Initial Results of World Fly Fishing Championship

The 28th Annual Fly Fishing Championship started off great for Team U.S.A, who placed fourth after the first day of fishing. However, following day 2, Team U.S.A. slipped in the rankings and currently ranks 7th in the overall standings.

New Zealand is currently in the lead followed by the Czech Republic. England is currently in line for the bronze medal. You can check out the other rankings of competition by clicking here.

There are still two more sessions to complete before awards can be handed out. Stay tuned for more information ....

Trout Derby at Powder Mill Park on April 1st

The Fish Hatchery at Powder Mills Park will host a variety of fishing derbies this spring beginning the Riedman Foundation Opening Day Trout Derby on April 1, 2008. The derby will begin at 7 a.m. and run til noon at the weigh station at Powder Horn Lodge.

Fishing will take place in designated areas of Irondequoit Creek within the boundaries of Powder Mills Park. Prizes will be awarded for the largest catch (1st, 2nd, & 3rd) at noon at Powderhorn Lodge.

There is a $5 registration fee for anglers 8 yrs of age and older. Advanced registration is required. To register, contact the hatchery staff at 586-1670.

Powder Mills Park is owned and operated by Monroe County. Riedman took over the hatchery when he heard the county was going to close it. Proceeds from the trout derby will benefit the fish hatchery.

World Fly Fishing Championship This Weekend

Just wanted to send a quick reminder that the FIPS-MOUCHE World Fly Fishing Championship will be taking place this weekend in New Zealand.

Following two practice days, there are three days of competition (beginning March 22, 2008) at five different lakes and rivers involving both bank and boat fishing. Results are posted at the end of each day's competition at competition headquarters and on the NZ Fishing website.

The NZ National Open Feather Merchants Fly Tying Championship will also take place this weekend. This first annual Championship is designed to showcase the fly tying skills and artistic talents of fly fishers from around the world. It's open to all Competitors (team members) registered for the WFFC and all current members of SFFNZ.

Should be an exciting weekend! And of course, we'll be sure to post the final results here.

South West U.K. Fly Fishing Season Opens Wednesday

U.K. anglers are anxiously awaiting the fly-fishing season opener at Hawkbridge Reservoir, near Spaxton on Wednesday.

A large crowd is expected. Members of the locally-based Hawkridge Fly-Fishing Club will also be there. The club always welcomes new members and offer free tuition and advice.

The other Wessex Water reservoirs at Sutton Bingham, near Yeovil, and Clatworthy (Wiveliscombe) will also open on Wednesday.

Youth Fly Fishing Clinic in California March 15th

There will be a youth fly fishing clinic on Saturday, March 15, 2008 near Oroville, California. The clinic is sponsored by the the Wilderness Unlimited Foundation (WUF) and the Northern California Council Fly Fishing Federation (NCCFFF).

The one-day fly fishing clinic will be held at the "99 East" Ranch of Wilderness Unlimited (WU) and is open to all youth between ages 10-16 interested in learning the basics of fly fishing. No previous experience is required.

The clinic, part of WUF’s ongoing fly fishing education program, is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. There is a student expense fee of $30, which covers take-home materials, use of equipment and lunch.

The seminar is limited to 16 students, who will be broken up into four groups. During the day each student will have personal, one-on-one instruction on entomology, knot-tying, casting and fly-tying.

All students will be given ample fishing time as well. The facility is one of Wilderness Unlimited's fisheries, with ponds holding trout, bass, bluegill and catfish.

Reservations are required to attend the youth fly fishing event.

To make a reservation or attain additional information about the seminar, call (877) 611-4868 or e-mail youth_camp@wildernessunlimited.com.

New Gila Trout Fishing Opportunities

In July 2007, anglers were allowed to fish for Gila trout in selected New Mexico waters for the first time since 1966. Several restrictions were imposed including a limited fishing season between July 1 and September 30. Other restrictions include the use of single barbless hooks on artificial flies and lures and anglers must release all Gila trout caught. A valid Gila trout permit is also required.

In February, a proposal to limit anglers to two flies per line was rejected by New Mexico’s State Game Commission.

Some anglers and guides had expressed concerns that fish on the San Juan River and other waters are being injured when lines with multiple flies break and wrap around fish. Broken lines with flies also are potential hazards to waterfowl and other wildlife.

The Commission also voted in favor of adding portions of Mogollon Creek to the list of Gila trout angling opportunities and extending the season from September 30 to October 31. For more information about the latest Gila trout fishing proposals, click here.

For more information about Gila trout fishing in New Mexico, click here.

