Trout fishing. Where, when and what to catch

Appearance, disposition, habitat

Trout is a large representative of the ichthyofauna. In lakes and rivers they catch salmon weighing up to eight kilograms. The largest representatives are found in vast lakes with a rich world of insects. The abundance of food allows the fish to grow up to a meter long.

But in ordinary reservoirs with an average amount of food, shad reaches a length of 30-35 centimeters. Trout is a long-lived fish; it can live more than twenty years. This is an amazing fish: if a river species is moved to live in a lake, it can easily become a lake species, and vice versa.

Often lake and river subspecies turn into migratory fish. The value of the fish is explained by the fact that trout is a fish of the salmon family, and Pacific salmon is its closest relative. The trout has a laterally compressed body, a short muzzle, and variable color.

There are spots of red, white or blue on the greenish sides, this makes the fish beautiful and elegant. If there is a lot of lime in the water, then the trout is usually light-colored. In many bodies of water, trout become dark and even black, especially in lakes with peaty bottom soil.

It has been proven that satiety of fish leads to the disappearance of spots on the body and the appearance of monochrome. Conversely, meager meals lead to multi-colored colors and an abundance of spots. The female is always larger than the male, this applies to the length of the head and the size of the teeth.

Trout meat can vary in color, sometimes reddish, white and yellow, but always tasty. And it cannot be otherwise if the fish lives only in ecologically clean water far from cities and enterprises. Although kuzhma occasionally grow to even weigh 20 kilograms, this happens extremely rarely and fish weighing half a kilo are usually caught.

Amazing fact : it happens that trout eggs emerge from trout fry with deformities, for example, with two heads, bisexual or albinos, but this does not in any way affect the nutritional value of the fish. Kuzhma never lives in dirty water bodies.

Therefore, people go fishing in clean, unpolluted waters that are located far from megacities, industrial enterprises and farms. The release of toxic substances into the trout habitat leads to immediate death of the fish.

Fishing technique

Ways to animate bait

Trout prefer moving bait. Therefore, when catching it with a fishing rod, the bait on the hook must, one way or another, be animated so that the fish becomes interested in it.

On the river, you just need to throw the equipment downstream, and the flow of water will do all the work for you. When the bait swims past a hungry trout, it will grab it. You can periodically make pauses so that the progress of the equipment slows down.

If there is wind on a fishing day, it will slowly move the float, and with it the equipment. They help animate the bait and waves. When there is excitement on the surface of a river or lake, the float rises and falls over and over again, setting a peculiar game for the hook with bait.

If there is no current, no wind, no waves, you will have to do all the work yourself. In such a situation, perform light pulls with the rod so that the bait moves from place to place. Trout that does not respond to a stationary bait will attack the bait floating in the water column and get hooked.

Another option is fishing with a falling bait. The sinkers must be moved higher towards the float, and then cast after cast to one point after another. Once in the water, the hook with bait will slowly sink, attracting fish. Sometimes, when the trout is capricious, it can only be enticed to bite in this way. Therefore, take it into service and use it if necessary.

Fishing of different horizons

Trout can feed in any layer of water - near the bottom, in the middle horizon or near the surface. This distinguishes it from most other fish that seek food at the bottom. Trout actively collects insects from the surface of the water; it also feeds on small invertebrates and fry, which can stay in the middle layers of the water column.

This point must be taken into account when fishing. Always check different horizons to determine where the fish are holding on the day you choose to go to the water. A fishing rod with two leashes, one of which is located much higher than the other, will greatly simplify this process.

Trout fishing techniques on small rivers

Fishing for trout with a fishing rod on small rivers is very interesting. This type of fishing is similar to hunting. In such reservoirs you can catch both trout weighing 100–200 g and trophy specimens

You need to carefully move along the river, trying to remain invisible to the fish, and throw the equipment with bait at promising points. In small bodies of water, such areas are clearly visible - these can be holes and pools, snags and fallen trees lying in the water, boulders behind which the current slows down

Biting, hooking and fishing

Trout usually bite sharply and decisively. If she is interested in the bait, the float immediately sinks or moves to the side. As soon as this happens, you need to hook immediately, as the fish can very quickly spit out the hook with the nozzle, feeling resistance or pricking itself on the tip.

