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Spring Trout Fishing Tips

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In most areas of the United States, spring is one of the best times of the year to catch trout. This is the time of the year when thousands of trout are stocked, water temperatures are perfect, and in many other ways is a great time for trout fisherman. Although spring trout tend to be easier to catch than usual, there are some helpful tips that you can use to insure success.

One of the most important decisions for trout fisherman this time of the year is where to fish. Find a list of managed trout waters (most states will have this online), and find a stream near your home. Also, many states post stocking schedules for these streams, and if your state provides that, it will help you choose a stream where trout numbers are good. If you can't find a stocking schedule, your next best bet will be to head to your local fly or tackle shop. If you by a couple lures or flies, the shop owner will always be happy to tell you of a few streams that will produce good trout fishing. They will also tell you what lures, flies, and bait are taking the most fish.

If you are fishing a stream with predominately stocked trout, the fishing will rarely be difficult. Simply pick an inviting spot, maybe a plunge pool at the bottom of a water fall or where a riffle dumps into a pool. Then begin drifting some type of of live bait under a small bobber. Nightcrawlers, red worms, Powerbait, and salmon eggs, and various other prepared baits will all be successful in this situation. Fly fisherman will do well with Woolly Buggers, San Juan Worms, and Egg Pattern. One thing to remember when you are fishing for freshly stocked trout is that you do not want to try to think like a fish. Rather, you want to think like the guy who drives the hatchery truck. Any area where a truck could be backed up to the river is likely to be a hotspot. Formal access points will be heavily stocked. While you should try to wade quietly, it probably won't matter too much. Freshly stocked trout have not yet learned to associate humans with trouble.With all that said, a few weeks to a few months after stocking, the fish that are still around will begin to learn how to survive in a stream. That will likely mean they will move away from heavily fished areas, to places they are more likely to be able to hold over.

Fishing for wild trout in the spring time is an altogether different pursuit. Instead of looking for areas where there is easy road access like you would on a stocked stream, you are looking for exactly the opposite. Generally, the further you get from the roads and the people, the better the fishing. You will also want to use different techniques. Spin fisherman will do best with small spinners and spoons, generally no larger than 1/16 ounce. Fly fisherman will do well with various dry flies (depending on the presence of a hatch), and small nymphs. Unlike with stocked trout, you will need to wade quietly and keep a low profile. Wild trout understand that humans are predators, just like otters, kingfishers, and eagles. For that reason, they will often flee to cover if they get a good look at you.

Finding clear water is sometime difficult during the spring. In some areas, muddy water is caused by snowmelt, and in other areas it is caused by heavy rains. In any case, your best bet will usually be to move upstream. While large rivers can look like chocolate milk, small feeder streams and headwater creeks may still be quite clear and fishable. These smaller streams don't usually hold as large of trout as the rivers they flow in to, but fishing them is much better than staring at a muddy river. Streams located below dams, also known as tailwaters, also generally stay clear when other rivers are muddy. Spring creeks are another option.
No matter where you are in the country, there is most likely some spring trout fishing near you. It is really one of the most enjoyable times of the year to fish for trout, so you should give it a try. We hope these tips will help you become a better spring trout fisherman.