What to Use to Catch Trout

The CatchFeed: 50 Top Photos from Catchbook, Field & Stream's New Social Fishing App

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:43:40 -0400

These 50 photos are our editors' picks for the best shots posted so far by users of our new Catchbook app!

About Catchbook Fishing Reports
Catchbook is a free social fishing app we built for the iPhone to help you share photos of your fish while recording the spots where you caught them. Check out more great fish photos from around the country (and start posting your own catches) by downloading the app from iTunes! Visit fieldandstream.com/catchbook for details on how the app works, and why it'll help you catch more fish.

Catchbook Photo Contest
We're giving away a Columbia PFG Blood and Guts™ Ball Cap, for the best photo posted each week (as chosen by our editors) from now until then end of July. At the end of each month we'll pick our favorite overall shot and run it in the magazine! Each monthly winner will also receive a Columbia Airgill Chill™ Long Sleeve (men) or Ultimate Chill™ Long Sleeve (women). Click here to learn how you can enter this contest. Click here for the official rules.

The Best F&S Online Record Fish Stories and Photos

Online Editors — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:57:23 -0400

Catchbook Contest: Photo of the Week!

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:41:44 -0400

Congratulations to Austin Bockwinkel, whose spring Iowa largemouth bass takes top prize in our weekly Catchbook Photo Contest! Austin gets a PFG Blood and Guts™ Ball Cap from Columbia, and also qualifies to win our monthly prize, a Columbia Airgill Chill™ Long Sleeve fishing shirt and his mug in the pages of our magazine. Click here to learn how you can enter this contest by. Click here for the official rules.

Catchbook is a new fishing app for the iPhone that automatically turns photos of fish you've caught into detailed fishing journal entries that show up on your map, then shares those entries exclusively with trusted friends. Our goal is to help you and your buddies learn more about the spots you fish. You can download the app from iTunes here.

Holy Mackerel: 2nd-Grader Hooks 68 lb. King Fish

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:10:38 -0400

Andrew Quinn, a spirited Michigan second-grader who wrestles in the 77-pound weight class at his school, is no stranger to grappling with heavyweight foes.

But even Andrew almost met his match when he hooked this 5-foot king mackerel during a deep sea fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico in late March. At the end of a 30-minute fight, Andrew had just enough strength left to boat the giant king, which weighed 68 pounds, 3 ounces—a touch lighter than Andrew but 4 ounces heavier than the current Alabama state record.

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from April 2012

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:25:49 -0400

Each month, Field & Stream editors review the hundreds of photos submitted by readers to our Trophy Room. If your photo is chosen to be printed in the Game Faces section of the magazine, you’ll win a Rapala Fish ‘N Fillet knife!

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

Trout in the Tribs: How to Fish a Stream in Early Spring

Sarah Smith — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:36:41 -0400

The stream usually requires but a hop, step, and jump to cross dryly. From my porch, I could see the water winking through the alders and briers and tangles. Trout season had just opened.

I was going in.

Afternoon temperatures were allegedly headed to 60 degrees, and I was ready to catch my first trout of the season—or try, anyway. The problem was my chalky, surging local river, which offered little in the way of angling dreams and far more in the way of mountain snowmelt.
I am a careless autumn leaf raker, or so I have been told, which has an upside on spring mornings such as this one. Within a few minutes I had a couple dozen worms and had headed off to the stream, where a few hours of fishing resulted in a runaway pair of sunglasses, renewed appreciation for the stem density of briers, and five trout, the largest of which was a satin-black native brookie that passed the vaunted 9-inch mark.

Spring angling’s star-crossed union of desire and dingy water is nothing new, of course. More than 50 years ago, H.G. Tapply wrote in Field & Stream, “Tell you first where not to catch trout this opening day—in your favorite trout stream.” Tap suggested a small stream, which he predicted would have lower, clearer, and warmer flows—to say nothing of fewer anglers.

I like to think that the brook behind my house would have met with Tap’s approval. I know he would have admired the brookie.

Small streams like mine are resilient in retaining or regrowing their trout populations. The health of any water is only as good as the health of the habitat around it, of course. But small streams tend to rise and fall more quickly than big rivers, and tend to hold their clarity longer, or at least regain it more quickly, even in the wake of wrath-of-God “weather events.” For instance, my stream receded to within its banks within three days after Hurricane Irene, thanks to its brief flow, wooded environ, and gentle descent. Its only major changes are the new thatches of trees that now cross it (which is fine with me, as they may convince casual anglers not to bother trying). Other, larger trout streams nearby took weeks to look even remotely fishable.

I avoid predictions when it comes to fishing, but I’ll bet my first trout of the 2012 season comes from this creek, too.

The Trickle Approach:

Catching trib trout begins with an understanding of their behavior. Given the infertility of most small streams, trout cannot afford to be picky. They try to find a feeding station that brings the most food and provides the most cover. So look in front of (not behind) obstructions, where the current washes against branches, logs, rocks, and edges in deep pools.

Since small-stream trout are necessarily opportunists that feed on things that fall into the water, worms or half crawlers are the easy No. 1 bait. If there are spring-spawning rainbows in the stream, you might drift a salmon egg in the riffles. If you’re fishing for brookies and the dace are “bothering,” try a chub tail. Most small streams are fairly shallow, so use 1⁄8- to 1⁄32-ounce spinners (Mepps, Panther Martins, and Rooster Tails are all good choices). The same goes for wobblers—opt for Little Cleos, Dardevles, and Phoebes, as small as you can find. For flies, a Woolly Worm in black and olive, Beadhead Hare’s Ear, and Royal Coachman (in brookie waters) will generally be all you’ll need. Carry a few marabou streamers in white or yellow for fishing beneath undercut banks. The fish aren’t selective, but the bigger ones want a fly to be drifted or retrieved in a natural way—and marabou offers the maximum movement in tight quarters.