When fishing, trout behave very energetically. Therefore, be prepared for strong resistance. The larger the trout, the more actively it fights. After successfully hooking, gradually pull the fish towards you, without allowing any slack in the line, in order to pull it ashore or bring it into the landing net. A properly configured clutch, which releases the line when pulled hard, simplifies the fishing process.

When fishing with a swing without a reel, you need to move the rod after the fish as it jerks.

Read How to catch tench on a feeder and prepare bait

A float rod is easy to use and at the same time very productive tackle. With the right approach to fishing, there is every chance of excellent catches. Some people consider this kind of fishing not interesting enough. But in fact, this is a very exciting and exciting fishing, which at the same time is accessible to everyone.

Trout fishing equipment

People go fishing for trout using a variety of gear: a float rod, a spinning rod with a spoon, or fly fishing. The method of fishing depends on the preferences of the angler and the habitat of the fish. It happens that trout live in a wide stream, where it is simply impossible to throw a spinning rod: the spoon will not fall into the water, but on the other bank.

The fisherman gets used to his favorite gear, gains a lot of experience and often fishes in only one way. But there are anglers who like variety. Therefore, they alternate trout fishing with different methods. The easiest way is to fish the fish on a “float”.

It’s a little more difficult to learn how to successfully fish with spinning tackle. Well, fly fishing for trout is an activity for the most experienced fishermen. Each of the three listed gears has its own bait.

Which spinning rod to choose for trout fishing - an overview of the main characteristics

Beginning fishing enthusiasts are faced with the problem of choosing a spinning rod model for trout hunting. After all, fishing stores offer various types of fishing rods and without professional advice it is problematic to choose a spinning rod

And although sales consultants will be happy to tell you which spinning rod is suitable for fishing, it is important to figure out this issue yourself. Each fishing enthusiast is guided by his own evaluation criteria

Fishing success depends on choosing the right spinning rod

Beginning spinners believe that a spinning rod should have the following characteristics:

reliability;
ease;
versatility.

The system determines:

possible wiring options and smoothness;
accuracy of the cast;
the distance to which the leash with bait is thrown;
spinning whip sensitivity;
the ability of the rod to smooth out jerks when fishing.

When choosing spinning rods for catching pond trout or river fish, pay attention to the bending of the spinning rod under load. First of all, professional fishermen focus on the spinning system.

First of all, professional fishermen focus on the spinning system.

According to this criterion, spinning rods are classified as follows:

Extra Fast (accelerated) – when loaded, 1/4 of the length of the whip, located in the upper part of the rod, bends radially. This design nuance guarantees increased casting accuracy and minimal smoothness when playing with the bait;
Fast (fast) – when casting and retrieving fish, 1/3 of the length of the tackle is deformed. As a result, the retrieve is smoother, the shock-absorbing characteristics when retrieving fish are increased, but the hooking speed is reduced;
Medium – in the process of retrieving and retrieving the catch, the upper half of the spinning rod bends. Such a rod intensively smoothes out the jerks of strong fish when playing, but is inferior in sensitivity and accuracy;
Slow – the rod bends evenly along the length of the whip, acquiring a parabolic configuration. Thanks to its uniform bending, the whip quickly returns to its original state, providing increased casting distance and increased smoothness when retrieved.

Along with the rigidity of the rod, you need to pay attention to the following points:

permissible weight of the bait being thrown;
number of sections and length of the spinning whip;
material used to make the handle;
spinning sensors;
reliability of fastening of the reel seat and guide rings.