5th Annual Fredericksburg Fly Fishing Show

This year's Fly Fishing Show will be held March 22, 2008 at the National Guard Armory in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Admission is $5 for entire day of fly fishing fun!

Fly fishing legend Lefty Kreh and author Beau Beasley will join this year's guest speaker lineup. This year's show will also feature a great variety of vendors, casting instruction, a fly tying table, two different raffles, and a silent auction to support the club and its activities with the community in the coming year.

This show is hosted annually by the Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers. A group dedicated to conservation and restoration of our natural resources and education of the public about all aspects of fly fishing.

For more information about the Fredericksburg Fly Fishing Show, click here.

28th Annual World Fly Fishing Championship March 22-30

It's almost that time again for the world's best fly fishers to gather and compete for the World Fly Fishing Championship. This year's competition will be held in the Rotorua region of the North Island of New Zealand.

The championship will be held across three areas of the region. The first part of the competition will be held the north of Rotorua on Waihou river and the Ohinimuri River.

The lake fishing portion of the competition will be on two of the regions finest fishing lakes which are to the south of Rotorua and Lake Taupo, namely Lakes Otamangakau and Rotoaira.

The part of the competition will be held on the great Wanganui River near to the town of Taumaranui.

All these rivers and lakes contain wild trout only (brown and rainbow trout) and provide excellent fishing. Trout approximately 25 inches (65 cm) are caught regularly in local competitions.

For more information about the 28th World Fly Fishing Championship, click here.

Karel Krivanec Shares His Experiences and Advice

One of our readers is Dr. Karel Krivanec, an avid fly fisher and member of the Czech World Fly Fishing Team (Czech Nymphs). He's been competing in fly fishing competitions for over 25 years. Dr. Karel Krivanec also authored the best selling book, Czech Nymph and Other Related Fishing Methods.

We recently had a chance to interview him and thought you might be interested to learn more about him.


What field is your doctoral degree in?

My doctoral degree is in biology - human parasitology. I have published many articles about biology of tick borne encephalitis virus in the hosts in different natural foci of the disease and my today’s specialty is human mycosis. Fish biology is my hobby as flyfishing.


How long have you been fly fishing?

My first experiments with flies were when I was about 15 years old. It was about 45 years ago.


What age did you start fly fishing?

I started flyfishing seriously when I was at the university. But at that time I was into casting. I competed in it for 10 years.


How long have you been competing in tournaments and when did you become interested in it?

I’ve been competing in regular flyfishing competitions for about 25 years in Czech Republic. I was active competitor in between 1985 - 1992. I became the first champion of South Bohemia and I was 2nd in another Czechoslovak Championship. It was right after the golden metal winner Slavoj Svoboda who was the world champion.

At this time I started to organize several flyfishing competitions. In 1990 I became the president of Czechoslovak National Flyfishing Committee and also Team Manager. (From 1993 until 2006 I was the Czech Team Manager).


Do you have a favorite memory from your years of fly fishing (personal or competition) that you’d like to share?

My best memory is winning team golden medal in Norway 1994. We won because we caught only one more fish then the French team.

In 1996 I was the international organizer of the 16th World Fly Fishing Championship in Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic (South Bohemia) where our team also won the golden medal. In 1999 we won in Poland.


What advice do you have for youngsters wanting to compete in competitions?

Fly fishing is a sport like any other and you have to devote your free time to it. If you want to become the World Champion you have to use the best equipment and tackle, you also have to practice countless hours in the river or lake. And you also need luck.


We'd like to thank Dr. Karel Krivanec for taking time to share of his personal experiences and advice to anglers wishing to compete in flyfishing competitions. Be sure to check out Karel Krivanec's book, Czech Nymph and Other Related Fishing Methods for expert advice from a World Fly Fishing Champion!

Women's Fishing Club in Ohio

If you're a woman who likes to fish and live in the Northeast part of Ohio State, you may want to check out the new women's fishing club.

The Fishing Ladies of Ohio are holding their inaugural meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Gander Mountain store in Twinsburg. While only women are invited, the guest speaker is district fisheries management supervisor Phil Hillman of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, tackling the popular steelhead trout fishing in Northeast Ohio.

The goal of the club is to bring women together who enjoy fishing, or want to learn the sport and enjoy going on fishing outings together. There are no plans for regular meetings, but rather to explore the types of fishing available in the state.

Kelly Riesen of Ohio Sea Grant, Suzanne Faerber, Andrea Scott and Jamey Graham have been the driving force behind the group. The meeting is open and registration is required. Call Graham, 330-245-3020 today or Monday.

Fenton Lake Closed for Ice Fishing

New Mexico trout anglers will have to fish somewhere else for a while now that Fenton Lake State Park is closed to ice fishers. This lake is popular for rainbow and cutthroat trout fishing.

