John Kranick: The Essential Trout Fishing Guide

There’s a wonderful saying that many people use: currents.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” It’s very true with trout

fishing. Don’t change a thing if you’re catching trout

In order to be successful then, you’ll need to go

— even if what you’re doing defies traditional wisdom. where the trout are — near the bottom. The water Keep on doing whatever it is you’re doing.

here moves slower. Of course there is an exception

to this, and this is when the temperatures or other

But just what do you do when what you’re doing conditions create an exceptional time to feed. The isn’t working? Then obviously, you try something new! trout then move to closer to the faster currents. They’ll Conventional trout fishing wisdom says that most of eat the insects and worms whizzing by them.

your casts should be made upstream across the

current. But if this isn’t working for you on a particular

High water levels may make it tough for the angler,

day, then why keep doing it? Change your tactics.

but it provides the trout with plenty of nifty locations

to hide out and not be noticed. And sometimes these

Cast, instead, straight across the current. Then try smart fish pick some pretty strange locations!

casting down the current. You may even want to cross

the stream and fish from the other side.

Sometimes the trout are actually behind logs. When

the water is high, you may even want to check out

B

these little known locations first. If there’s no fish there,

OTTOMS UP!

you’ve discovered that quickly, but if you’ve found a

If the water conditions you’re fishing are relatively hiding place, then you’ve really struck (trout) gold!

normal and you’re surrounded by other anglers, then

you can be confident the trout are near the bottom. DROPPING WATER LEVEL

It’s almost a given.

What about when the water level drops? Well, then

Trout immediately retreat to the bottom when the you know for a fact the stream is moving slower.

surface water gets agitated. They’re alerted to potential And to state the obvious, it’s also losing depth. This danger — and fast. As a matter of fact, when numerous means the trout are more vulnerable to their natural fisherman have been on the same waters you’re predators (yeah, man!), fishing birds, and others.

fishing, you may need to try a different technique in

order to get these hiding fish.

The temperature of the stream rises as the level

drops as well. This is especially true in warmer months.

You may want to drag the spinner as close to the The water near the bottom is the coldest, for the bottom as you possibly can. Then the trout don’t most part.

The Secrets Professionals Refuse To Share31

THE ESSENTIAL TROUT FISHING GUIDE

The trout, then, still seek their refuge near the you’re absolutely right! But that doesn’t mean they deepest water. On occasion, though, they’ll stray to can’t be caught.

that shallow portion in order to find food. This, in

fact, is more likely to happen during the cooler

As you’re moving along a stream in the fall, be

morning and evening hours.

sure to keep an eye open for trout in the shallow

locations. And whatever you do, don’t wade in the

When the water level is low, the trout really feel locations trout are spawning. You very well could the pressure from those fishing. They instinctively disturb their nests.

seek the cover of the deeper pool, rocks, and limb’s

in a blink of an eye.

LET’S TALK “STOCKED TROUT”

Keep in mind, though, that the lower water means

Okay, let’s. Yes, there are some things you need

that some holes the trout are hiding in have now to know about stocked trout. The first is some different vanished. This forces them to search other areas for behavior patterns. Unlike the feral trout, these fish cover. Still, trout are far less likely to be discovered stick in packs, and rather tightly I might add. After along the shorelines. The exception is when the all, this is the environment they knew best when being deepest water happens to run against the shore. This bred in hatcheries.

usually occurs with undercut banks as well as under

bridges.

If you know the body of water you’re fishing has

been stocked, this gives you an advantage. Definitely

If the water is warmer, the trout search for shade. look for concentrations of trout in not only the The best locations for them to find it are under logs, deepest parts of the water, but the shallowest as well.

rocks and bridges. Get the hint? This means these But do so at the insertion point and then again are the best places to start fishing!

downstream several holes. (Of course, this depends

Keep in mind, too, that if the water is warmer, the on the size of stream you’re fishing.) But this is fish also seek cooler water. This water could be conventional wisdom. Most anglers go to these areas introduced into the stream by various tributaries and, instinctively.

at times, even by underwater springs.

If you feel like bucking conventional wisdom, you

can do so here and perhaps quite productively. Not

THE SPAWNING

as many fishermen realize that you can grab many

bites in some pretty strange locations after stocking

No I’m not referring to some horror movie. I’m has occurred.

talking about the time of the year when trout

reproduce. In the fall, as they spawn, you’ll discover

You may discover fish in the shallow side eddies

that trout very often move from the main current to or the low riffles where no hole is even found.

the shallower water. This water is more often found

at the tails of pools as well as along the sides of STAY ON THE SIDE

streams.

THE FISH WERE STOCKED

More often than not, they move in pairs (no big

surprise here!). I know what you’re thinking. Trout

Another little known fact is that trout tends to

are less likely to bite while they’re spawning. And stay on the same side of the stream as where they 32 The Secrets Professionals Refuse To Share

THE ESSENTIAL TROUT FISHING GUIDE

were placed. This is especially true if the water is

If you said something “fairly large” that would

high.

create a flash, you’d be right on the money. Some

people in this instance would choose a three-inch

Trout which have been stocked during a period gold spoon.

of high water, are likely to be in that eddy downstream

from and on the same side as their place of insertion.

Now you’re getting the idea about the ways to

Hunt out that eddy and you’ve got some good trout read a stream. I could probably ramble on all day fishing ahead of you!

about this. But instead, I’m going to go on to the

next — and last chapter.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

This chapter deals with miscellaneous tips, tricks,

Consider this scenario. Early spring. You haven’t and techniques on trout fishing in general. Some of even gone down to look at the water yet. But you these you’ll find quite useful.

knew that the water sounded fast. After all it hadn’t