Written By: Outdoor Dave
Spring fishing brings all sorts of great opportunities for fishing the open water. Depending on where you reside, that might be stalking some bedding bass, sniffing out a muddy water catfish, stumbling into a pile of crappie, lurking for a lunker walleye, or tracking down some spring trout action. While each method is fun in its own way, there’s something about trout that really excites me. There are a few techniques that can be put to good use for spring trophy trout, so let us discuss a few of them to get you ready.
Float Fishing
Float fishing on the rivers and creeks for trout has to be one of the most popular and widely used techniques for trout fishing. Most commonly anglers will use either a “fixed” or “sliding” style of float, set to a desired depth, followed by a bead and sinker on the main line, connected to a small barrel swivel tied to a leader line (Fluorocarbon or Monofilament), with small split shots, and a small hook. Some popular baits to use are natural or artificial Roe or Spawn bags, Worms, Yarnys, and Beads. Find a good drift, and with the proper presentation, you should be in for a great time.
Bottom Bouncing
Bottom Bouncing shares some similarities with Float Fishing, in the sense of location, and presentation of baits. For a good bouncing set up, use a strong main line, tied to a 3 way swivel (or something similar), with one shorter line going to a weight, and a longer leader to a small hook. Like Float Fishing, commonly used baits are Roe bags, Worms, Yarnys, Beads, Flies and more. The size and style of weight will depend on the water conditions. Find the weight that will give you the best action without being too light it misses the bounce or too heavy that it snags the bottom. Some finessing is required, but like float fishing, once you find a good drift, the bites are not far behind.
Casting
Casting Spoons and In-line Spinners from shore can be a great way to get a nice spring trout bite. Trout tend to come into the shallow edges of the lakes, and upstream to spawn. While the fish are in close it presents the perfect opportunity to make some casts and see what is around. Spoons, Spinners, Jerkbaits and more all come in all shapes, sizes, and colours. It’s good to experiment to find what works best in your area, swim them high or low, you will want to match you presentation with your surroundings. Location, water clarity, weather conditions, and more all come into effect. A longer rod will help you with a longer cast, as well as setting the hook. Chuckin’ Spoons and Spinners could be the ticket for that big spring catch.
Trolling
Like Casting, Trolling in shallow is a great way to get those spring trout in the boat. Look for where the mudline meets the clear water, and set up with your favorite spoons, jerkbaits, flies and meat rigs. Troll slowly and wait for those rods to POP! As the season progresses the fish tend to move deeper, so new tactics will need to be implemented. Some great ways to get your baits down deep are using Dipsy and Jet Divers, Copper or Leadcore line, and Downriggers. These allow you to set your baits at those more desirable depths as the water warms, and the fish search for cooler climates. Search them out and listen for the sound of screaming drag.
These are just few techniques to help get you on spring trout. Check your local regulations as many tributaries have special restrictions, and exceptions. Always follow the regs, and use each outing as a learning experience for the next trip.
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