After analyzing the rating of spinning rods for trout fishing, choose light or ultra-light class rods that have a fast action. These types of rods work well with light bait, which is used when landing trout

Also pay attention to the material from which the whip is made. The best spinning rods for trout fishing are made from carbon fiber, which provides the required plasticity and improved response during retrieving, as well as when pulling in resisting prey.

The best spinning rods for trout fishing are made from carbon fiber.

When choosing a spinning rod, consider the location of your upcoming fishing:

It is advisable to use a short spinning rod on an overgrown bank;
To lure them out of holes in open reservoirs, you will need an extended spinning rod.

Spinning rods of domestic and foreign production are used for trout fishing. The models have the following characteristics:

whip length in the range from 170 to 300 cm;
rod test ranging from 1 to 10 grams;
tuning Fast (fast) or Medium (medium).

Read Pink salmon soup - 7 recipes

Natural Trout Fishing Baits and Fishing Techniques

Trout are caught using baits of plant and animal origin, and artificial baits. The closer autumn is, the greater the appetite of this fish. Trout turns into a predator and gains fat, so people often fish with spinning rods in the fall. Spring and summer trout are being caught on natural baits.

Of these, the most promising and best are: live bait, worms, kernels from canned corn, cheese, flies, larvae (maggots, bloodworms), bark beetles, eggs. Lake and river trout are caught with such bait using float gear. The most expensive bait is red caviar.

Not every angler can afford to purchase such a bait due to its high cost. Moreover, we need real caviar, and not its imitation. Large specimens of shad are caught using earthworms and dungworms, which are entirely attached to a hook. If the goal is to catch not just a fish, but a fish, it makes sense to put a bunch of worms on the hook at once.

Fish love red worms dangling from a hook. And to catch medium-sized trout weighing about 300 grams, you can choose a medium hook and put half a worm there. It should be remembered that this fish has a cautious disposition.

Therefore, the fisherman must constantly ensure that the worm is set in such a way that the hook is not noticeable, otherwise the fish will get scared and leave the water area. But when fishing for dead fish or live bait, the hook must be open, otherwise it will be impossible to hook the fish. Usually the fish is impaled by the lip, tail or fin.

The trout sees the hook, but is not afraid of it, apparently mistaking it for a sharp fish fin. Live bait is always closer to the bottom. If fishing takes place along the river flow, then the fry heads towards the whirlpool. To increase the chance of a bite, the angler always tries to play with the tip of the fishing rod. Lake trout are caught by reeling in the fishing line and reeling in the fishing rod.

You can only catch qualifying fish using live bait or dead fish. If the fisherman's goal is to catch small or medium-sized trout, then there is no point in fishing with live bait. But most often you come across small specimens of trout, so they don’t often fish with live bait.

Only experienced fishermen with great patience can wait for a trophy trout to bite on the fry. Usually they fish with live bait during fall fishing. At this time, the fish is hungry and becomes voracious.

She scours the pond in search of food and may be tempted by the fry. The fly as bait is used in spring fly fishing for trout. At this time, nature awakens from hibernation. Various insects wake up and fall from the trees into the water.

The trout begins to gorge on insects and if they see a fly, they will certainly bite on it if the natural action of the bait is carried out using fly fishing. Other baits are also used, but are not as widespread as live bait, worms and flies.

Rules for catching salmon on the Kola Peninsula

Salmon are caught only with licenses, and everything is serious here, this is not the Leningrad region, lined with nets up and down - the rivers are checked by mixed detachments of fish inspection and riot police with automatic weapons. I won’t retell the scary stories told by Murmansk residents about fisheries inspection and poachers, but they completely discourage them from engaging in unlicensed fishing.

