FreeFishTrout fishing in streams
How to read a trout stream, where trout hold, and simple ways to catch them with spinners, bait and flies.
Trout live in cold, clean water, and catching one from a small stream is one of fishing's great pleasures. Trout are wary and selective, but they are also predictable. They pick spots in the current that give them shelter and a steady supply of food, and once you learn to see those spots, the stream starts to make sense.
What trout need
- Cold water: trout generally do best in water below about 65 °F, and they become stressed as water warms toward 70 °F.
- Oxygen: riffles and moving water add oxygen.
- Food: mostly aquatic insects drifting in the current, plus small fish, crayfish and land insects that fall in.
- Shelter: from the current and from predators, including birds, so they like depth, broken surface water and overhead cover.
Reading the water
Most streams follow a repeating pattern of riffles, runs and pools.
- Riffles: shallow, fast, broken water over rocks. Insects live here, and trout feed in riffles especially in low light.
- Runs: deeper, smoother water below riffles, moving at a moderate pace. Often the most productive water on the stream.
- Pools: deep, slow areas. Big trout rest here, and feed at the head of the pool where the current enters and at the tail where it speeds up again.
Where trout hold
- Current seams: lines where fast water meets slow water. Trout rest in the slow side and dart into the fast side to grab food. A seam often shows up as a line of bubbles or foam.
- Behind and in front of rocks: the cushion of slow water around boulders.
- Undercut banks and overhanging vegetation: classic big-trout hiding places.
- Logjams and deep outside bends, where the current digs a hole.
Approach matters
Trout spook easily. Walk softly, keep a low profile, avoid casting your shadow on the water, and wear muted colors. Fish upstream when you can. Trout face into the current, so approaching from downstream keeps you behind them.
Three ways to catch them
Spinners and small lures
Inline spinners (1/16 to 1/6 oz), small spoons and minnow-shaped crankbaits are easy and effective. Cast upstream or across and retrieve slightly faster than the current, so the blade spins as the lure swings through seams and pools. Single, barbless hooks make releasing fish easier, and some waters require them.
Bait
Where bait is legal, a worm or a commercial trout bait drifted naturally with a small split shot is very effective. Let the current carry it along the bottom through runs and pools, keeping just enough tension to feel a bite. Note that trout caught on bait are more likely to swallow the hook. If you plan to release fish, consider artificial lures, or set the hook quickly.
Fly fishing
Fly fishing was born on trout streams. Beginners usually do best with nymphs (subsurface insect imitations) under a strike indicator, or with streamers (small baitfish imitations). Dry flies, floating on the surface, are the most exciting option when trout are rising to feed on hatching insects.
Gear
- A 5 to 6.5 foot ultralight spinning rod with 2 to 6 lb line, or a 4 to 5 weight fly rod.
- Small spinners, spoons, split shot and hooks.
- Waders or wading boots with good grip, and polarized sunglasses to see into the water.
Safety: River rocks are slippery and current is stronger than it looks. Shuffle your feet, wade only where you can see the bottom, and avoid wading in high or fast water. Consider a wading belt and a wading staff.
Regulations and conservation
Trout waters often have special rules, such as artificial-lures-only sections, catch-and-release areas, special seasons, and stamps or endorsements on top of a regular fishing license. Check your state's regulations for the exact stretch you are fishing. In warm summer weather, fish early in the morning, land fish quickly, and keep them in the water when you release them. Warm water is hard on trout.