The web's best fishing magazine
Okay, so the die-hard purist fluff chuckers may not approve of this, but one of the best ways to catch trout in the high country in the early season is to troll flies on light spinning tackle.
It’s an extremely deadly technique when the fish are up near the surface and I’ve had some memorable days in the Sierras dragging feathers and glue around. It’s a relatively simple technique, but there are a couple little things you can do to improve your success….
Click here to read more…
Sometimes, you’ve just gotta leave the boat, the expensive graphite rods and 27 tackle boxes at home and head for a tiny creek for some trout fishing. There’s just something so pure and basic about it. I don’t care if most of the trout are 9 inches long — it’s still a blast and, if I happen to catch a 12 incher, I’m as fired up about it as I would be a 12-pound steelhead.
Of course, summer’s the time to head out and try a little small stream fishing or “crik hoppin,” as we used to call it when we were kids. To get you all primed up for a season of light tackle fun, here are some basic tips.
Let’s start with the four main lure styles you’ll need to be successful.
With trout season here, it’s time to bust out the trick Jedi stuff! Before we go on, let’s make a little pact here. I’ll divulge my favorite stream trout getter — the “Red Curtain of Death” (RCD) — if you promise to practice a little catch-and-release. This method has been so stinkin’ deadly for me in the past that I fear you guys could go out and clean out a creek with it. So, keep a fish for two for the pan and let a few go too, okay? Deal?
Click here to read more…
Late in summer, kokanee salmon start to get edgy. With spawning season not too far off, the fish get all bunched up into tightly-packed schools, and in those close quarters, the salmon become aggressive. And, that, my friends makes them particularly susceptible to one of my favorite kokanee techniques: jigging.
While trolling is, bar-none, the most popular way to catch kokanee, there are times when jigging is the way to go – especially in late summer.
Click here to read more…
Summer’s been here long enough now that you’ve probably gotten all the kinks worked out of your boat, you’ve fished a few of the local lakes, maybe figured out a couple patterns and…even trolled up a trout or two.
Right?
Well that’s great — good job. But, I’m here to tell you that things are going to get more and more difficult as the summer wears on. As they get pounded by legions of other anglers, the trout in our waters are going to get a little more skittish.
Warming water temperatures and intense sunlight will also make the bite tougher. That’s when you need an edge. Throw something at ’em that nobody else is using. I’ve got just the ticket: The Meat Rig.