starting trout fishing

apphunter

Four Pointer
I want to start trout fishing. I did a little while I was in college but not enough to get good or really know what I was doing. I don't really care if it is spinning or fly. I would prefer a good hike and ideally an overnight trip the farther from people the better.

I need to know about tactics, habitat and strategies. How do I select what lure/fly to throw. How do I throw it? Where do I throw?
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
They live their life in a concrete tank eating glorified dog food. Don’t over complicate it. Wild fish are a little different, but your run of the mill hatchery supported waters and delayed harvest shouldn’t give you much trouble. People want to complicate them more than need be. Not sure what’s changed, if anything, but I used to use the powerbait worms, threaded on a #6 gold Aberdeen crappie hook with a split shot about 14-18” above it, just heavy enough to bounce bottom. Fish on your UL of choice.

Wild fish, you have to up your game.
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
Like said above... hatchery trout are suckers for a PB work under a cork

Wild trout, well let’s just say the ones in Wyoming wouldn’t look twice at that junk.
Mcaugt them only on red/yellow panther martins
 

team muddy creek

Twelve Pointer
Just remember is fishing delayed harvest you can't use power bait that is scented. I caught the hound out of them over the weekend on a brown Rooster tail on spinning gear.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

wturkey01

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
And can only fish DH waters with artificial lures having one single hook!!

Delayed Harvest Trout Waters
Delayed Harvest Trout Waters, excluding tributaries except as
noted, may be fished only with artificial lures with one single
hook, no natural bait may be possessed, and no trout may be
harvested or possessed while fishing these waters between
Oct. 1, 2017 and 30 minutes after sunset on June 1, 2018.
 

Quackman

Twelve Pointer
From your original post it sounds like you are more interested in the hard to reach, hike in wild/native waters NC has to offer. If this is the case get yourself a good 3wt or 4wt fly rod, a handful of basic dry flies and nymphs and hit the trail. A good forestry map of one of National Forest will get you where you need to be. Pretty much any blue line on those maps hold trout. Find a way in and you will catch them.
Secluded wild fish are not really that picky on fly patterns unless there is a hatch going on. My go to flies are female adams 16/18, elk hair caddis 14/16, any small bead head nymph, and in the summer terrestrials can be productive as well
 

apphunter

Four Pointer
From your original post it sounds like you are more interested in the hard to reach, hike in wild/native waters NC has to offer. If this is the case get yourself a good 3wt or 4wt fly rod, a handful of basic dry flies and nymphs and hit the trail. A good forestry map of one of National Forest will get you where you need to be. Pretty much any blue line on those maps hold trout. Find a way in and you will catch them.
Secluded wild fish are not really that picky on fly patterns unless there is a hatch going on. My go to flies are female adams 16/18, elk hair caddis 14/16, any small bead head nymph, and in the summer terrestrials can be productive as well


thanks that is what I needed. What kind of locations should I look for in the river. I got pretty good at roll casting in college but not much else.
 

Quackman

Twelve Pointer
thanks that is what I needed. What kind of locations should I look for in the river. I got pretty good at roll casting in college but not much else.

The places you will be fishing I would not even call a river but more along the line of a small stream. Most of the blue lines on National Forest maps are streams that are no wider than 1 lane on the road. The heads of plunge pools is always a good target and always the seams where fast moving water meets slow. Behind boulders, fallen trees, undercut banks, deep cuts, you will encounter everything in these waters. There will be a learning curve as to where the fish are hanging out but you should be able to look at water and see likely places.

Most of this fishing is pool hopping. If you get 3-4 good cast in a spot and nothing strikes move on up. Plan to cover 1-2 miles of stream for a full day.

Typically I will be using 12"-16"of 6X-7X tippet on these smaller streams with a 7.5' leader.