The closure came after warmer temperatures weakened the ice making it unsafe for anglers.
For more information, call (575) 829-3630.

How to Make Fishing Lures

It doesn't take long for avid anglers to get hooked on making their own lures. We're creative people and like to experiment. After all, all lures share a similar history ... an angler noticed how fish prey on other living creatures and came up with a way to imitate it.

But in addition to the desire to create something new, there are other advantages to making your own lures - or at least knowing how.

Some trout fisheries have restrictions on artificial lures. In most cases, these restrictions limit the number of hooks on lure or the use of barbed hooks. When you buy a lure, it may not be "legal" out of the box. But the problem can be easily solved by removing or replacing hooks. In some cases, you can get away filing or pinching down barbs.

Lures can also get pretty expensive - especially if you lose a lot due to snags. Yet some of the best trout holding places are full of rocks, logs and weeds which are famous for snagging your lures. Anglers tend to adopt a "spare the lure" attitude and will avoid fishing in those areas. The downside to this attitude is that you may be losing out on catching that trophy trout!

Making your own lures costs a lot less money than buying them. Not only that, but the savings will help eliminate the "save the lure" attitude. So you'll become less concerned about snagging your lures when fishing in difficult trout holding lies.

My great-grandpa used to hand carve his own lures. While I'm not that skilled, I do enjoy buying and kits to make my own lures from scratch. And now, I'm enjoying teaching my nephew to do the same. We share a sense of accomplishment by making our own lures.

If you'd like to start making your own fishing lures, here's some resources you might helpful.

Wooden Lure Making - This eBook will show you step by step how to make your own wooden topwater lures. This eBook will also show you how to paint your wooden lures as well as paint a scale pattern on them. You'll learn how to make poppers, prop baits, and other topwater plugs. If you're a woodworker, you'll enjoy this book.

How to Make Fishing Lures - This 103-page eBook shows you how to make spoons, spinners, jigs, plugs, and more. It does a nice job of outlining the tools you'll need and some nice illustrations showing exact dimensions of the various lures you'll be making. This book is very clear and easy to understand.

If you like to know how to silver-plate your own lures, you'll definitely want to pick up a copy of the book, Spinner Fishing for Steelhead, Salmon and Trout by Jed Davis. Even if you have no interest in steelhead fishing, you won't find a better book with detailed instructions for silver plating your own lures. Few anglers realize the difference between silver and nickel plated lures. Yet it's a proven fact that silver is much more visible underwater than nickel is - and silver-plated lures are hard to find. This book shows you step by step how to make your own silver-plated lures.

With these resources, you'll be able to make your own fishing lures for all types of fishing.

Winter Trout Fishing Tips

Although Spring is quickly approaching, many of us are still enjoying the winter trout fishing season. Depending on where you live, you may be ice fishing or fishing in very cold water. Cold water means lethargic trout.

Some anglers are under the misconception that trout hibernate in winter when water temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. But this isn't true. The truth is that trout are generally holding in water to conserve energy during the cold winter months. You can still catch them - you just need to get your offering to them.

While trout aren't actively feeding in winter months, they still need eat to survive. Their feeding turns more to "maintenance" rather than eating everything nearby that appeals to them.

In rivers and streams, trout will usually be found hugging the bottom, where the water is warmer. They like deep pools of water, where the water is calmer. In lakes, trout will usually be found in shallower water, often times near shore. Again, they're looking for warmer water that has a good balance of dissolved oxygen.

Artificial lures are very effective on winter trout. Spoons and spinners often produce great results. When fished properly, these lures emit a flash and vibration that can entice non-feeding trout into striking. Often times, this is a defensive strike (trout trying to protect their territory). The flash helps trout to see the lure at a distance and can help wake them out of lethargic stupor. The vibration emits a frequency that sounds similar to baitfish.

Given the choice between a spinner of a spoon, choose spinners when fishing in calmer water and spoons when fishing in fast currents. This is because spinners tend to rise in fast moving water (which may not be where fish are). Likewise, faster moving currents help spoons move more erratically (making them more effective).

Some spoons are designed for jigging, meaning they're fished vertically in an up and down motion. Jigging spoons are typically used by ice fishers. Jigs are another popular ice fishing lure. There many variations to choose from , some with bucktails and some plain.

One way to make your lures more effective in winter is to add a mealworm or a piece of minnow or nightcrawler. Doing so will help appeal to a trout's sense of smell in addition to sight.

Just be sure to check your local fishing regulations ahead of time as some places have rules restricting the use of live bait and artificial lures.

Waxies and Wigglers - Trout Love 'Em!

