"Secrets of Fall Trout Fishing"

Outdoor News from Poorfish.com

Fall often screams hunting as the seasons start to open, but the avid angler knows that the fishing is just as hot in the early fall months as it is in the summer. Early fall fishing is one of the best times to head out on the water in search of mega trout. Trout anglers are still grabbing their fly fishing rods and fly fishing reels, casting theirfishing line into the best time of season to fish. Some of the upsides to fishing in the early fall is the serenity that comes with fewer anglers to compete with leaving the best riffles and runs open for exploration, and the temperatures are warm but not scorching. The summer slump trout tend to go through during the hot months is starting to turn around and the strikes are getting hotter in anticipation of winter. Some will put their fishing gear away, but for those of us who look forward to the early fall fishing times, here are some tips that will get your gear reeling.

When fishing during the early fall season there are two tricks that will help make the day not good, but great. The fall brings the needs for some unique approaches to trout fishing and one of those tactics is to throw streamers. While the number of fish that strike the fishing line might not be as high, the quality of the fish will higher. They always say “Quality, not quantity” and nothing is truer when early fall fishing. It is advisable for anglers to strip heavily weighted flies such as Sculpins, Muddler Minnows, and Zonkers rigged with a sink tip through deep holes, but be aware that when a trout strikes the line, the fly rod will nearly be ripped from your hands. The deep water fishing technique and aggressive trout means that a lightweight fishing rod and light tippet are going to do no good. Throw on some waders and wander to the middle of the stream. Cast into the bank and as soon as the streamer hits water, strip hard. This quick action from the fly will attract the trout and before long there will be a tug on the fly line.

The second tactic for fishing trout in the fall is to target brown trout during the spawn. Between October and December is the best time to fly fish for browns, but in addition, large rainbows will be quite active on the same lure, roe. Fishing egg patterns on sink tip lines proves to be a great approach to trout fly fishing since the fish are feeding heavily on the drifting roe. Focus on fishing for the opportunistic trout that are feeding and plenty of fish will hit the line without disrupting the spawn.

Choosing the right pattern for fly fishing for trout is much easier during the fall and winter fishing seasons since there are fewer hatches occurring. An angler’s best bet during these months is the snow fly and trout tend to feed aggressively on this particular species. Across the board, hatches do not last as long and the size of them will be smaller, 18 to 24. The limited hatches mean that the trout will not have as much to choose from and the amount of time they have to feed will also be shortened. The trout are hungry and there are limited options for food, so anything that crosses the trout’s path is fair game. The western rivers call for Zug Bugs, Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ears, or others that work well when activity is subsurface. For topwater trout fly fishing look to Hoppers, Elk Hair Caddis, and Parachute Adams for great bites.

Tactics for fly fishing for trout during fall are nearly the same as fly fishing for trout during the summer. The only major difference is the water levels affect on fly fishing gear. Fall means that water levels and flows will be low so make sure to rig your fishing line appropriately. Lighter tippets should be used when fishing closer to the surface, drag free presentations and careful wading are all characteristics of fly fishing in fall. Trout will typically be found feeding in the shallower water in the riffles and scum lines lining the edges of faster waters, as well as at the bottoms of runs. Stealthy wading and finesse casting is key to being successful when fall fly fishing. In addition, keep low and concealed as much as possible. Kneel down upstream and on sandbars or behind walls of vegetation. Remember that most trout lie facing upstream to watch for foods that wash by, and they'll be watching you if you move too close. Trout that have been pursued all summer do not want to encounter more anglers -- they just want to eat.