How To Catch More Trout (Tips for beginners)

If you are not catching trout change something

If I only have time to give one piece of advice this will be it. If you are not catching trout change something. Just do not keep doing what you are doing if it is not working.

Here are some things that can be changed.

• Change location, move to a different pool, ripple, or even river
• Change the lure/fly
• Change the size
• Change the color
• Change the speed of your retrieve
• Change (reduce) the thickness of your line
• Change the depth you are fishing
• Change the time of day you are fishing

Sometimes, trout hypnotize themselves to just one prey.

Trout at times can become fixated on just one type of food. Trying to catch them on anything else despite perfect presentations can result in frustration.

With stock trout, that can be fish pellets. But with wild fish, it will be something plentiful in its environment. Usually a massive hatch of a specific type of aquatic or terrestrial insect. In my experience, it is usually some type of caterpillar or cutworm.

I first experience this when trout in New Zealand. The trout were feeding upon willow grabs. The trout were ignoring every dry, nymph, or even spinner I threw at them. But they keep rising to the surface and were taking something. I knew they were feeding because I could see them.

I was stumped. So I asked around, fishermen might keep their spots well hidden but many freely share advice.

So after picking a few brains and it turned out they were feeding on extremely tiny willow grubs (Tiny green caterpillars). With this knowledge, grubbing trout become some of the easiest to catch.

While willow grubbing trout are most well known in New Zealand it happens in all countries where the two species coexist. It also happens elsewhere in the world where other species are in abundance.

This just highlights the importance to know exactly what the trout are feeding on.

How to identify what trout are feeding on?

In rivers, what are trout likely to be feeding on beneath the surface?

Let’s try and figure out what river living trout are feeding on.

One trick, I was taught early on is to lift up a few stones and take a look at the aquatic life. A tiny mesh net is useful for grabbing a sample. Studying the sample gives a good idea on what the trout are eating. Then try to match your fly as close as possible to the natural food.

Failing that, it is possible to tell a lot about a trout’s prey based on where and how they are feeding.

In a stream, If a trout is holding deep and drifting side to side it is likely to be eating nymphs.

If it’s a cold freestone stream or river they might even be after stoneflies.

In the spring or fall, they might be intercepting dislodged fish eggs. Brown and Brooks spawn in the fall, and Rainbows spawn in the spring but trout will eat eggs of any type of fish no matter the species.

Predicting what trout are feeding on in Stillwater?

In still water, if the trout are patrolling a weed bank they are probably searching for floating snails, dragonfly nymphs, or snatching emerging mayflies before they reach the surface.

If the trout is swimming across a muddy or sandy flat, then again they might be searching for emerging mayflies, but at other times they are snatching up worms.

Finally, if the trout is very active. Darting around, splashing the surface, creating a real disturbance. They will likely be hunting baitfish. This is the ideal time to tie on a streamer or even spinning lure. Trout are most likely to be hunting baitfish at twilight or at night.

For more information on the subsurface feeding habits of trout, I have an article here.

What are surface feeding trout likely to be feeding on?

When a trout rises to the surface, it is likely feeding on hatching insects such as mayflies. They frequently take insects just below the surface as well as floating on top of the water. I have even seen energetic trout jumping to grab hovering damsel flies mid-flight.

Try and have a look at the foam trails. See what insects are floating by. Alternatively, check out the streamside vegetation to see what insects are present.

If the trout are feeding on the surface, then try a selection of dry flies, Emergers, or small terrestrial insects. Again, it is important to match the hatch. With experience, and a close eye. It is possible to get a good idea on what the trout are feeding upon by how they rise.

• If the trout’s nose rises through the surface making a plopping sound. This indicates that the trout likely took a dun from the surface. At times, young trout leap out of the water after them.
• If a rising trout just ‘sips’ the surface, this usually indicates that the trout are feeding on subsurface emergers or nymphs. Sometimes this is accompanied by a bulge just under the surface. If you listen carefully, trout make a subtle ‘kissing’ sound as the trout sucks in its meal. Trout can also ‘sip’ not during a hatch, this might indicate they are after shrimp or dislodged snails.
• When a trout raises its head and exposes its tail this is often a sign of a relaxed trout, usually feeding on spent spinners. An emerger pattern resting low in the surface film is often the most successful.

Trout can see and sense fishing line, use thin line

One of the most common mistakes made by new anglers is using fishing line that is too thick.

Trout can see/sense the line, so thinner is nearly always better. Thin line is not only harder for the trout to sense it also makes it easier to cast tiny lightweight lures further.

For beginners, I recommend using 4 or 6lb monofilament (nylon). If unsure on what brand, I have written a blog post recommending what I feel is the best monofilament lines for trout fishing.

This offers a suitable compromise of knot strength, ease of casting, and enough strength to fight almost any trout.

With more experience, it can be worth using superline  with a leader, or even 2lb monofilament but I have never found 2lb line nesscary to catch trout.

Helpful Hints To Catch Your First Trout

Struggling to catch your first trout? This section will provide basic guidance on catching your first trout. Plus how to learn the secrets of a trout river.

This guide assumes you already have a lightweight fishing rod, spinning reel, and a selection of lures.

If you do not have suitable fishing equipment, I suggest following the above links to my gear and tackle buying guides. If on a tight budget check my cheap fishing gear guide.

Targeting trout in rivers

One of the biggest mistakes I see new trout fishermen make is that they do not cover enough water.

They drive to a nice enough looking pool, then stand in one spot and start casting to the exact same spot. In the couple of hours they spend fishing they are unlikely to have moved more than one pool upstream.

When targeting trout, the first cast into a new area is the most likely one to catch a fish. The chance goes down with every subsequent cast. Casting the same lure into the same water more often than not is going to get the same result.