Simply put, waxies and wigglers are worms. Waxies is another name for waxworms and wigglers are another name for nightcrawlers and other big wiggly worms.

While many of these worms are not commonly found in a trout's environment, they still love them (and so do other game fish). There are over 4,000 types of worms, and trout love them all.

Some of the worms used most often by trout anglers include, nightcrawlers, red worms, waxworms, and mealworms. Mealworms are favorite in my family. We've all caught countless trout and other fish using mealworms.

Many anglers dig up earthworms out of their own gardens to use for bait. Kids love digging up worms! Worms need moist soil to survive, so they'll often be found under big rocks and other structures that help keep the soil damp. Lay a board down in your garden and pour dishwater over it and you'll attract even more worms.

But for those of us who don't have gardens, another option is to buy worms at a local bait and tackle store on your way to the lake or river. Even Wal-mart sells worms for fishing.
But buying worms can get expensive - especially if you fish a lot. You can easily spend a couple hundred dollars a year buying worms. Of course, it's not always easy to find time to stop by the store.

Another option is to rear your own worms - which gives you an unlimited supply of live bait for the rest of your life! Buy them once, and you'll never have to buy worms again (assuming you care for them properly. Kids love worm farms and enjoy raising their own fishing bait.

If you're interested in starting own worm farm, check out the Worm Man. This site sells a large variety of worms including (waxies and wigglers) as well as other things trout like to eat (including, crickets, spikes, and crayfish). You can start your own worm farm today!

Live Bait Versus Artificials

Some anglers look (especially fly fishers) down on those that use live bait to catch trout. They consider the practice sort of like cheating. The use of live bait, to some, requires less finesse. These same anglers will argue that it takes more skill to fool a trout into taking an artificial fly or lure than it does to dangle live bait in front of trout.

While I can agree that it sometimes does take more skill and finesse to get trout to strike an artificial bait, I also believe that the use of live bait takes a bit of skill.

For one thing, it doesn't matter if you're using live natural baits or artificial, you still need to have the skills to figure out where trout are holding. It also takes a bit of know-how to properly hook your live bait and present it in a way that looks natural to trout (or they won't strike).

However, one of the downsides to using live bait is that trout will often swallow it making it difficult or impossible to remove the hook. This doesn't normally happen with lures.

If you plan to practice 'catch and release', you should avoid fishing with live bait. However, even when fishing for dinner there are times when you may need to release your catch (like when it's too small to keep). Fishing with live bait in this situation is perfectly acceptable, but you still may face the problem of having the fish swallow the hook.

One way to combat this problem is to use single barbless hooks (which are easier to remove). You can also pinch down or file the barb off your hooks to make them easier to remove from fish.
In situations where you can't remove the hook without causing internal damage to the fish, it's best to clip the line as close as you can to the hook without trying to remove it. Trout do have digestive enzymes that can dissolve the hook over time (unless it's stainless steel).

Whether you choose to use live bait (worms, minnows, etc.) or artificial lures, understanding the common problems associated with each as well as how to overcome them will make you a better angler while preserving trout fisheries for future generations.

Fly Fishing Clinic for Kids in Ohio

A special lottery is being held for kids interested in learning more about fly fishing. Thirty slots are reserved for the special clinic - 15 are available for the morning session that begins at 8 a.m., and another 15 for the afternoon session that begins at 1 p.m.

The beginners-only fly fishing clinic will take place on Friday, June 13, 2008 on a a half-mile section of Cold Creek at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery in Erie County.

Following the clinic, kids will be able to test their new skills by fishing for rainbow trout in Cold Creek.

To apply, applicants must submit a postcard listing their name, address, phone number and date of birth. Only one postcard per applicant is allowed and no duplicates may be submitted.

Postcards should be sent to: ODNR Division of Wildlife District Two, 952 Lima Ave., Findlay, OH 45840, Attention: Youth Fly Fishing.

Successful applicants will receive an assigned session. Permits are non-transferable. All anglers must be age 16 or younger by the date of the session and be accompanied by a non-fishing adult.

For information on Ohio's fishery resources, call (800) WILDLIFE (1-800-945-5433)

Fly Fishing Tournament in North Carolina

The 2008 Pisgah Fly Masters tournament will take place March 29-30 on the Davidson River in North Carolina.

The Fly Masters tournament will consist of casting for distance and accuracy on Saturday at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. On Sunday, the top 10 finishers will compete on a private portion of the Davidson River.

First place will take home a Sage 8-foot, six-inch Z Axis rod, Lamson Velocity reel with Rio fly line — and bragging rights.

