ARTICLE - Lure fishing for Trout

[R E G I C Y C L E]

I’ve had a few requests from other members for info regarding trout fishing, and have sent them a condensed version of the below information. I’ve decided to post this publicly so it can benefit more people, and to use as a link for anyone requesting info. The below mainly applies to rivers and streams, but the gear and lures generally apply to impoundments as well.

The gear... A light spin rod (1-3 or 2-4kg), 1500-2500 sized reel, spooled with maximum 6lb mono/fluoro leader. Pretty much any bream setup will work fine. Personally I just use PE 0.8 Saltiga Braid with a 6lb mono leader tied directly to a size 0 decoy round  snap for quick lure changes. My rod setup is a 5'9 Shimano Expride. A short rod is great for cast accuracy, and handy in a lot of the tightly tree lined streams I fish, but a 7' rod is fine 90% of the time. A slightly slower action can be helpful with keeping the hooks in an aerial fish.

Im a hardbody man personally and these are my top lures. Some of my go to lures for trout... the atomic crank 38 mid depth in any of the ghost/natural colours, especially the ghost green for murkier water... great lure for slower deeper pools. Pink or silver Daiwa pressos in 60mm work great when ripped through faster water. 60mm double clutches are great for deeper pools or trolling in impoundments. Wigstons Tassie Devil Spinners are great in the green and pink colour. The Mepps Aglia spinner range is also tried and tested for trout. Most mid depth bream lures will work. All the above are readily available from the mainstream fishing stores. If you want to give plastics a go, try the strike tiger nymphs or pink daiwa bait junkie paddle tails.

A simple slow roll of the lure sems to be the most effective method of retrieve. When the water is faster I'll add a few twitches to encourage that reaction hit. Plastics are effective when fished with a light jighead and hopped or twitched off the bottom.

Colour is an interesting discussion, and as you can see in my recommendations above, there is a wide range of colours that are brilliant in the right circumstance. Natural or earthy colours are my go to for when the water is discoloured or deeper as it gives the lure a better silhouette for the fish to see. Through fast water where fish will be feeding I tend to go a bright or flashy colour. I’ve found unnaturally pink lures encourage an instinctive aggressive bite. When I first started lure fishing for trout I was shy of using brighter colours, until I was fishing with a mate and he caught a big rainbow in a tiny body of water on a bright pink presso. Since then ive caught numerous fish in similar circumstances on the same lure. Another preconceived idea that I had initially, was rainbow trout/ bright colored lures only caught rainbow trout, and the duller brown trout/spotted dog lures only caught browns. Again, I’ve found if the fish are actively feeding, they love a bright lure, whether brown or rainbow.

Tips for fishing. Used polarized sunglasses, and keep your eyes on the water! If you pay attention you will see fish following your lure, spooking, and feeding of the top. The more you observe fish, the more you learn how they behave, and the better your catch rate will be. Always cast upstream or on a diagonal. Feeding trout sit facing upstream, waiting for food coming down with the current. Look for slack water in front of or behind rocks, where a fish could hold with minimal effort. Undercut banks often hold fish, especially on the outside of a bend in the waterway. Don't underestimate how little water trout can hold in. I have witnessed many a large trout feeding in water so shallow their dorsal fins are protruding. If you are fishing skinny water it can be worthwhile making your first few casts well back from the bank, as the fish can spook easily. Keep in mind if you will be silhouetted against the sky, trout are actively looking for food off the top unlike a lot of fish, so it is remarkable how perceptive they are to what’s going on out of the water. Only wade if you have to, or if you’ve fished that particular section of water heavily already. If you don’t have a good pair of waders, wear long pants as a minimum. The banks of a lot of trout streams are lined with blackberry bushes which can inflict nasty scratches. I carry a machete whenever I’m hiking streams, which allows me to access the banks in a lot of spots which wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

When a fish is on, use your rod tip to manipulate the fish, and keep tension on the line in case the fish gets aerial. If using single hooks you should set the hooks, trebles usually dont require a hook set. Make sure your hooks are sharp, as decent hooks can be the difference between a hit and a hookup. Trout are quite effective at flicking hooks as they hit the water after a jump. Keep your drag light and play the fish.

I've got nothing against anyone taking a feed of trout, but if you plan on fishing catch and release, try limit their time out of water, and don't 'lip' them. They tend to be a lot less hardy than the natives and salt water species and have soft jaws that are easily damaged. When releasing I always hold the fish under water, and wriggle its head until it starts kicking its tail, then you know it's ready to go. Some fish will go straight away, others you may have to swim for 2 or 3 minutes before they recover. Legal size for trout is 25cm and bag limit is 5 (NSW), but id encourage you to only keep fish in the 30-40cm range as these are best for eating. Personally I only keep a fish if it is bleeding from the gills or hooked in the eye, as this means it is unlikely to survive being released.

Im always happy to point people to locations to catch trout, but in my opinion there is nothing like doing your own research. The most helpful tool I can share is the DPI fish stocking map (link below). This shows where DPI releases fish every year, with quantities and species listed. This is not only for trout, but also lists cod and other natives. Most of the release locations are publicly accessible. I first came across this tool on Fishraider a few years back so I have this great forum to thank.

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/stocking

Last bit of advice, always watch where you're walking... I've had numerous encounters with snakes that could have ended badly if I wasn't alert. If walking through long grass I practice beating the ground in front of me with a stick to give any critters warning of my presence. During most encounters the snake will be just as happy to part ways as I am, but it’s all about limiting the risks and respecting that you are the ‘intruder’.

Tight lines, and if there’s any questions unanswered feel free to ask.

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by R E G I C Y C L E

[mrsswordfisherman]

Thanks very much @R E G I C Y C L E for this excellent write up. 
This is a very worthy resource for our community. 

[R E G I C Y C L E]

Thanks Donna,

I'm glad I can share some info from my experience.

[big Neil]

A very helpful summation to help anybody wishing to chase Trout species. I trust it will get well used by the members. Thanks for compiling and posting it.

bn