Summertime is the perfect opportunity to go catch some stocked rainbow trout. They are usually considerably easier to catch while fishing than other species and many states stock hatchery trout in easy-to-access public lakes and ponds.
Rainbow trout are stocked in most city parks by the local fish and wildlife department. In the wild, rainbows and other trout prefer cold, clear water, so they often do not do well in warm city ponds. However, rainbow trout are stocked all over the United States, due to their popularity and ease of production in fish farms.
Dedicated trout anglers have come up with all sorts of ways to catch hatchery rainbow trout. Everything from lures to live bait is commonly used. However, I recommend trying out a few basic fishing rigs first, then moving onto some of the more complicated setups. First, get a light spinning rod and reel, often selling for under $25 at Wal-Mart. Avoid the spincaster (“pushbutton”) casting rod and reels, they are often really cheap, but these can be very annoying to deal with, especially if a tangle occurs in the reel. Most setups at Wal-Mart come pre-rigged with line, don’t use anything heavier than 8lb test line. Then, grab some bait or lures:
Powerbait
Powerbait is everyone’s favorite for stocked hatchery trout. Produced by Berkely (a division of the Pure Fishing company), Powerbait has a consistency similar to playdough or children’s clay, yet it stinks terribly. It is also super colorful and comes in a huge variety of colors, in small glass jars. Almost every bait and tackle store sells Powerbait, so it is relatively easy to purchase. Tie a small hook (egg hook or slightly larger) to your fishing line, attach 2-3 split shots for weight about 1ft above your hook, and a place a small ball of Powerbait on the hook. Scoop the Powerbait out of the jar with your fingers, and mold it around the hook. Use just enough to cover all or most of the hook, but not so much that you have a HUGE ball of Powerbait. Aim for roughly dime size in circumference. Cast out, then tighten the line and prop up your pole using a rod holder or a forked stick. Watch your rod tip for twitches, these will alert you to biting trout. Once you notice that, set the hook and reel in your rainbow trout!
Worms Worms are right up there in popularity with Powerbait. Either dig for them yourself (great way to get the kids involved in fishing) or buy a dozen “nightcrawlers” (big earthworms) at Wal-Mart or your local tackle shop. Take one worm, and cut it in half. Use a hook about the same size, or slightly larger than what I recommended for Powerbait. Hook the worm several times, being careful to leave a slight point of the hook just visible, but not all of the hook. Fish it on the bottom the same way you would Powerbait, or attach a bobber to the line, about 6-12 inches above the split shots, cast it out, and watch for your bobber to go under.
Lures
I hesitate to recommend lures to those who have never fished for hatchery trout before. It is usually much more productive to use bait. However, if you would like to use lures, try small, silver spoons (Kastmaster makes some nice variants), spinners (Roostertails are a popular brand), microjigs (Berkely Nymphs on a small jighead are nice), and finally dry or wet flies. For the spinners and spoons, cast them out without any additional weight (you made need to use lighter line to get the small spoons out very far). Don’t let them sit on the bottom, instead you will need to reel them in (called the “retrieve”) constantly, occasionally pausing to twitch your rod tip, giving the lure a jerking motion. For the jigs, cast them out, let them settle on the bottom, then lift your rod tip, reel in slack line, then let the jig drop to the bottom again, lift your rod tip and repeat the process. Bites will often occur as the lure falls, so watch your line for obvious movement. Finally, to fish dry or wet flies on traditional (“normal”) fishing gear, rig a clear plastic bobber about 1-2 ft above the fly. Fill the bobber with water if you want to fish a wet fly, or leave it empty if you want to fish a dry fly. Cast out, and slowly retrieve, with occasional pauses, for both types. Some people like letting the dry fly sit on the surface, with small twitches to attract fish.
Stocked rainbow trout can be great fun to catch and most bodies of water in cities receive at least a few hundred to thousand stocked rainbow trout. Bring your friends and family and go catch some of these fun fish this summer!