You must register by February 15 to participate in the Pisgah Fly Masters Tournament. There is a $50 registration fee. Competition is limited to the first 125 entrants. For more information, contact Emilie Johnson at (828) 877-4423.

Proceeds from the event will be used to benefit classroom construction at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education ( a visitor and learning facility near Brevard). The planned classroom will be used for educational programs including aquatic habitats, fly fishing and fly tying.

You can check out the rules for the Pisgah Fly Masters Tournament by clicking here.

Winter Trout Fishing Opens Feb. 1 in Newfoundland

The much awaited winter trout fishing season has finally arrived for many Canadians. On February 1st, 2008 the Winter trout fishing season will open in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The following details were printed on the Western Star's web site.

This your chance to head to the ice and enjoy some ice fishing. Special trout management zones will be open for winter trout fishing until April 1st, 2008. These include the Middle Brook and Indian Bay River watersheds and Star Lake.

The season for both the Labrador Straits and southeastern Labrador will open March 1 and close Sept. 7. The season in western Labrador is scheduled to close Sept. 7, while the region taking in central and northern Labrador will remain open until Sept. 15.

The daily bag limit for inland and tidal waters of insular Newfoundland, and brook trout in Labrador, for all trout species combined, is 12 trout or five pounds (2.27 kilograms), plus one fish, whichever is reached first. The daily bag limit for Labrador lake trout and Arctic char is two fish per day.

In special trout management areas, the daily bag limit is six trout or two pounds (0.9 kilograms), plus one fish, whichever is reached first.

The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit with the exception of the special trout management areas, where the possession limit is the daily bag limit.

While fishing through the ice, anglers are permitted to use three separate lines which must be closely and constantly attended by the angler.

Keep in mind that trout (even Lake trout) are usually hanging in shallow water this time of year (8 - 15 feet) where there's plenty of food and oxygenated water. Using a jig tipped with a nightcrawler often produces great results when ice fishing for Lake trout. Spoons tipped with bait are also effective.

For more Lake trout ice fishing tips, click here.

Youth Trout Derby at Lake Poway

This Saturday will Lake Poway will be hosting a Youth Trout Derby.

The lake will be closed Thursday and Friday so it can be stocked with 4,000 pounds of rainbow trout (1,000 pounds of which are estimated to be trophy-sized fish for the kids).

Only kids 15 and under will be allowed to fish (no adult permits will be sold until after noon).
Registration starts at 6 a.m. and all kids must register to participate. However, adults may assist youngsters who need help.

There will be a free barbecue lunch and lots of raffle prizes and great awards for kids who win the various divisions with big fish or stringers of trout.

The award ceremony commences at 1 p.m. and features a kids' "Best Fishing Story Contest."

Motor boats will only be rented to adults who have kids entered in the derby.

The lake's shoreline has been restricted somewhat due to damage from the Witch Creek Fire, but there are still plenty of spots on the north and west shorelines.

Also, to prevent the spread of quagga mussels in the lake, anglers are restricted from using live bait such as shiners and crawdads from any source other than the Lake Poway Concession.

For more information, call (858) 668-4770 or the concession at (858) 486-1234. For more information about Lake Poway, click here.

26th Annual Pool Trout Fishout - Feb 8-10

The 26th Annual Pool Trout Fishout will take place February 8-10, 2008 at Southwood Hallaran Pool (a.k.a. Cindy Hallaran Pool at 1600 Rock Prairie Rd). The event is hosted by the College Station Parks and Recreation Aquatics Division and is a great opportunity for kids and beginners to learn about trout fishing.

There is a $3 entry fee for everyone ages 3 and up. Anglers can bring their own tackle or rent fishing rods for $2 each. Fish will bite on corn, cheese, worms or lures. Please do not use liver, parts of chicken or hot dogs!

The bag limit is five fish per individual. There is an additional $1.50 charge for each fish over the limit.

The pool will be stocked with 1000 lbs. of trout and prizes will be awarded for catching tagged fish.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, February 8th
6 am - 4 pm: General Public
4 pm - 6 pm: Children 10 years and under
6 pm - 8 pm: General Public

Saturday, February 9th
7 am - 9 am: General Public
9 am - 12 pm: Children 10 years and under
12:30 pm* - 7 pm: General Public

There will be a thirty minute break from 12 pm to 12:30 pm to clean the pool and all patrons will be asked to exit the facility at this time. Any person re-entering the pool for the next session will be required to re-pay the entry fee.

Sunday, February 10th
12 pm - 3 pm: Children 10 years and under
3 pm - 5 pm: General Public

For more information, or to ask about special services (in compliance with ADA), call: Parks & Recreation (979)764-3540 or Southwood Pool (979)764-3787.