The rules are quite simple (may vary for different rivers):

It is prohibited to fish (to be on the river with gear) without a license
The license is personal and is purchased directly at fishing sites at fish inspection points
Fishing with a spinning rod or fly fishing is allowed under the license.
In the case of a “catch and release” license, it is necessary to use barbless hooks, no more than double ones, and carefully release the fish, entering its parameters into the license
In the case of a catch-and-seizure license, any hooks are used. It is prohibited to fish by trolling, trolling, or rafting from moving boats. You can fish from an anchored boat. The license allows the removal of one fish from a specific section of the river during a specific time period (from 4 to 6 hours, depending on the date).
At the end of fishing, it is necessary to register the catch where the licenses were issued.

We purchased licenses of both types (“catch-and-seizure” and “catch-and-release”), for cosmic, even by St. Petersburg standards, money. As a result, we were never able to close all the “catch and seize” licenses, and we didn’t even get to the “catch and release” license. This time we never met the legendary fish inspector with machine gunners, although our fellow travelers had dealt with it more than once on previous fishing trips. The meeting threatens with a harsh search of the entire camp and boats, checking of licenses, documents and gear, preventive threats and explanatory conversations - and this is even if everything is in order with your licenses. If not, then it’s better not to meet the fisheries inspection. This place is harsh.

Fishing for trout with artificial bait

Fishing for trout with a spinning rod is both an exciting activity and unpredictable fishing. After all, the spinner must choose the right artificial bait. Trout can be capricious and take only spinner baits, ignoring spinners, and vice versa. Therefore, the angler has a large collection of spinners with him.

They vary in size, color and shape. If after several casts the trout ignores the spinner, then the spinner puts in another bait. In the end, he will certainly succeed. According to experienced spinning fishermen, castmaster as an artificial bait shows the best results.

It can be cast over a long distance, and it behaves well in the water, imitating the movements of a fry. Kuzhma can rise from ten meters deep in the lake to attack bait on the surface. In such reservoirs, light baits, such as poppers, are used.

But if fishing takes place at depth, then it is advisable to fish with wobblers. Usually the fisherman has with him a variety of wobblers with different immersion depths. If the spinner’s goal is to catch small trout, then he should always put a small spinner on the fishing line.

But in large lakes and paid reservoirs there live individuals weighing three kilograms or more. Here you will need only the largest artificial baits, imitating the movements of a small fish or insect. If you fish with spinning gear, you can catch not only trout, but also other types of fish, for example, grayling.

Sometimes spinners get tired of fishing with artificial bait. While fishing, they make bottom tackle from a spinning rod and begin to fish for other species of fish that live in a mountain reservoir. Artificial flies skillfully stay on the hook when fly fishing.

But you should choose the right fly. It should look like a bug living in a given body of water. It should be remembered that insects do not always fly. And if a fisherman uses a fly similar to an insect during spring fishing, which mainly flies only at the end of summer, then the trout may become wary and not bite.

But in the fall, the fish require a lot of food and therefore the fisherman can allow his imagination to run wild and choose the most unusual artificial fly. These attachments can resemble not only insects, but also their larvae.

Fishing as a hobby

More and more, salmon fishing is taking on the character of extreme fishing and is taking on mass but organized forms. Catching such a fish and feeling its power when fishing is the ultimate dream of every amateur and sports angler. Such fishing has become available not only to local fishermen, but also to fishermen from other, more remote regions, where there are no traces of salmon. Given such a huge demand, some local businessmen improve water bodies and grow trout in them to organize mass fishing trips for anglers in order to catch trout. Such businessmen work together with travel companies, which organize such trips.

But people are more attracted to extreme sports, and they are happy to go to wild rivers with wild nature. This is a unique type of active recreation, when in search of trout, salmon or salmon you need to walk tens of kilometers, making your way through dense thickets, while fighting off attacking insects.

The real extreme and a huge surge of adrenaline will come at the moment when the spinning rod, almost breaking into two parts, bends under the weight of a large fish and you will need to put together patience, strength and dexterity. The pleasure will be complete if, along with cries of joy, a specimen of salmon weighing about 10-15 kilograms appears on the shore. At this moment, feelings will overwhelm and the amount that will be paid to the travel company will seem like a real trifle.

