Stillwater Trout
- Thread starter awreis
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Hoosier93
Active member
I'm interested in the answer to this as well, there's a couple ponds about 30 min north of here the dnr stocks with rainbows as well. Would like to get up there and try to hook a few. Never fished still water for trout.
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james w 3 3
Guest
Show a stocked trout anything that moves and looks like it might possibly fit in its mouth and he'll try to eat it.
You need to catch his eye with visibility (i.e. something flashy) and movement.
After he's been in the natural environment for some time he'll be more keyed in on bugs, but will still respond to flashy and moving.
I'd recommend a gold bead black woolly bugger, retrieved with very short vigorous tugs.
After he's been around for a year he's a very different fish and a real challenge to catch, not to mention bigger and stronger!
You need to catch his eye with visibility (i.e. something flashy) and movement.
After he's been in the natural environment for some time he'll be more keyed in on bugs, but will still respond to flashy and moving.
I'd recommend a gold bead black woolly bugger, retrieved with very short vigorous tugs.
After he's been around for a year he's a very different fish and a real challenge to catch, not to mention bigger and stronger!
Rip Tide
Well-known member
The key to catching trout in stillwater is finding them. 
Unlike on a stream where you can be reasonably sure that they're holding to feed in the most prime locations, stillwater trout move around looking for food.
But stillwater trout still have the same requirements as their moving water brethren.
Favorable water temperature and oxygen levels, cover from predators and access to food.
So when reading the water, you still have to cover those same bases and baring any noticeable hatches, weedy areas are a good place to start.
Weeds are where the bugs, and the baitfish that feed on bugs live and even stocked trout will figure that out real quick.
Weed only grows down to the level where light penetrates, so once you hit that weed line you're in a transitional area and that's an attractive highway for trout on the hunt.
And that drop-off area is where the "cover from predators" comes into play.
Once you get down into deep water is where seasonal water temperatures and oxygen levels become important, and are most likely not an issue for you at this time.
Contour maps will key you to prime water depths and drop-offs, but you'll still need to prospect around to locate actively feeding fish.
And when you find one, there's usually a bunch.
Unlike on a stream where you can be reasonably sure that they're holding to feed in the most prime locations, stillwater trout move around looking for food.
But stillwater trout still have the same requirements as their moving water brethren.
Favorable water temperature and oxygen levels, cover from predators and access to food.
So when reading the water, you still have to cover those same bases and baring any noticeable hatches, weedy areas are a good place to start.
Weeds are where the bugs, and the baitfish that feed on bugs live and even stocked trout will figure that out real quick.
Weed only grows down to the level where light penetrates, so once you hit that weed line you're in a transitional area and that's an attractive highway for trout on the hunt.
And that drop-off area is where the "cover from predators" comes into play.
Once you get down into deep water is where seasonal water temperatures and oxygen levels become important, and are most likely not an issue for you at this time.
Contour maps will key you to prime water depths and drop-offs, but you'll still need to prospect around to locate actively feeding fish.
And when you find one, there's usually a bunch.
dillon
Well-known member
As stated above newly stocked trout can be easy to fool,but over time the survivors present a true flyfishing challenge. After about two weeks the fish that have not ended up in the frying pan will adapt to the environment and key in on the natural food available. They will often cruise the shoreline opportunistically feeding on insects such as damsel and dragon fly nymphs. Casting and retrieving streamers like olive or black wooly buggers on an intermediate or floating line from the bank, boat or float tube can be productive. Try not to move around too much if fishing from a floating device because it wiil spook them and they'll flee for cover in the depths of the pond.
Chronomids (midges) are abundant in most Stillwater habitat across the country. In many lakes they are the trouts main food source. Eggs are laid in the bottom mud and pupae ascent vertically to hatch in the surface film. Fishing midge patterns takes patience at times but action can be fast during a hatch. Finding the depth of feeding fish and proper technique is the key to success.
If no fish are seen rising a good idea is to determine the depth in the area you have chosen to fish and suspend a pupa pattern under a small strike indicator about a foot of the bottom. One can also fish two flies this way either another chronomid or a worm pattern. Worms are another important food source particularly in the spring after a rain.
