Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Fishing on Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake will open for Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Fishing on October 1st, 2007. The trout fishing season will remain open until June 30th.

There are some new fishing regulations this year, including ...

• Barbless hooks are required.

• No fishing is allowed within 500 feet of any docks (this rule is meant to help protect shore anglers while boats are launching from the dock).
  

• From March 15 to May 16 the area from Sutcliffe Marina to the end of the South Nets will be closed to protect spawning fish.

• No alcohol will be allowed on the Marina Beach and Long Beach

Other rules and regulations still apply, including ....

• Bag limit is two trout.

• Cutthroat trout under 16 inches in length or between 19 and 24 inches must be released unharmed.

• You can keep two trout which are 16-19 inches in length or you can keep one trout 16-19 inches plus one trout over 24 inches.

• You need a special tribal fishing permit and a special tribal boating permit.
  

For more information, and trout fishing tips for Pyramid Lake, click here.

National Fly Fishing Competition in Colorado

The Annual National Fly Fishing Competition will commence on October 3rd, 2007 in Colorado.

This competition constitutes the final round of the regional competitions held across the United States. Fifteen of the competitors will be chosen by the coaching staff of Team USA to represent the United States in an 2008 Olympic style event in New Zealand.

For three days, participants will fish on the Big Thompson River, the Poudre River, Dowdy Lake and Parvin Lake in a bid to make the biggest catch.

Spectators are welcome!

Rule Changes for Lower Columbia River Tributaries in Washington

As of last Saturday (22 Sept. 2007), anglers must release any chinook salmon they encounter on Washington's nine tributaries to the lower Columbia River. The Washington Department of Fish Wildlife (WDFW) say the new rule is in effect because returns in the lower Columbia stocks are lower than predicted.

Tributaries affected are the Cowlitz, Lewis, North Fork Lewis, Elochoman, Toutle, North Fork Toutle, Green (in Cowlitz County), Kalama and Washougal rivers, including Camas Slough.

Fisheries for hatchery coho and hatchery steelhead are not affected by the new rule.

At the same time, however, a sudden surge in upriver chinook past Bonneville Dam has prompted fishery managers to restore some retention fisheries for chinook salmon that closed earlier this week.

Based on recent fish counts at Bonneville Dam, fishery managers from Washington and Oregon now expect this year’s upriver chinook return to be about 10,000 more fish than projected earlier this week.

As a result, both Washington and Oregon agreed to allow anglers to retain chinook salmon they catch in the mainstem Columbia River from the Hood River Bridge to the 395 Bridge.

Click here for more information on this rule change.

Trout Fishing is Heating Up!

Fall has arrived in many parts of the country. And cooler temperatures mean better trout fishing action!

So now is the time to get out and fish. Take the kids fishing and enjoy the outdoors and fall colors.

Trout fishing should improve through October and early November as water temperatures continue to cool. Once winter sets in, trout fishing action will slack off again. So enjoy the Fall action while you can!

Click the links below for more trout fishing tips and information ....

Check Your Fishing Line

Steelhead Trout Fishing

Speckled Trout Fishing

Discover New Fishing Spots

Trout Fishing Season Re-Opened in Pu'u Lua Reservoir

Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources announced yesterday a second open fishing season for rainbow trout is in effect now. Trout Fishing is limited to the Pu'u Lua Reservoir in the Koke'e Public Fishing Area.

Anglers with a valid Hawaii State Fishing License may fish daily during daylight hours between sunrise and sunset for rainbow trout. There is no daily bag limit,

Other trout fishing rules include:

• Only one pole and line are allowed, or one line with one lure, or one baited hook attached to one line.
  
• The use of treble hooks is prohibited.
• The use of corn baits is prohibited.

All other existing rules remain applicable. The fishing season will remain open until closed by the DLNR.

A break in the water distribution system which supplies water to Pu'u Lua Reservoir, where DLNR manages the public fishing area is what prompted the second trout fishing season.

The break in the inflow system threatens the trout population in the Puu Lua reservoir, and the only remedy until the water flow is restored, is to have as much of the trout removed as soon possible.

The Agriculture Development Corporation will be making the repairs in the near future.

Due to rough roads, a 4-wheel drive vehicle is recommended for driving to Pu'u Lua Reservoir. Be sure to check in and out at the check-in station at Pu'u Lua Reservoir before and after fishing (it's required).

For further information or a current list of license agents, call DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources on Oahu at 832-5009 or the Lihu'e Aquatic Resources office at 274-3345.

Difference Between Trout And Salmon

Most people know that trout and salmon are the same family (salmonid). Char, grayling and whitefish also belong to the salmonid family.

One of the things that distinguishes fish in the salmonid family from other fish is that salmonids (trout, salmon, char, grayling and whitefish) need clean, cool water and a healthy habitat to live in. This why invasive species and plants are such a big deal when found in these environments - they threaten the population of salmonids.

Of the salmonids, trout and salmon are very closely related and most trout anglers enjoy catching salmon and vice versa.

Just as there are many different species of trout (rainbow, brown, brook, lake, apache, gila, steelhead, etc.), there are different species of salmon (coho, chinook, Atlantic, sockeye, and chum).

And to the untrained eye, it can sometimes be difficult identifying your catch (especially since these fish have a lot of similar characteristics).

The easiest way to to tell the difference between salmon and trout (when in doubt) is to count the number of rays on the anal fin.

All trout have 12 or less rays in this fin, whereas salmon have 13 or more rays.

This rule is an interesting bit of trivia, it can be useful in helping you identify the difference between trout and salmon.