Igor 01/07/2016

Fishing time

Trout can be caught all year round, with the exception of the spawning season. This fish prefers to live in clean, clear water. Mountain streams are great for this. Trout do not like summer heat, which warms the water. Therefore, when the sun is shining, the fish hides in the depths and comes out of its hiding place only after sunset.

Therefore, fishermen go to catch this fish in the morning, evening and at night, but there is no point in fishing on a summer day. But in spring the water is cool, and therefore the fish bite during the day too. If the water becomes cloudy, the bites stop. During the flight of the mayfly, the peak of zhora is observed. This is usually the end of spring and beginning of summer.

Then comes the summer decrease in fish activity due to hot weather. In autumn, the water in rivers and lakes cools down again. This makes the fish active, and it begins to have an excellent meal again. Autumn trout can be caught all day long.

Reproduction

Unlike their Pacific relatives (coho salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, Chinook salmon), which die en masse after spawning, Atlantic salmon are able to return to their river to procreate up to 5 times during their life. Sexual maturity of fish occurs at 2-7 years. The timing of maturation directly depends on the growth rate of the young in fresh water and the abundance of food in the marine environment. Salmon spawning usually takes place in October-December at water temperatures from 0°C to +6°C. But due to the wide geographical distribution, high degree of intraspecific plasticity and persistent genetic characteristics, the timing of migration to rivers has a large temporal scatter.

Morphological groups:

spring - has well-developed sexual characteristics. Enters a fresh reservoir in advance (June-July) and lays eggs in the same season;
winter - goes to rivers in the fall a year before spawning. The final maturation of the reproductive system occurs during wintering and in the warm season;
ice - belated shoals that did not have time to rise up the river before the freeze-up began. The cold season is spent in the estuarine areas, and with the arrival of spring they continue their spawning migration upstream. During wintering, some of the individuals have time to mature, so ice cream can belong to both the spring and winter groups.

As the spawning period approaches, the salmon acquires a nuptial plumage, which is clearly expressed in males due to the thickening of the back, an increase in the length of the snout and the hook-shaped bend of the jaws. Atlantic salmon is a lithophilous species that lays eggs in hard ground that does not interfere with good water circulation and sufficient oxygen flow. To do this, the female knocks out a depression in the pebbles or gravel with her tail, throws a portion of large non-stick eggs there and, after fertilization by the males, fills the clutch.

To learn more:

Omul: where the fish are found, what they eat and how they spawn

One sexually mature female individual is capable of laying up to 15-22 thousand eggs in 1-2 weeks of the spawning run and forming dozens of nests (mounds) in different parts of the river, which significantly increases the chances of survival of the offspring. For spawning, the optimal depths are 0.5-1.5 m with a moderate current of 0.5-1.0 m/s and a thick layer of bottom sediments from small fractions of gravel or pebbles.

The incubation period of eggs is quite long. The larvae emerge from the spawning mound at the end of winter or beginning of spring. Due to the scarcity of benthic food, they receive their main energy from the yolk sac. Having grown stronger, the fry goes in search of an individual nursery area with a small current of several square meters in area, where it can hide from predators and find a permanent food supply.

Fledglings that have grown to 8-10 cm move to places with fast currents, where they find quiet resting places in boulders or depressions directly under the streams. Here the fry closely monitors the food carried away by the water and, if necessary, makes a swift lunge to grab a larva, worm, insect, or small crustacean.

Fishing location and specifics of trout fishing

When fishing for trout, you should go to mountain rivers and lakes. Trout lives in the same place as grayling. Both fish love the cleanliness and transparency of water bodies, are timid, and do not like noise and the voices of people. It usually happens that a fisherman comes to fish for trout, and at the same time grayling is caught, and vice versa, when fishing for grayling, trout is caught.