If fish are seen rising they are probably eating emergent midges just under the surface. This is my favorite Stillwater fishing. I usually fish a small Griffith's gnat with a dropper tied off the bend. Tie on about a foot of tippet and attach a midge emerges pattern.
There is lots of Stillwater info available on the net. Google Denny Richards for streamer fishing info and Brian Chann is a gnat fishing guru. Go join the crowd after the stocking and toss a powerbait imitation or whatever. Then after the rush go back and enjoy the real flyfishing challenge in hopes of a hatch in a little solitude.
Chronomids (midges) are abundant in most Stillwater habitat across the country. In many lakes they are the trouts main food source. Eggs are laid in the bottom mud and pupae ascent vertically to hatch in the surface film. Fishing midge patterns takes patience at times but action can be fast during a hatch. Finding the depth of feeding fish and proper technique is the key to success.
If no fish are seen rising a good idea is to determine the depth in the area you have chosen to fish and suspend a pupa pattern under a small strike indicator about a foot of the bottom. One can also fish two flies this way either another chronomid or a worm pattern. Worms are another important food source particularly in the spring after a rain.
If fish are seen rising they are probably eating emergent midges just under the surface. This is my favorite Stillwater fishing. I usually fish a small Griffith's gnat with a dropper tied off the bend. Tie on about a foot of tippet and attach a midge emerges pattern.
There is lots of Stillwater info available on the net. Google Denny Richards for streamer fishing info and Brian Chann is a gnat fishing guru. Go join the crowd after the stocking and toss a powerbait imitation or whatever. Then after the rush go back and enjoy the real flyfishing challenge in hopes of a hatch in a little solitude.
kentuckysteve
Well-known member
I fish in a few of the stocked lakes in my area and do pretty well with the rainbows.These stocked trout are usually feeding on surface bugs in my lakes so i try to see what it is they are eating and match a fly close to it.A black gnat fly does very well here as a surface fly.Watch for the caddis hatch and cast any fly close to a caddis pattern.They love streamers.I have caught them on rabbit zonkers and wooly buggers.I usually have black.white and olive colors and if one does not catch their eye the other one will.I have caught them on brassies.ptn's,prince nymphs,scuds.I like using nymph's as a dropper below a hopper or floating ant.Very slow retrieve.
These stocked trout are from Wolf Creek and they are used to being fed pellets and living in an environment where the are surrounded only by only other trout.When they are stocked in our local lakes,they are stocked by the thousands into a lake with many other species of fish competing for the food so they are pretty aggressive when it comes to their food.They don't seem to be very picky.
These stocked trout are from Wolf Creek and they are used to being fed pellets and living in an environment where the are surrounded only by only other trout.When they are stocked in our local lakes,they are stocked by the thousands into a lake with many other species of fish competing for the food so they are pretty aggressive when it comes to their food.They don't seem to be very picky.
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jeep.ster
jeepster
I like to use the countdown method with intermediate sink line. Then strip a woolly bugger with a fbpt dropper at different countdowns starting at 10. I try all kinds of fast strips and slow strips with this search pattern. Once I catch fish I try different droppers and strips until I key in on what the fish want.
silver creek
Well-known member
bumble54
Well-known member
Recently stocked fish tend to stay shoaled up and follow the wind, the downwind shore usually is where they congregate. They also, being used to living in stews, stay close to shore. They will have a go at just about anything, it's how they learn.
Once they have been in a while and been caught a few times they become much warier and start to spread out. As mentioned on another thread, fish the margins, 80% of my stillwater fish come from within 10 yards or the shore so no charging in until you've covered the water close in.
The main thing in catching them then is location and depth, the latter being especially important at times.
So to answer your question, lures, streamers, muddlers, whatever you call them, will catch, colours can trigger takes, orange or lime green being favoured in the UK. Fished fast or slow depending on which is most successful on the day, try different colours, speeds and depths until you hit on the magic formula.
As they wise up a slower, more imitative approach will catch the bigger, better conditioned fish, in my experience, so that is the time for nymphs, dries and if your water holds them (and which water doesn't) buzzers(midge pupae).
Once they have been in a while and been caught a few times they become much warier and start to spread out. As mentioned on another thread, fish the margins, 80% of my stillwater fish come from within 10 yards or the shore so no charging in until you've covered the water close in.