Even in the best looking hole, I am unlikely to cast more than a dozen times before I change something.

River trout are territorial. They feed and patrol in the same small section. Outside of the spawning runs in the fall, it is very unlikely for a new fish to appear and start feeding. This is why it is important to move to where the trout are. Do not wait for them to come to you.

Changing lures can give a second chance

If you know there are still feeding trout in the pool. The best choice is to change your lure. If you were fishing with an inline spinner, maybe consider changing to a spoon or jerkbait. If you only have a single style of lure, changing color or size can at times bring results.

Target different water depths

Trout feed throughout the water column.

Trout mostly feed close to the bottom. Only occasionally rising into the mid water or to the surface. In the wild trout mostly eat any small nymph or aquatic insects as they drift downstream.

Trout are very lazy fish. They use as little energy as possible. So they rest on the bottom out of the current and just eat anything which floats within a few inches of their mouth.

To fish, the mid water cast out and let your lure sink for a few seconds before starting to retrieve. If you see the lure jumping along the surface, slow down. If you can feel It bouncing off the rocks, lift the rod tip slightly.

If you want to target bottom feeding trout, then bouncing spoons and other lures over the bottom can be a very effective technique. If you are not getting the occasional snag, you are not close enough to the bottom.

Bring plenty of spares, because lures are regularly lost. Remove any slime from the hooks between cast, slime dulls the action.

Jerkbaits, and floating lures require a different technique. Floating jerkbaits basically swim deeper the faster you wind them in. While sinking jerkbaits sink until you start the retrieve. I go into more detail on getting the best out of fishing jerkbaits in my guide here.

Trout are territorial, they can strike when not hungry.

Luckily, trout are very territorial. Even if they are not hungry. They react out of aggression towards smaller fish invading their space. This works to our advantage.

Retrieving our obnoxious looking metal spinning is often enough to trigger a strikeout of angry. This is the same way Salmon are caught on their spawning runs.

How to prospect or scout a new trout river

To prospect a river, I go for a lure which I can easily cast. I cast far, and fishing fast. The idea is to cover as much water as possible. I basically cast diagonally upstream, let the lure sink for a moment before retrieving. Then take one or two steps upstream and cast again. I systematically cover every yard of water. Every 10 or so casts, I cast once straight upstream next to the shore. This is to target trout holding right on the edge. Many fishermen spook trout because they forget to fish the shallows.ly and wind faster.

Every twenty minutes or so, I might change the model or pattern of spinner. Just to see if the trout are favoring one style or the other.

Prospecting is a great way to quickly discover where the trout are holding, and what sort of water they prefer. In future trips to the river, you can fish slower and concentrate on the areas which you now know hold fish.

Keep in mind, trout do move around. In the spring, trout might prefer to feed in the pools. There the current is more gentle and the deep water offers more protection. But come summer, trout are more likely to be found in faster flowing water which is richer in oxygen.

The weight and sizes of lures I use when prospecting.

I select a lure which is easy to cast and easy to retrieve. I use 1/4oz lures on big water, the weight allows for greater casting distance and faster sink rate to fish deeper pools and faster ripples.

Streams require more finesse rather than long casts. In streams I prospect with 1/16oz lures. Can also drop down to 1/32oz or up to 1/8oz if conditions change.

Tips to catch surface feeding trout

Unless I see trout rising, I rarely fish the surface when spinning or streamer fishing for trout. Most trout hold and feed deeper in the water column. When I see a trout rise, I still will cast my lure so it lands a couple of yards upstream from it is feeding.

Rising trout are usually concentrating on eating mayflies, or on warm summer days, windblown terrestrial insects such as grasshoppers, cicadas, gnats, bugs, flies, moths. Trout are honestly not that fussy. Several times, I have even seen trout leaping out of the water to grab hovering damselflies.

Targeting surface feeding trout while fishing lures is difficult. It is much easier to change to a float and dry fly, or for best results take up the challenge of fly fishing.

A few locations which deserve extra attention

While I advise covering as much water as possible when exploring a new river. Some parts of the river certainly hold more trout. Trout are simple creatures, and they respond to the environment around them.

• -Protection from predators.
• -Availability of food.
• -Temperature and water oxygen levels.

These three factors determine where trout are most likely to be found and we can use them to predict where the trout are more likely to be found. Before I go into more detail, I will highlight again that trout are lazy. At all times, they try to spend as little energy as possible. For that reason only desperate trout feed in powerful currents.

Trout seek protection from predators when feeding

Trout are both predators and prey. They are hunted from both above and below the water. The main threats from above are birds and man.

To hide from predators, trout often like to feed close to cover. This is often overhanging vegetation or in the submerged branches of a tree. Other times they hide under weed or at the deepest parts of a pool. Such areas are always worth a few extra casts. Just be wary of snags and losing your lure.

Trout position themselves close to available food

Trout spend a lot of time eating. So trout like to position themselves where food comes to them. The current, carries a steady stream of dislodged nymphs, snails and terrestrials.

Trout are lazy fish, they position themselves in areas where the current brings the food to them. It does not make much sense for them to constantly fight the current when feeding on micro size insects.

So look for large rocks or boulders out in the current. Trout very often hold right in front, or just behind. The rocks split the current, creating eddys and slack water. This is also a prime place to find bigger fish.

Other times, trout hold right on the edge of the river in the shallows. There the current is weak, but they can still drift side wise to eat any tasty morsels. I find two types of trout like to hold there, ones that are super alert and require precision presentation to catch, or sick trout on their last legs.

The final place, trout hold is where the rapids slows as it discharges into a pool. They can lay on the bottom and watch for food drifting by above. Some also hold right at the top of rapids.