One should only rejoice at this, as there will be a variety of dishes on the table. You can't make noise while trout fishing. The fish will be frightened by the noise and will hide in a quiet place from where you can’t get it out. Therefore, fishermen often go fishing alone, without taking a partner or dog with them, so that the fishing takes place in complete silence, alone with nature.

A real fisherman always dresses correctly. To do this, you need to purchase a camouflage fishing suit. This is an excellent camouflage that helps to blend in with the foliage of trees and coastal vegetation. If the fisherman is wearing bright and provocative clothing, he will not have to count on a catch.

The fish should be approached slowly, carefully and silently. The fish should not see the approaching person. Fishing should take place in the current. There the water is cooler and the saturation of life-giving oxygen is higher. But trout do not live in stagnant water, as this is a detrimental place for its well-being.

Small individuals like to stay behind large stones. There they rest and gain strength, since a lot of energy is wasted due to the fight against the strong current of a mountain river. But large trout are holding on to fallen trees and large snags sticking out of the water.

It can be located either near the bottom or closer to the surface, where it feeds on insects that have fallen into the water. When fishing, you should remember about fish protection prohibitions, individual in each region. For a small fish, you need to carefully remove the hook from the mouth and release the fish into the water.

Let it live, swim and feed, and then it will grow into a large fish, give birth and be hooked again. Fishing results are especially good at points where there are differences in depth, in holes, at the mouths of rivers and streams. These are places where trout can get food and hide from predators in case of the slightest danger.

Spinning fishing

When choosing gear, it is recommended to take into account the likelihood of catching a large fish. Therefore, if fishing is planned in a large river, where there is a high probability of catching a large individual, it is recommended to choose a two-handed fishing rod, the length of which is close to 2.5 meters. Before pulling it ashore, experienced fishermen usually lead it into a narrow gap between boulders, in which it, tired of resisting, remains motionless for some time. It is convenient to get it out of the water with a small hook or with your hands, grabbing it with your fingers under the gills or taking it in your hands near the tail.

Top dressing

Trout is a more predatory fish than a herbivore, as it feeds mainly on animal food. For successful fishing, you need to feed the fishing spot. The food must contain components that make the food smell like fish.

How to catch salmon

Due to the peculiarities of the growth of young animals and the maturation of reproductive products in individuals preparing for spawning, the species is present in rivers throughout the entire calendar year. But due to innate caution and a developed instinct of self-preservation, it rarely approaches the shore, so the main gear for catching salmon is a long-range spinning rod.

Experienced fishermen recommend using a heavy-class rod 2.7-3.5 m long with a fast or medium action and a top cast of 35-50 g. A power spinning reel with a sensitive drag is selected to match the blank. A braided cord of 0.22-0.25 mm is used as the main fishing line. Oscillating spoons of yellow, red and copper shades, weighing 25-40 g, are considered a universal bait. “Castmaster” is effective when catching salmon, which ensures casting range and high accuracy.

To learn more:

Description of the trout fish - how is it useful?

Usually salmon grabs the bait instinctively, seeing it as a threat to their eggs and fry. The main goal of the attack is not to swallow, but to drive away the stranger, so a sharp hook must be made immediately after hitting the spoon. Salmon is a very strong and tireless fish. To avoid the risk of derailment, during the fishing process it is necessary to constantly keep the line in tension, not allowing the prey to rest.

Duration of the fishing season

Fishing for salmon in the Murmansk region is carried out only with special personalized one-time permits - licenses. You can find out detailed information about the rules for licensed salmon fishing, the list of salmon rivers, fishing conditions there and the length of the season on the Internet - this information is completely open to everyone. In the north and northeast of the Murmansk region, on most rivers, the salmon fishing season begins at the end of May and ends in mid-September.

One of the exceptions to the rule is the Kola River, where the opening of the season can begin in the first ten days of May, and the closing at the end of October. The duration of the season in the southern part of the Kola Peninsula - on the rivers of the Tersky Bank - is much longer. On some rivers, the season sometimes begins in late April and ends in early November.