Help targeting Trout

[robthefisherman]

Hey All

Heading down to Wee Jasper and the Brindies next weekend on a 4wd weekend and thought I'd have a go at catching my first trout.

I'm a saltie when it comes to fishing and have no idea how to tackle these fellas.Is my plastics set up I use on bream and flatties going to be alright, should I be using braid or mono and do I use plastics, metals or bait. An old fella told me little hooks and worms but that was as specific as he got.

Any advise would be appreciated

Cheers

Rob

[bombora]

Hi Rob I'm a saltie too and just got back from my fourth ever stream trout spin session, so here's a newbie's take on it (I'm sure the gun trouties will give more info).

Bream kit is fine; 3 or 4 pound braid and 4lb flouro leader.

Tiny lures, like mini plastics an inch or so long and heads of 1/32nd for shallows, and 1/16th for deeper pools or places with strong flow. I've had bites on black and also white/olive green jigs. Tiny hardbodies (about 4cm-5cm) are a lot of people's choices but it must hurt when a $20 lure gets stuck on a snag. Lots use Celtas too but I'm not a huge fan of trebles.

Be really quite and light footed near the water. Try not to wade unless you have to. First casts can be while you are standing back from the edge, if you can. Cast directly upstream if really shallow, or at 45 degrees upstream if deeper. Let the jig bounce and flutter back to you with the flow.

Look for shadowed undercut banks, the start and end of pools, and behind snags etc where the trout can be out of the current but in a possie to snaffle what comes down the stream. Don't be afraid of really shallow oxygenated runs.

If there's lots of timber on the stream bottom then snagging can take its toll on lures.

Hope you score, cheers.

[robthefisherman]

Cheers Bombora

Appreciate the advise mate, so how did you end up? get some in the bag?

Cheers

Rob

[abecedarian]

Are you fishing in dams or streams??

[robthefisherman]

Are you fishing in dams or streams??

Streams mate

[luderick -angler]

A Rapala in brown trout from cd3 to cd7 cast upstream and worked down and across is deadly the rainbow trout pattern as well as large trout are predatory and canibalistic use these in fast water in slow water use the J5 rapala in same patterns also have some black and gold, green and gold, red and gold celtas or similar blade style spinners to hand work in the same fashion as the rapalas retreive speeds are important usually just faster than the flow works, if the trout follow and turn at the last minute re cast and pause the retreive. Oh and don't forget the Rapala F Rap a killer lure on trout I found again in a darl colour like brown trout or similar

[abecedarian]

One thing to consider when fishing for trout in streams is that they can be very spooky. Heavy foot falls or more importantly shadows across the water can spook them. The best way to attack a promising hole is to sneak up, make sure you don't cast a shadow and just watch for a while, maybe 5 or 10 mins. If it's a bright day and the water is clear you have to be extra careful. Muddy water water means your less likely to spook them but in my experience they're not as active. After you watch for a while you'll most likely spot a local fish and see the path they swim, then you can work you lure in such a way that you'll cross his path without casting on his head. It can take a while to get them interested but so long as you don't spook them you can try a number of different retrieves or lures until you find the one that works. Then it may be different for the next pond, but that's fishing...

Also, as for line I'd stick with a good quality fluro in 6 lb. 4 lb just doesn't have enough strength to absorb the shocks of a fighting fish. If your fishing the whole spool with 4 lb then it's fine, but it's not quite enough for a leader on a big fish in tight spaces. Mind you, take some with you if you can because desperate times can lead to desperate measures and the fish may spook with the bit heavier line...

Now, my pick of the lures, rapala cd3 in brown and rainbow trout and small celta's in red/gold and green/gold, as small as they come. Small soft plastics should work, as for weight cast them unweighted. If you can't do that then try 0.5 gm, then go up half gram increments until your able to cast, but by the time you hit 2 grams the game is pretty much up as it'll probably

spook the fish. Hope that adds to the info!

[Centrepin]

Rob,

I have not fished Wee Jasper but the reports for Trout are not good.

I know carp and redfin have not penetrated above the bridge at Brindabella.

If you travel from the Bridge back to Canberra the first turn on your right will take you along the river.

You will find a number of access points to the river. There should be lots of small fish.

The weather predictions are not good for this weekend. The river dities up quickly and will make fishing harder.

Good luck,

Geoff

[robthefisherman]

Thanks all

Geoff I'm off next weekend not this weekend so fingers crossed the weather improves by then, I'm also spending some time in the brindabellas around Flea creek and McIntyres hut along the Goodradigbee River so I may do better there as long as its not too wet and the river is too high, I've heard the carp have become a bit of a problem around Wee Jasper however I was also lead to believe that fisheries have been re stocking the waters around there with trout so never know I may get lucky if not some great 4wding to be had in the brindies that I'm sure will compensate

Edited February 9, 2012 by robthefisherman

[bombora]

Hi Rob got a couple on the trip, it's in other freshwater fishing reports section just above this one.

[cc118]

I fished Wee Jasper last year with very little success. Lots of carp.

Good luck. Let us know how you go.

Best Caddis