Let me know if you ever want to meet up this summer. Im always looking for a fishing partner.
 

haywoodhunter

Eight Pointer
Quack man is nailing it. If wild fish are what you’re after don’t worry so much about fly selection, work on getting a good drag free drift. I bet 90% if the time I’m throwing a royal wulff. If you come across a trout that doesn’t bust you then more often than not it’ll offer at the fly. Trout in these tiny streams don’t get a ton of opportunity at food so if they’re willing to eat they’ll usually eat regardless of the fly (within reason, I’m not saying to toss in a massive clouser lol). Wild fish are always my first choice when it comes to trout. If you’re ever up here around Haywood just holler and if I’m able I’ll show you what I can.
 

Quackman

Twelve Pointer
Another thing to keep in mind is clothing. Dark drab colors and nothing bright. These fish are in pretty shallow water and it’s CLEAR.
I’m not saying you have to dress like a sniper but forget about all the fancy salt water apparel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

apphunter

Four Pointer
Quackman and Haywood thank you for the offers now I just gotta get this remodel finished so I can have a weekend free to fish.

What time of year does fishing usually start and end?
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I would a void blue lines if it’s summer and there is a drought

Otherwise go when you can
 

haywoodhunter

Eight Pointer
Quackman and Haywood thank you for the offers now I just gotta get this remodel finished so I can have a weekend free to fish.

What time of year does fishing usually start and end?

Spring and summer are when I do most of my blue line fishing. Haven’t got to go any this year yet had too much going on. I usually stop fishing blue lines when the leaves start making it tough from falling into the creek.
 

alt1001

Old Mossy Horns
I always get a chuckle out of folks who say catching trout is easy. It's not that their wrong, they're just only half right. If you think trout fishing is going to Cherokee or your local HS water and throwing Powerbait at fish that would eat a turd if you threw it at them, then deer hunting is shooting a 120" eating out of feed trough on a Texas ranch. :)

Wild trout are another fish altogether. They've never eaten fake or processed food. They've rarely if ever seen a human..... and you have to fool them on both, while navigating a Rhodo choked stream. They're very skittish creatures whose senses are honed to the slightest of changes in their area. All in all for a beginner fly fishermen, stick to a 8' 3wt, using a 7ft leader. For fly selection, if you keep a box with Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears, Caddis, Parachute Adam's, a Girdle Bug and maybe a Woolly Bugger, you'll catch fish all year long. Go with a 6x tippet to start, use weighted nymphs and leave the split shot at home. (If you need your fly to sink faster, reduce drag on the fly by reducing your tippet size or using a heavier bead, don't add weight to the tippet itself. Adding weight to your tippet only magnifies drag issues in my opinion. Remember, if you were to drop a beadhead fly into the current by accident, it would sink quickly on its own. That's the natural presentation you are striving for). In terms of size of fly, always err on the small side. Also, around here, a fly reel is of little importance on just about every wild water. Don't break the bank on a reel. Last but not least, the quicker you learn to fish without an indicator, the better!

Good luck and tight lines!
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
I always get a chuckle out of folks who say catching trout is easy. It's not that their wrong, they're just only half right. If you think trout fishing is going to Cherokee or your local HS water and throwing Powerbait at fish that would eat a turd if you threw it at them, then deer hunting is shooting a 120" eating out of feed trough on a Texas ranch. :)

Wild trout are another fish altogether. They've never eaten fake or processed food. They've rarely if ever seen a human..... and you have to fool them on both, while navigating a Rhodo choked stream. They're very skittish creatures whose senses are honed to the slightest of changes in their area. All in all for a beginner fly fishermen, stick to a 8' 3wt, using a 7ft leader. For fly selection, if you keep a box with Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears, Caddis, Parachute Adam's, a Girdle Bug and maybe a Woolly Bugger, you'll catch fish all year long. Go with a 6x tippet to start, use weighted nymphs and leave the split shot at home. (If you need your fly to sink faster, reduce drag on the fly by reducing your tippet size or using a heavier bead, don't add weight to the tippet itself. Adding weight to your tippet only magnifies drag issues in my opinion. Remember, if you were to drop a beadhead fly into the current by accident, it would sink quickly on its own. That's the natural presentation you are striving for). In terms of size of fly, always err on the small side. Also, around here, a fly reel is of little importance on just about every wild water. Don't break the bank on a reel. Last but not least, the quicker you learn to fish without an indicator, the better!