18th Annual Trout Fishing Clinic in Texas

Texas' 18th Annual Trout Fishing Clinic will be help at Fort Parker State Park in Mexia January 26th and 27th, 2008.

This annual trout-fishing clinic is an opportunity to introduce children to the fun of fishing.

There will be Mexia Bass Club members present to teach casting, knot tying, and how to catch fish. Equipment and bait will be provided.

The clinic will be broken up by age groups. On Saturday, January 26th, there will be lessons for kids ages 5-12 from from 9-11 am, 12-2 pm, and 3-5 pm.

Then on Sunday, January 27th kids 13-17 will get their turn from 1-3 pm.

Register your children now by calling Fort Parker State Park between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm daily at 254-562-5751.

The only charge is an entry fee of $2.00 per adult. Everyone 12 and under is free.

The annual trout-fishing clinic is hosted by the Mexia Bass Club, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and Fort Parker State Park.

7 New Trout Records Set in 2007

Last year, there were 18 new trout records set. This year, 7 more trout records were set across the United States.

Colorado gained two new trout records in 2007 - one for Lake trout, and one for Cutbows.
The new state record for Lake trout is 50.35 lbs (44.25 inches). This fish was caught in Blue Mesa Reservoir. The new cutbow record is 18 lbs 8 oz (28.5 inches), which was caught in Antero Reservoir.

Idaho recorded a new state record for brown trout. The fish weighed 27 lbs 5 ounces and measured 37 inches in length. It was caught in Ashton Reservoir in November. The previous brown trout record was 26 lbs 6 oz and 36.5 inches in length.

Kansas also logged a new brown trout record. Caught in May of 2007 in the Mined Land Wildlife Area, this fish weighed 7.68 oz and measured 10.66 inches in length.

Michigan also has a new state record for brown trout (36.81 lbs / 42 inches). This trout was caught in the Lake Michigan. The previous record weighed 34.62 lbs and measured 40.5 inches.

Last, but not least, Wyoming recorded a new state record for tiger trout. The fish weighed 3.33 lbs and measured 22 inches in length. It was caught High Savery Reservoir in November.

And of course, don't forget a new world record for rainbow trout was set in June 2007.

As you can see by the new trout records, this was the year for brown trout! It will be interesting to see what (if any) new trout records will be set in 2008!

Trout Tournament at Lake Pawhuska Feb. 16

The annual Lake Pawhuska Trout Tournament will take place February 16th, 2008. Each year cash prizes are awarded to those who catch the top five heaviest fish and the top five heaviest stringers. Cash prizes are also awarded for anglers who catch tagged fish.

If you pre-register for the event, your entry fee will cost $20. However, you can register on the day of the tournament too and pay an entry fee of $30. Folks interested in pre-registering should contact the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce.

Anglers must have Oklahoma fishing and trout licenses and follow all state and Derby rules, which are available at Oklahoma's Department of Wildlife web site.

For more information, call (918) 287-1208.

5th Annual Bob McMillen Memorial Fishing Tournament

The 5th Annual Bob McMillen Memorial Fishing Tournament will take place February 2, 2008 at t Oak Grove Regional Park in Stockton. Oak Grover's lake will be stocked with approximately 2,000 lbs. of rainbow trout prior to the event.

The tournament will be open to all ages and feature three competitions:

• Youth (ages 10 and under),
  
• Teen (ages 11 - 17) and
  
• Adult (ages 18 and over).
  

Each competition will measure the individual heaviest weight of one trout caught by the participating contestant. Prizes will be awarded in each of the categories following the tournament. Food will be available for purchase.

Park gates will be open at 6:15 a.m., registration closes at 10 a.m. and the last weigh-in is at 12:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded shortly thereafter.

There is no registration fee for the event; however, a $3 fishing permit fee and valid California Fishing License is required for anyone 16 years of age or older. There's also a $5 parking fee per vehicle. Participants must supply their own fishing equipment.

For more information, please call San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation at (209) 331-2050. Oak Grove Regional Park is located on Eight Mile Road and Interstate 5 in Stockton.

Trout Fishing for Beginners

Unlike other types of fishing, trout fishing can be a bit more challenging at times - which often results in much frustration. The trick to trout fishing, is understanding trout - their needs and behavior. Once you understand trout, it’s a lot easier to catch them more consistently.

Like people, trout have basic needs:

• They need to feel secure in their environment from predators
• They need to be comfortable (that is, water temperatures needs to be comfortable and they need plenty of dissolved oxygen to breath)
• They need to have a food source

When these needs are met, trout will feed (or be more open to take your bait). When one or more of these basic needs aren’t being met, they'll stop feeding (and you'll have a very hard time catching them).

