the tips.

What size is generally considered to be the best eating out of curiosity? As mentioned, I rarely keep them although we did keep this one - it was big by our standards!

11-15 in imo. Any smaller they aren't barely worth it. Bigger they are mushier. A 12 in also is a nice size for a single adult so works good that way too.

[fishman]

When u first start flyfishing u want to catch a fish usuing the flyrod
Next step is u want to catch lots of fish
Next step is u want to catch bigger fish
Next step is u want to catch lots of bigger fish
So on and so on
U have to go through this learning curve it's not as easy
As I want to go catch bigger fish
I've been doing this a long time all the info people r giving u
Is great but u need to put in your time
I've taught many people some catch on quickly others don't at all
Takes a lot of knowledge to catch big fish on a regular basis
Good luck

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by fishman

When u first start flyfishing u want to catch a fish usuing the flyrod
Next step is u want to catch lots of fish
Next step is u want to catch bigger fish
Next step is u want to catch lots of bigger fish
So on and so on
U have to go through this learning curve it's not as easy
As I want to go catch bigger fish
I've been doing this a long time all the info people r giving u
Is great but u need to put in your time
I've taught many people some catch on quickly others don't at all
Takes a lot of knowledge to catch big fish on a regular basis
Good luck

Well I just learned alot from reading this

But I didnt see where he wanted fly fishing advice

[CMichaud]

It's all good info...I learnt along time ago its easier to learn from guys with experience then try and learn it by trial and error!

My son caught a good sizes one tonight. A buddy's friend caught a 16" rainbow as well. Pretty decent for Cardiff I think!

[Luxor]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

It's all good info...I learnt along time ago its easier to learn from guys with experience then try and learn it by trial and error!

My son caught a good sizes one tonight. A buddy's friend caught a 16" rainbow as well. Pretty decent for Cardiff I think!

Good stuff ma man

And fun is the name of the game

Fishing is a great activity to pass down to children

[fishman]

Originally Posted by Luxor

Well I just learned alot from reading this

But I didnt see where he wanted fly fishing advice

Doesn't matter if it's flyfishing or gear fishing
The point I was making is fishing is long lesson
And yes u maybe learning from this discussion
But don't set your goals to high as there no ecpiernce
Like fishing. More u do the more the jig saw puzzle will
Fall in place

[Emeeensr]

That's great CMichaud, especially out with your boy. You're doings good thing.

Hey all, I don't mean to hijack this with a very particular question, but I'm not allowed to start topics for some reason.
I was fishing Sauer this past weekend and getting skunked when three fellas showed up and started landing them one after another. I asked what they were using and they didn't speak great English, and weren't all that friendly. But one said floating marshmallows. That happened to be one of the things I had tried. I could see from a distance he was using yellow and I had tried that too.
I didn't understand his rigging. It looked like a long slender something (about 3-4") and it was all dark. That was right after the rod tip. Then it looked like nothing for about 3', then it looked like just a hook with a mallow on it.
I thought the long dark thing had to be a sinker or a float, but it was a little strange how he fished it. It had weight because it could cast a fair distance, I saw nothing floating on the surface, but he was also not just leaving it be, like you would if you were fishing the bottom with a pickerel rig and weight or something. He would leave it, reel a little, leave it, reel a little, etc.

Any idea what that rig was??

Thanks.

[CMichaud]

My guess would be coloured line with slide lead weight, then swivel, then 4-6lb leader with a hook on end.

Think they call it a Carolina rig? (google for pics)

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

Are there any tips (bait, rigs, time etc) on how to get the bigger trouts out of these stocked ponds?

Get out of the stocked ponds