Good luck and tight lines!

I think it was differentiated....
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Wild fish aren’t rocket science either though. Don’t spook them. Work your way upstream. I don’t fish for them anymore. Best part of wild fish were color. Other than that, once you realized spooking, or lack there of, was the biggest part of the battle, they bit (yes on spinners) about as well as stock fish. Got them figured out in 2 years I was living in trout territory. Worst part of wild fish was getting to where they live without spooking them. I’ll give them that, other than that, they aren’t that much different. Small nymphs on an UL spinner worked for me. Guess I’d rather be consistantly lucky than good though.
 

alt1001

Old Mossy Horns
Wild fish aren’t rocket science either though. Don’t spook them. Work your way upstream. I don’t fish for them anymore. Best part of wild fish were color. Other than that, once you realized spooking, or lack there of, was the biggest part of the battle, they bit (yes on spinners) about as well as stock fish. Got them figured out in 2 years I was living in trout territory. Worst part of wild fish was getting to where they live without spooking them. I’ll give them that, other than that, they aren’t that much different. Small nymphs on an UL spinner worked for me. Guess I’d rather be consistantly lucky than good though.

Half the battle with any sport fish or game in general, is getting to them without them knowing. You are absolutely correct in that they'll bite a spinner with the best of them once you're there.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
My thoughts are for fish in general. Not just trout. Be where fish are and don’t scare them, and have SOMETHING similar to what they eat. Spooking I think is the number one reason people don’t catch fish..... BEHIND not being where fish are.
 

alt1001

Old Mossy Horns
My thoughts are for fish in general. Not just trout. Be where fish are and don’t scare them, and have SOMETHING similar to what they eat. Spooking I think is the number one reason people don’t catch fish..... BEHIND not being where fish are.

Bingo. To piggy back off of that, wear clothing neutral to your surrounding. Lightweight turkey camo tops make a great choice for wild trout fishing in the summer!
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Stocked rivers that are large or crystal clear aren’t always easy after a few truckloads of Fisherman come through and weeks to a year later or “Hold-Over”. I still catch them just like I catch Bass when high pressure hits. Presentation is key and I grew up fishing the ‘Dax drift fishing creeks most wouldn’t think held water 15 miles up logging roads. I do have the luxury of bait so that helps. If it’s big water or really clear I thread Fatheads on 4# Flouro leaders of 4# braid with a handmade swivel and fishing for Brookies as a kid has me shy of weights for most fishing even Bass. Threaded Minnows work best on the “turn” or retrieval. So sometimes I’m way up river or even wet floating.

Small streams on Rhodo choked waters I’m fishing up and picking the holding spots then casting as far ahead as I can while still allowing the fast current to carry my I weighted bait. It’s not where you cast that your targeting. Think this is “Drift” fishing and about the only way I know to fish except Carolina rigs for certain deeper fish.

Don’t overlook Stockies as great for practice or working out your gear. I’ve just started a new 7’6” UL St.Croix for the accuracy and learning how to toss in choked creeks is still new. I have the Delaware, Susquehanna, and even just the Lehigh below the house is big enough for Drift Boats. I used to always run a really short 5-5’6” rod but after using a longer panfish rod in NC really like the extended length.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
And yes, I’m the Guy described above who over thinks trout (everything really) and buys the nice gear for Stockies. Seeing a 6 year old land a 2.5 lbs. Hold Over Brookie from fast moving water after that stretch was hammered during Mentored Youth Day is priceless to me though.
 

adkarcher

Six Pointer
For brookies up north when I lived there, I always used worms or panther martins. Red with yellow dots, yellow with red dots and then black with green dots seemed to work best for me. This was in ponds, beaver dams or little streams that I never even thought would hold fish.

If the brookies didn't hit any of those, it wasn't worth fishing that day.
 
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