Trout are cold-blooded fish - meaning they like cool water. They're ideal water temperature is between 50-68 degrees Fahrenheit. When water temperatures get much cooler than this, trout become very lethargic. When water temperatures rise above 70 degrees (as it often does in summer time), trout start to suffocate and die.

Trout also need clean water that is well oxygenated. The amount of dissolved oxygen in the water is dependent on a few different factors including water temperatures, currents (i.e., moving water), and underwater plant growth.

Trout metabolism is affected by the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water - which in turn is affected by the factors mentioned above. Maintaining their comfort zone is a huge priority for trout. And when trout aren’t comfortable, they won't feed (and it becomes nearly impossible to catch them).

Since water temperature is largely affected by outdoor temperature, summer months tend to be the most challenging for trout anglers. When water temperatures get high, trout will often seek cooler water temps. Understanding this, will help you know where to find trout.

Security is another big priority for trout. They have many predators, including other fish, animals, and humans. For this reason, trout will hang out in portions of the water that provide them cover from predators. This includes big rocks, logs, uncut banks, and currents (assuming they're not too strong). Understanding this will help you understand where to find trout in rivers and streams.

And lastly, trout will usually be found where the food source is. Trout don't like to work hard for a meal. So they will usually hang out near a good food source. This means you'll have a better chance of catching trout, if you can get your baited hook close to them.

Half the battle in trout fishing, is knowing where to find trout. And understanding a trout's basic needs will greatly increase your chances of knowing where to find them - which in turn will increase your chances of catching trout!

For a more detailed understanding of the principles mentioned above, check out the "Trout Fishing Tips" eBook.

Speckled Trout Fishing Excellent in Tarpon Springs

According to a recent fishing report, speckled trout fishing has really heated up due to warmer water temperatures. Folks in Tarpon Springs, Florida are pulling them in like crazy live white baits, live shrimp, jigs, and crank baits.

For more information, on speckled trout action in Tarpon Springs, click here.

For speckled trout fishing tips, click here.

Litchfield Park Kiwanis Winter Trout Derby

This year's Winter Trout Derby will take place on January 19, 2008 in Litchfield Park, Arizona. The derby will begin at 7 a.m. at Tierra Verde Lake Park and run til 3 p.m.

The trout derby is open to everybody, so bring the whole family. They'll be food, prizes, and giveaways. Bring your own pole and tackle.

No fishing licenses are required for the day, but there is a small fee per person wishing to participate in the derby. Fees are $4 for kids 15 years of age and under; $6 for folks 16 and older. No pre-registration is required.

For more information about the Winter Trout Derby, you can all (623) 935-9040.

7th Annual Jasper Youth Trout Derby

This year's Jasper Youth Trout Derby will take place on January 12, 2008 between 10 a.m. and noon at the Jasper City Park Pond.

It is a FREE event for youth 16 years of age and younger. No pre-registration is required - so just bring the kids out for this fun fishing event.

Prior to derby, the Jasper City Park Pond will be stocked with 1,800 rainbow trout.

Prizes will be awarded in three different age categories for:

• largest trout
• smallest trout, and
  
• largest other species caught.
  

Drawings for additional prizes will take place at the conclusion of the event.

All participants are encouraged to bring their own rod and reels. However, a very limited number of rods and reels will be provided for those who need them.

Fishing bait (earthworms and kernel corn) and tackle (hooks, sinkers, and bobbers) will be provided.

Free hot dogs and drinks will also be served. No fishing licenses are required for youth 16 years of age or younger. The daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 5 fish and participants are welcome to harvest up to 5 trout at the event.

For more information regarding the trout derby, contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Inland Fisheries Management Office at (409) 384-9572 or email inquiries to: todd.driscoll@tpwd.state.tx.us

2008 Fly Fishing Show in Denver

The 2008 Fly Fishing Show kicks off this weekend in Denver, Colorado. You can catch it January 4th, 5th, and 6th at the Denver Merchandise Mart.

Other dates and locations for this year fly fishing show include:

• Marlborough, MA (Royal Plaza Trade Center; Jan. 18-20)
• Somerset, NJ (Garden State Exhibit Center; Jan. 25-27)
  
• Bellevue, WA (Meydenbauer Center; Feb. 1-3)
• Charlotte, NC (Charlotte Merchandise Mart; Feb. 8-10)
  
• Pleasanton, CA (Alemeda County Fairgrounds; Feb 22-24)
• Pasadena, CA (Pasadena Center, March 1-2)

The show in Portland, Oregon has been postponed. For more information about this year's Annual Fly Fishing Show, visit the links below:

2008 Fly Fishing Show West

2008 Fly Fishing Show East

Help Preserve Trout Stocks in the U.K.

