Now that we have a basic understanding of trout behavior and requirements, we can apply a similar analysis to the insects and other organisms that make up a trout’s diet. By focusing on the intersection of trout and their forage, we can significantly increase the odds in our favor, because we have a deeper understanding of when, where and how to target trout. [Dave Whitlock’s Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods is an excellent resource offering detailed information on major food types and suggested imitations. For a deeper dive, check out Ernie Schwiebert’s Nymphs (Volume I) and Nymphs (Volume II).] Just like trout, there are seasonal aspects to food behavior. For instance, for insects (like mayflies) that hatch multiple times in a season, each successive generation is smaller than the one before it. So, if you are fishing late in the season, you should select a smaller fly to imitate the targeted insect species.

Read More

In the Southeastern United States, we have three species of trout: brook, rainbow and brown. You can shift the fishing odds in your favor if you spend a little time looking at each species’ unique preferences. Brook trout are the only species indigenous to the Southeastern United States. In fact, there is a genetically distinct Southern strain. Of the three species, brook trout are the least tolerant of poor water quality and don’t compete well. As a result, you will generally find them in the cool, clean headwaters of streams and rivers. Rainbow trout are native to the Western United States. Rainbow trout tolerate a broader range of water quality than brook trout and prefer faster water such as riffles and runs. Finally, brown trout are native to Europe. They tolerate the broadest range of water quality and can inhabit the warmest water of any of the three species. They are also more structure-oriented and tend to be more active in the low light of early morning and late evening.

Read More

As the heat of Summer gives way to the crispness of Fall, we should pause to consider this seasonal shift’s impact on our trout fishing. The shorter days and cooler nights result in cooler water temperatures. With water temperatures in their “sweet” spot, trout begin to feed more actively. The signal that Winter is coming provides an additional incentive to put on the feedbag. This explains the effectiveness of the streamer game. As we move into the heart of Winter, things slow down considerably. Dramatically colder water temperatures radically reduce the amount of available food and slow a trout’s metabolism to a crawl. As a result, you will often find trout podded up in slow, deep water to win the calories in calories out battle.

Read More

Before we leave our introduction on a trout’s eyesight, we need to spend a few minutes on color. When we fish streamers and nymphs, a fly’s color in hand may not be its color underwater. As sunlight passes through the water column, the water progressively filters out the sunlight’s constituent wavelengths. (Remember sunlight is made up of a collection of different wavelengths of light.) As a general rule, the water filters out the longer wavelengths (such as red) first and the shorter wavelengths (such as blue) last. Once a particular color’s wavelength is filtered out, the original color disappears and is replaced with gray. For instance, in the absence of red light, the red “hot spot” on a nymph will appear gray.

Read More

In our last post, we spent quite a bit of time discussing how a trout sees, but we didn’t spend any time on how the same laws of physics affect how we see trout. We now know that, when light passes between air and water or vice versa, it bends. This explains how a trout can see a larger area than the circular area immediately above its head.

Read More

In order to effectively stalk trout, you need to fundamentally understand how a trout sees. First of all, unlike you and me, trout have lateral lines that run down each side of their bodies. These lateral lines allow trout to feel vibrations in the water. For instance, trout hear you when you thud down a bank on your way to the water or when you noisily wade in a stream. (As a footnote, these sound vibrations travel better (are louder) in water than in air, because water is a better conductor.) Take to heart the advice to fish like a heron, and you will put more fish in the net. However, take it from the Beach Boys, not all vibrations are bad. In addition to their eyesight, trout use vibration to locate food. You can use this to your advantage. For instance, if water visibility is poor, consider using a fly with a rattle. Or, use a fly with a large head that will push water and create vibrations as you strip it through the water.

Read More

Regardless of your path, the more effortlessly you can accomplish your goals the more fulfilling your experience. While the quantity of information is daunting, in my opinion, our sport has done a relatively poor job giving anglers a holistic approach for their time on the water and equipping them with practical problem-solving skills. How many times have you thought or heard “I don’t understand. I killed it the last time I was here with the exact same fly.”? Or, “I can’t find any TMC 5263s. I guess I can’t tie that pattern.”? While there is no substitute for putting in your the time, our current approach can’t help but increase frustration and decrease participation.

Read More