Anybody have any experience with fishin for trout in rivers? I go to college in the mountains of NC an there are tons of places to fish for trout.

Any tips or advice yall could give me? Such as lures and just how to go about fishin for them in general. Any help would be awesome.

Thanks!

I love to fish for trout in some of the streams and lakes around me here in West Virginia.  My friend and I are also college students.  Usually, we go after trout with spinning rods from 6 1/2 to 7 ft in length with line varying from 4-6 lb test.

Here's some of the lures, live bait, and dough bait we use to go after them.

Lures:

Super Dupers - These are small metallic lures with one treble hook at the end.  They come in several different colors, such as gold, silver, and dark green.

Spoons - I really like the smaller, silver spoons for trout, just heavy enough to cast pretty far out in the river or pond.

Trout Magnets - I like to fish these about 2 ft under a cigar bobber with an attached weight on it.  I tip them with waxworms or power eggs (I'll discuss those later).

Black and White Jigs - These are also excellent baits to fish below a bobber, about 2 ft.  I like to twitch the bobber about 3-5 times, and let it rest for about 4-5 seconds (about the same as the trout magnet rig).

Live Bait:

1/4 of a nightcrawler - This makes an excellent bait to fish with one split shot on the bottom.  Remember, the lighter the outfit, the more likely the fish won't feel the weight and drop the bait.  Just use about 1/4th of the nightcrawler, not the whole thing.

Mealworms - These are great to tip on a bobber outfit like I mentioned above with the jigs or trout magnets.

Waxworms - Same with mealworms, except these can be fished weightless on the bottom.  These can be DEADLY if they are fished with no weight.  Even if the bait is only 8-10 feet out in the water, the fish will come to it.  The key is no weight at all with this set up.

Dough Baits/Other:

Corn Yellow Powerbait - This can be balled up and put onto a jig to work with the bobber set up.

Rainbow Glitter Powerbait - Same as the corn powerbait, and both types of powerbait can be rolled up into a small ball and use with about 2 small split shots on the bottom.  Powerbait floats, so be sure to have some split shot on it.

Berkeley Power Eggs - These are salmon egg imitators made with the same material as powerbait itself.  These are great to tip on the jig or trout magnet set up.

Mike's Salmon Eggs - These can be fished with one split shot in a stream.

As for what terminal tackle to use, I would purchase a couple 3 inch cigar bright orange bobbers with attached weight on the bottom of the bobber.  These can be found at any Wal-Mart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Cabelas, etc.

For hook sizes, I would use a size 8 or size 10.  Definitely no bigger than a size 6.  Trout like a smaller hook, and you honestly can't go too small with trout hooks, at least I think.

Hope that helped some!

-TF

thanks for all the great info

I'll definitely try some of your tips

No problem man.  I always look forward to the trout season.  I've been fortunate to catch a few already this year, and I'm looking forward to a good 2010.

heck yeah. I hope the trout fishin here will be good this winter, I'm lookin now for some good places to go. I know there's some stocked lakes around here somewhere I just gotta find em.

Rooster Tails! My number one "go-to" when river fishing for trout.

yeah I caught my first brownie on a rooster

what colors an ounce do you like the most?

Panther Martin, black with chartreuse spots, gold blade

Original Floating Rapala

Countdown, rainbow trout pattern

X-Rap (xr 08), white

8-)

We use long, UL rods - 10-15'. Shimano Convergence is a very decent rod at a good price. St. Croix Wild River and G. Loomis both make high end float rods. Float rigs rule. Here is a VERY good resource for shot patterns: http://www.anglersinternational.com/Shotting%20Patterns.pdf. Many use centrepin reels, but spinning or casting works too. For bait, we use spawn sacks, flies, Berkley Trout Worms, and a simple 8-12mm bead, pegged about 1/2" above the hook. Learn to read the water, look for rip lines indicating deeper holding holes. Cast in front of you, and let the rig trot down stream. Float goes down, or does a little dance, a gentle sweep set will drive the little #10 to #6 hook home.

Here is a spawned out hen I caught last week on a brown trout spawn sack.

This Salmon River buck took the pink worm:

You can see the float and shot line rig clearly here:

Finally, my buddy Kase, working a big buck on a 13.5 centrepin combo:

I like the standard silver color on a normal day, and the yellow/chartruese on a day when there is less visibility in the water. Go with the 1/8 once.

1/8 oz silver Kastmaster has been a trout slayer for me.

thanks for all the great info man.

Awesome pics too, great fish!

stock up on some original floating rapalas in the grey and the brown color. also had tons of success on the suspending huskyjerk rapalas in the wild orange color they make it in for dirty water. another go to is the joes flies spinners. i owe my 3 biggest trout catches to them.

stock up on some original floating rapalas in the grey and the brown color. also had tons of success on the suspending huskyjerk rapalas in the wild orange color they make it in for dirty water. another go to is the joes flies spinners. i owe my 3 biggest trout catches to them.

How could I have forgotten rapalas?  Sooooo good.

I wana fill up a plano box(s) with nothing but trout lures. So what are yalls top lures you'd wana have in this box(s)? Whether it be plastics, small spinners, jerks, etc. As long as it's something you really recommend and have good success with, I'd love to get some an have in this box(s).

thanks!