Outdoor Adventure Day in Georgia

Georgia's Department of Natural Resources will host Outdoor Adventure Day on September 22nd between 10 am and 4 pm at Unicoi State Park.

The event will be held in he large field along Smith Creek downstream from Unicoi Lake Dam. The creek will be stocked with trout during the day - and September 22nd will be a free fishing day!

There will be plenty of activities for kids and adults of all ages including canoeing, trout fishing, fly tying and casting, airgun shooting, archery and skeet shooting. There will also be live wildlife shows and hunting dog demonstrations.

This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about fishing - including fly fishing. Fly fishers from Trout Unlimited and the Georgia Women Flyfishers will be on hand to provide instructions on fly-casting using their equipment.

DNR and US Forest Service instructors will also be on hand to offer tips and help you enjoy skeet shooting. Everything you need will be provided - including shotguns and ammo.

A state park pass ($3) is required for each vehicle. Bring the whole family and enjoy Outdoor Adventure Day together!

Trout Fishing in Kansas

The Trout Fishing Season in Kansas opens October 15th and runs through April 15th. During this time, many lakes and ponds are stocked with rainbow and brown trout.

After the trout fishing season ends, you still may be able to catch a few trout left over from the stockings, but you'll have to wait for the next season for more trout stockings.

However, the Mined Land Wildlife Area Unit #30 (Cherokee County) and Tuttle Creek State Park Willow Lake do offer year round trout fishing (a year round trout permit is required).

Some local governments in areas such as Topeka and Kansas City have their own trout stocking programs. Many of these require a fee, but the state permit is not required. Local city and county recreation departments should be able to give you details.

Here's a list of lakes in Kansas which are stocked with trout during the trout fishing season. Every angler (whether you're catching trout or not) must have a trout fishing permit to fish in these lakes:

• Cedar Bluff Stilling Basin
• Cimarron Grasslands Pits
• Dodge City Lake Charles
• Ft. Scott Gun Park Lake
• Garnett Crystal Lake
• Glen Elder State Park Pond
• Kanopolis Seep Stream
• KDOT East Lake in Wichita
• Lake Henry in Clinton State Park
• Mined Land WA Unit #30
• Pratt Centennial Pond
• Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area Sandpits (Periodically Dry)
• Topeka Auburndale Park
• Vic’s Lake and Slough Creek in Sedgwick County Park
• Walnut River Area in El Dorado State Park
• Webster Stilling Basin
  

The lakes below are also stocked with trout during the season, but only trout anglers need to have trout permit:

• Ft. Riley Cameron Springs
• Great Bend Veterans Memorial Park Lake
• Hutchinson Dillon Nature Center Pond
• Kanopolis State Park Pond
• Moon Lake on Fort Riley
• Moss Lake and Horseshoe Lake in Sedgwick County Park
• Salina Lakewood Lake
• Scott State Fishing Lake
• Scott State Park Pond
• Sherman County Smoky Gardens Lake
• Solomon River between Webster Reservoir Rooks County #2 Road
  

In May 2007 , a new state record for brown trout was set. The fish weighed in at 7.68 ounces and measured 10.66 inches in length.

The Kansas state record for the largest rainbow trout (set in 1982) is currently 9.31 lbs, measuring 28.25 inches in length.

California Wild Trout Getting Help from the State

Last Wednesday, California's senate passed a bill that will help protect wild trout populations in the state. The bill was introduced by Republican Senator Dave Cogdill.

This means it's now the policy of the state to establish and maintain wild trout stocks in suitable waters of the state and establish angling regulations designed to maintain the wild trout fishery in those waters by natural reproduction.

It's a well known fact that planting hatchery trout in waters with wild trout can result in hybridization and decrease wild trout populations. So the passing of this bill means that the California Department of Fish and Game will now have to be careful where they plant hatchery trout - so as not to threaten wild trout populations.

You can read more about California's Wild Trout on their web site.

Trout Fishing the Elk River

Looking for places to trout fish in West Virginia? Try the Elk River - the longest river (172 miles long) in West Virginia which flows entirely within the state's boundaries. The Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha River.

You'll find rainbow, brown, and brook trout in the Elk River - and some pretty large ones at that! Although many of these trout are stocked - there are plenty of wild brown and native brook trout in the river as well.

The upper portion of the Elk River (above Webster Springs) offers the best trout fishing. This time of year, brown and brook trout will be starting to show their spawning colors.

Jack Bell (writer for West Virginia Game and Fish Magazine) shared the following fishing tips in a recent article.

• Spin-fishermen would do well to lean on Rooster Tails, small Mepps Aglia spinners, spinner- fly tandem rigs, Blue Fox Vibrax spinners and small jointed Rapala minnow lures.
  

• Flyfishermen should look to streamers like Woolly Buggers in olive, black, and yellow matuka-style patterns, Clouser minnows and Mickey Finns.
  

• Nymph fishermen will want to lean on patterns such as the Prince, Pheasant Tail, olive and grey Gold-ribbed Hare's Ear, hellgrammite and red squirrel nymphs. You will want to have these patterns in both beadhead and the normal non-beadhead configuration.
  

• Dry-fly anglers will want to use ant and beetle patterns, small grasshoppers, stimulators, elk hair caddis and midge patterns.

In addition to the Upper Elk River (above Webster Springs) - Cranberry, South Branch of the Potomac near Franklin, North Fork of the South Branch, and Shavers Fork of Cheat and Williams rivers are other favorite trout fishing spots in West Virginia.