Trout Fishing Blues

Catching trout is an activity that requires skill, patience and a lot of know how. Releasing them is just the same. It is important that we trout fisherman exercise proper releasing methods so that future generations can experience the thrill of catching trout.

The DFG posted a few tips on making sure that the proper care is taken when catching and releasing your trout. When anglers catch and release trout that are too large, too small, or are a restricted species, it is very important to properly handle the trout in order to protect and preserve the fish populations.

Caught fish will benefit when anglers use the following techniques:

For all species, these general guidelines apply for both tackle and technique:

• Use unscented artificial lures (no bait) to minimize deep hooking. Barbless hooks or hooks with flattened barbs make unhooking easier and less stressful on the fish.
• Use tackle strong enough to bring the fish in quickly and reduce exhaustion.
• Avoid stainless steel hooks.
• Avoid and replace treble hooks on lures, especially with saltwater species.
• Land fish as carefully and quickly as possible, and avoid playing the fish to exhaustion.
• Use an appropriate sized landing net to assist in catching, handling, and releasing the fish. Small knotless mesh nets are easiest on fish.
• Try to avoid removing the fish from the water.

Once a fish is landed, these steps will help reduce stress on the fish:

• Use wet hands or wet cotton gloves when handling the fish.
• Do not squeeze the fish or touch its eyes or gills.
• Remove only those hooks that are seen and removed easily, otherwise clip the line near the mouth on deeply hooked fish.
• Remove the hook quickly. Underwater unhooking and release is preferred.
• Avoid having the fish hit the deck of the boat or flop around on the shore.
• Minimize the time the fish is out of the water.

For reviving and releasing the fish:

• Hold the fish horizontally and upright facing into the current.
• Gently move the fish forward and backwards until it swims away on its own.
• For fish that have buoyancy issues, have a release device (such as a weighted plastic crate) on hand and ready.

You can read more about it here.

http://www.troutfishingblues.com

Quick Tips on Catching Alpers Trout in The Mammoth Lakes and Which Lures to Use. The Answer find may be Simpler than you Think.
In about two weeks I’ll be heading out on my annual Mammoth Trout Fishing trip. One thing I always make sure to stock up on before I go is my assortment of tackle and to be honest, it’s actually quite simple. Since I don’t fly fish or float tube my tackle stays pretty minimal.

These are the things I make sure to have upon arrival at the lake:

1. Thomas Buoyant Lures (Red/Gold 1/4 oz.)
2. Light Line (Vanish 2 - 4lb. test line)

That’s it. It’s simple. I honestly see no point in trying to get all detailed and technical when really, if you’re just casting off the shore or a boat, the assortment should be pretty straightforward. If things work out well, you should catch your limit or at least half your limit by the time noon hits when the fish get lethargic or spooked and go into hiding. That’s when you can dock and take a break, or use bait and sit it out for a few hours before sundown.

If you’re wondering about bait, nightcrawlers using a sliding bubble rig work well. Look for the drop off areas, or where the ground starts to “disappear” into the water.

Remember in order to be successful you have to hit the lake as soon as you can, usually two hours after sunrise.

Also remember when on a boat to stay quiet, the sounds resonate into the water, and trout get spooked easily, especially when fishing in shallow water.

TIP: When using light tackle with Buoyants you can really feel the action. If you don’t feel a slight resistence when retrieving your lure, try a different angle or “twitch” the rod a bit to get it going.

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There are all kinds of baits that can be used for catching trout. Everything from home made recipes tried and true in local ponds and lakes to technologically advanced super baits made in labs and extensively tested in tanks. But despite all the super dough baits and artificial irresistable action lures, sometimes when it comes down to it, nothing beats an old fashioned worm.

Worms are especially effective when the lures and dough baits just don’t seem to be bringing the fish in. It really is all natural and no trout can deny that.

Part of the success with using nighcrawlers is using it in the proper rig.

There’s the classic sliding sinker setup, using a small hook, about 8 inches of leader depending on the water conditions and a sliding egg sinker. In most cases trout fisherman will inflate their worms to keep them off the ground so that the trout can better see the worms. Remember line is key so keep it 2-4 lb. test line.

Another easy rig is simply using a small worm hook, a 8-12 inch leader and a slip shot sinker. This is usefull when trying to keep the tackle light, however you might not cover a lot of distance with the light gear, this is usefull when fishing off of boats. A nice trick in addition to the tackle is slowly jerking or jigging the worm with this setup.

Lastly a popular rig used in lakes is the slip bubble rig. You take a clear slip bubble float (the kind you fill with water) and use it in a egg slider rig, but instead of using the egg sinker, you use the bubble instead. Throw the line out let it sink and slowly retrieve the line. This is especially useful and highly effective when fishing drop offs. Cast the line out where is starts to bank, let it sink and bring it in slowly as it “climbs” down the bank.

This is a fun and a nice change to bait fishing if the cast and wait method gets a bit boring.

Don’t forget to pick up Trout Fishing Secrets to further your aresenol of Trout Fishing knowledge.

http://www.troutfishingblues.com

DOANE POND

Doane Pond is located in Palomar Mountain State Park in San Diego County (CA California). The great thing about Doane Pond is that you can fish for trout all summer long, meaning year round trout fishing in Southern California, which is a real treat. Although the pond is a bit too small for boats, after your first experience you’ll agree that it’s a great place to fish, the only downside being there is no night fishing and there is limited shore space. It’s stocked several times a year by the DFG and yes, you do need a California fishing license.

Trout Fishing Doane Pond is simple. Rainbow Powerbait, your choice of float rig off the bottom, sliding egg sinker, split shot, it’s up to you.

Fishing hours are from 6:00am to sunset.

There is a day fee as well as a camping fee.

From San Diego: 15 North to the 76 East. Turn left, North up S6 and then left onto State Park Road, S7.

19952 State Park Road
Palomar, CA 92060
760-742-3462.
http://www.troutfishingblues.com

Trout Fishing Blues - Check Your Line!

The kind of line you use in your Trout Fishing excursions is extremely important. It will make or break your experience. Remember nothing more than 2 - 4 lb. test line. Trout are very ‘nervous’ fish and get spooked easily. The more trout fishing information and knowledge you have the better you will be at fishing. Fishing is a skill. The skill comes from what you know and how you apply it. Good luck!

To vastly improve your knowledge about trout fishing, I highly recommend this book, it’s an easy read, it’s very clear and concise and for the cost of just a days worth of bait you will increase your knowledge and if applied and exercised properly, will have you leaving with a stringer full of fish.

http://www.troutfishingblues.com

Product Description
Berkleys Vanish fluorocarbon line is tough castable and virtually invisible. We carry Vanish in both filler spools and pony spools at a great price. It is made of 100% flourocarbon.

Product Features

Trout Fishing in the Summer can be tough, and in some places impossible, but there still is hope.

Trout experts at this time will still find themselves with a full stringer, especially those who know how to get into the depths of the water. Trollers will find that using their favorite lures behind 4 to 8 colors of leadcore line to be an effective approach.

Dams and other deep pockets of water are excellent sources of getting to those cool hiding spots the remaining trout will find refuge in. Large chunks of power bait and nightcrawlers or a combination of both will draw them out of the dark, it just takes patience.

Good Luck.

Trout Fishing Blues