Lighten up terminal tackle to get more natural drifts. Use 4- to 6-pound-test line and the smallest split shot you can buy. If you’re flyfishing, a 3- to 4-foot leader and a floating line are all you need.

In many ways the art of small-stream fishing comes down to using to your advantage the obstacles the trout claims for its own advantage. Although I generally go with a 5-foot spin rod, I’ve found spots where I’ve wished I had another foot of rod to reach over a certain rock. The trick is to get close while remaining unobtrusive, even though things are cramped. You don’t have to wear a plant on your head like Bill Murray in Caddyshack, but dull colors will help. Wear hip boots so you can kneel in the shallows and on the wet banks; small-stream trout are particularly sensitive to movement from above. It is also easier to fish beneath the canopy that way. In short, do what you can to get close to the trout and present the right drift. This is why small-stream fishing is so engrossing: Fishing each spot requires its own guerrilla campaign, making every trout you catch quite memorable.

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Trout in the Tribs: How to Fish a Stream in Early Spring

Sarah Smith — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:36:41 -0400

The stream usually requires but a hop, step, and jump to cross dryly. From my porch, I could see the water winking through the alders and briers and tangles. Trout season had just opened.

I was going in.

I like to think that the brook behind my house would have met with Tap’s approval. I know he would have admired the brookie.

I avoid predictions when it comes to fishing, but I’ll bet my first trout of the 2012 season comes from this creek, too.

The Trickle Approach:

From the April 2012 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

3 Killer Fly Tactics for Big Early Spring Trout

Online Editors — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:18:38 -0400

When early spring brings unstable water conditions to your local trout stream, river, or lake, don’t wait for levels to drop before donning your waders and breaking out your fly rod. You could be tapping into some terrific trout action in that high, off-color water while other fly anglers are sitting on the couch waiting for things to clean up. These three killer tactics from veteran Kentucky and Tennessee guide Chris Nischan will help you hook up on the fly when the going gets tough.

A - Cut Some Slack
In high, murky water, big trout will often hole up in slow-spiraling eddies. Contrary to popular belief, these fish will frequently face downstream in the slack water created behind boulders and other current-breaking structure. Nymphs that incorporate some purple material or have flash backs are highly visible to trout in dirty water. Fish them on a 10-foot leader, starting at the outside edge of the eddy (1) and gradually working toward its center (2). Cast upstream and allow the fly to dead-drift. Take up the slack as the fly drifts back toward you (3), watching the line for subtle bumps and stops.

B - Lift and Lower
Never overlook shallow runs between deep runs in early spring for big trout, especially when water levels come up and increase the depth of those shallow runs a bit. In these spots Nischan prefers an in-line double fly rig, consisting of a Finnish raccoon shad streamer 18 inches below a size 10 Beadhead Pheasant Tail nymph. Cast upstream and allow the flies to sink (1), but don’t strip the line. Instead, gently lift the rod (2), then lower it (3), to give the flies an enticing crippled action. Trout often strike just as the flies begin to rise in the water column, or immediately after they begin to fall.

C - Swim a Spring
If you’re fishing still water, use a thermometer to locate springs, which can produce water 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the lake. Submerged weedbeds are thicker in these areas, and trout will cruise them while feeding on aquatic insects. On a 20-foot leader, tie a light soft hackle on a dropper on top, a lightly weighted nymph on a dropper in the center, and a heavy nymph at the end. Make an open loop cast parallel to the weedbed (1) and swim the flies toward you very slowly (2). Gently twitching the rod tip from side to side, pausing and repeating, will trigger strikes from following fish.

3 Killer Fly Tactics for Big Early Spring Trout

Online Editors — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:18:38 -0400

Whip Walleye, Trout and Bass With These 4 Tailor-Made Rods

Online Editors — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:42:12 -0400

Target: Walleyes
Lure: Jig
Rod: St. Croix Eyecon Snap Jig

The 18 offerings in St. Croix’s Eyecon series include everything from trolling rods to live-bait rods, and the Snap Jig model is dialed in for anglers chasing walleyes in rivers. A bit longer than other jigging rods, the Snap Jig provides more leverage when you need to work a heavier jig along the bottom in an area of swift current. $120

Target: Trout
Lure: Marabou jig
Rod: G. Loomis GL2 Trout Jig

Marabou jigs may not be staples for trout fishermen in all of the country, but G. Loomis thinks they should be, because they catch hog browns and ’bows. That’s why the company developed the GL2 Trout Jig with a soft midsection, an extra-fast tip, and a powerful butt. This rod will get a marabou jig dancing like no other in any kind of flow. $175

Target: Smallmouths
Lure: Tube, jig
Rod: Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth

With a high-modulus graphite blank that detects the subtlest pickup, and titanium guides that reduce weight, Fenwick’s new custom smallmouth rod can effectively fish everything from a light tube to a heavy football jig. Though the rod is sensitive, its low-end power will beat the biggest bass you can find. The hidden-handle reel seat makes the rod more comfortable to grip. $130

Target: Largemouths
Lure: Crankbait
Rod: Quantum Tour KVD

This crankbait rod designed by Kevin VanDam might not win you millions, but it can help you score more largemouths on hard plastics. Made with E-Glass, the rod has a softer action that will help plant hooks without tearing them free. Quantum’s E-Glass is mixed with graphite to keep the weight (and arm fatigue) low. $150