Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

What would be ya'll's best recommendation for 'stocked' trout in small lakes (rainbows mostly) early in the season when the water is still rather cold ? Stocked trout react differently than natural grown trout I suspect, and curious if any of you face this type of trout fishing. Unfortunately here in the east, in my area anyways, stocked trout sometimes,,are the ONLY trout we have.

A preferred Steamer ? Other ? Size ? Color ? Type ? A fly that looks like a grain pellet ? !!!

ANY assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

Don't get carried away with fly selection for stocker trout. Keep your selection simple.

Woolly Bugger types - Olive, Brown, Black - sizes 8 to 12
Soft hackle wet flies - Grey, olive, brown - sizes 12 to 16
Adams dry fly - sizes 14 to 18

For early season, I tend to err smaller.

Another thought. Throw the brightest size 10 Chernobyl Ant. Theory suggests it looks like Power Bait to the fish.

Dennis

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

Thanks, Dennis. I shall make note of your suggestions.

Michael

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

I live on the west coast and fish small private lakes for stocked trout in the early spring. The stocked fish quickly adapt to feeding on insects and there are some larger, wiser hold overs. There are good Chironomid hatches this time of year and the trout key in on them. Effective patterns include sno cones or ice cream cones and griffiths gnats. This kind of fishing is a nice break from chasing winter steelhead and a tune up for river trout fishing later in the spring.

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

" ... A fly that looks like a grain pellet ? !!!"

aka Pellet Fly. More effective if you can find out what the hatchery was feeding, exact what. Dub up a pellet that mimics the stuff; watch the floating or sinking qualities and store the 'flies' in a baby food jar of the stuff. Not the most ethical of things, but very effective (and boring in 15 minutes).

I have hound that stockers like peacock herl, starling and #14 Wulff Royals. In tannic water yellows and purples are kind of important. Over tied flies seem preferred as do flies with lots of movement.

It's often hard to go wrong with a herl bodied & black woolly bugger and pheasant tail nymphs.

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

Speaking as someone who worked in a trout hatchery and also ran it's adjoining pay-to-fish ponds, I've had plenty of time to study this and can tell you there is no truth to it.
Pellet flies are no more effective in catching hatchery trout than any other fly that you care to throw.
What the hatctery fish are conditioned to respond to is the sound of many trout chow pellets hitting the water at once. Not the sight of one single one.

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

I'm not sure if this will work, but I ran across this pattern the other day while watching Tightline videos. The pattern is called CB Stocker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at4mE4q8eeE

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

so, toss a handful of pebbles in the water and then toss an Adams in after them?

Re: Early season stocked trout in small lakes
 

You wouldn't be the first person to try that old trick, and you will get their attention that way.
Unfortunately once they eat a couple of pebbles, they'll know it's a ruse.
Cat chow on the other hand.......:shades:

I used to chum for kids fishing at my ponds with a handful of trout pellets.
I'd just toss it out and have them cast their fly into the center.
Didn't matter what fly.... anything worked.