The main thing in catching them then is location and depth, the latter being especially important at times.
So to answer your question, lures, streamers, muddlers, whatever you call them, will catch, colours can trigger takes, orange or lime green being favoured in the UK. Fished fast or slow depending on which is most successful on the day, try different colours, speeds and depths until you hit on the magic formula.
As they wise up a slower, more imitative approach will catch the bigger, better conditioned fish, in my experience, so that is the time for nymphs, dries and if your water holds them (and which water doesn't) buzzers(midge pupae).
bigspencer
Well-known member
Ditto Rip Tide's reply guys....contour maps not only give you a hint as to where the deeper area(s) may be it should display what and where any brooks/creeks enter(or connect any two ponds) to give trout some cooler water and often a potential zone for insects to breed/hatch...often at more than a few times/year depending on what types of insect and/or baitfish inhabit the pond(s). Take time to scout out those brooks/creeks to check out which one(s) may be more apt to harbor insect life. Also use the contour map(s) to follow any entering brooks out into the pond as often springholes will be a continuence of any brook. Check the pond(s) for any structures in the ponds...rock piles, logs that've/were dumped in etc...where food & trout can hide.. Seldom are springholes and baitfish or insects found out in the deepest areas or middle of the pond(s). Trout are avid predators of baitfish along dropoffs, especially in the coolest hours of the day...which is usually in the early AM hours as well. Get down to their levels of feeding, wherever, with slow/medium sinking or intermediate lines..weighted/unweighted bucktail/streamer/nymph...or even a floating line with weighted bucktails/streamers/nymphs, let sink then retrieve erratically. ...AND, if there is any brush on any shore....insects can get blown into the pond on windy days and there will be formed a line where they'll drift . Trout find these lines and just like in a stream, will set up their own lies and wait to the food to come to them. Hope you get a trout population down there...
kevind62
Well-known member
Forget about wasting time or money tying or buying fancy flashy flies. Tie a bare #14 or #16 scud hook to your tippet. Stop by WalMart and pick up the cheapest can of whole kernel corn they have. Put half of this in a cup then put one kernel on your hook. Throw the corn that's in the cup up and out about 30 to 40 feet. When it hits the water the stockers will recognize that sound and come running. Cast your "fly" out in the mix and get ready.
wjlapier
Well-known member
Bonneville Dam on the Columbia has a hatchery that has a pond with massive trout you can feed. Cost of feed is .25 for a small handful. I just wish I would remember to buy a bucks worth.
Trout in a pond… 100% of ponds support chironomids… chironomids hatch every day from ice out to ice up… trout (especially rainbows) feed on them constantly. Point of vulnerability is the pupal stage when ascending (s – l – o – w – l – y) to the surface.
Google “fly fishing with chironomids”… look for names like Brian Chan and/or Phil Rowley… you’ll be an expert in no time. It will work.
Without knowing your pond situation, fishing chironomid pupae beneath an indicator (4-8 ft this time of year) is a good start. Warming waters will bring other options into play; damselfly nymphs, Callibaetis mayflies, water boatman, etc. Also leeches and scuds available to the trout year round.
Early spring though… prime time to capitalize on chironomid activity.
dharkin
Well-known member
Stenacron,
That's exactly what I do in early spring on the local ponds. Here is a link to a very good explanation;
Chironomid Tactics 101 by Brian Chan — Sport Fishing on the Fly
That's exactly what I do in early spring on the local ponds. Here is a link to a very good explanation;
Chironomid Tactics 101 by Brian Chan — Sport Fishing on the Fly
They are still very much over-looked... at least in my neck of the woods. Not the sexiest way to fish, but the perfect approach to exactly what the fish are feeding on. One trip a few years back and I was a believer... been building on that ever since.
Regarding other posts about hatchery fish being pushovers... yes, at first, but they learn quickly what food items are available and develop a natural preference for insects vs marshmallows.
dharkin
Well-known member
Wind can make fishing from a float tube a little tricky so I often wait to see a rise/roll. I then cast to that spot about 10 seconds later and let it sit for about 30 to 40 seconds while watching the tip of my floating line. If the wind moves me at all, I just continue to wait and let the wind move me. I'll just drift for about 2 minutes and then start over again. All the floating shucks are the first clue as to what's going on.