Interested in helping the Environment Agency preserve trout stocks in the UK? Here's your chance!

The Environment Agency is to look into trout fishing and stocks on local rivers and want to promote a log book scheme. They'd like to find at least 10 Tyne trout anglers who will be prepared to complete log books every time they fish, including catch details, fly life, bird life, etc.

They're also looking for anglers who fish other local rivers. Folks interested in this project should contact Michael Donkin, Ecological Appraisal Officer, Environment Agency, Tyneside House, Skinnerburn Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7AR, or telephone (0191) 203 4060.

With trout stocks declining on local rivers and trout anglers disappearing from the river banks, it is important that those trout anglers who still fish local rivers give their input to the EA.

Without data there is no proof the stocks just aren’t there. With such light trout angling pressure on the lower main Tyne these days, the river should be full of trout, including lots of take-able fish. This is just not the case.

For recent trout fishing reports in the UK, click here.

Tennessee Urban Winter Trout Stockings

There have been several changes lately to Tennessee's winter trout stocking schedule due to drought conditions.

Lake Junior in Chattanooga was stocked with approximately 3,000 trout on Thursday January 3, 2008. Fishing will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday until the end of April. The bag limit is seven trout per day. Fisherman must possess the appropriate fishing licenses.

J. Percy Priest Tailwater (Nashville) is scheduled to be stocked today (4-Jan.-08) with trout. Several other urban lakes are scheduled for stocking on January 9, 2008.

For the current schedule of winter trout stockings, click here.

Trout Fishing Has Improved at Lake Melones

Thanks to heavier winter trout stockings by the California Department of Fish and Game, trout fishing has improved at Lake Melones.

Rainbow trout are hanging in near the shoreline in shallow water. Anglers are doing well on PowerBait (chartreuse or rainbow glitter) and worm-marshmallow combos (floated off bottom using a 18-24 inch leader). Angel's Cove and Glory Hole Point are current hot spots.

Trollers should concentrate on the main lake in the dam/spillway area, or in the mouths of major coves such as Angels Cove, Glory Hole Cove, or Mormon Cove. Trout are being found fairly shallow (up to 15 feet deep). Anglers having the best luck are using shad-patterned lures such as Apex, Needlefish or Rapala Countdowns, and they are not using dodgers or flashers.

North Shore Anglers at Lake Camanche are also reporting good success with PowerBait and Kastmaster lures. This week's trout plant of 1,200 pounds will be split between the South Shore Pond and South Shore launch ramp.

Upcoming Trout & Fly Fishing Seminars in Tampa

There are two seminars during the first week of January for trout fishing and fly fishing enthusiasts.

The first is a free fly fishing seminar hosted by the Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club. Captain Pat Damico will share information about fly fishing in Patagonia. The seminar will be held on Wednesday at 6 p.m. (January 2nd, 2008) at Compton Park Recreation Center at Tampa Palms. The club welcomes new members, also teaches tying flies at no charge.

The second is a free trout fishing Thursday at 7 p.m. at Jerry Ulm Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep center. This seminar is hosted by Rattlesnake Point Outfitters. The address is 2966 N. Dale Mabry in Tampa.

Spotted Seatrout Season Reopens January 1st in Florida!

After two months of closure, the spotted seatrout season will reopen in the southern half of Florida on January 1st, 2008.

The maximum daily bag limit for spotted seatrout in these areas is four fish per person. In all Florida waters north and west of these areas, the daily limit is five fish per person. All spotted sea trout must be 15-20 inches to keep them, but anglers may keep one spotted sea trout larger than 20 inches as part of their daily bag limit.

There are a few rules you anglers should be aware of:

• Multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait are not allowed
• Snagging or snatch hooking spotted seatrout is not allowed.
  
• Spotted seatrout may be taken only with hook, line gear and cast nets and must be landed in a whole condition.

Artificial baits like plastic shrimp or swimbaits will work, but anglers will definitely do better on live shrimp.

Spotted seatrout are currently active in the Gulf along the West Coast. For the last decade, one of the best trout areas in the state has been St. Joseph Sound,the shallow, grassy basin stretching roughly from Anclote Key south to Clearwater. The fish are typically found anywhere from 10 feet off the island to 50 feet out.

The spotted seatrout fishing season will close again during the month of February in northeast and northwest Florida waters.


For more information about spotted seatrout fishing in Florida (including the best fishing holes), click here.

Ice Fishing in Cleveland Metroparks

Several Cleveland Metroparks were stocked with trout this week for the winter ice fishing season. However, the ice is still too thin for walking on. But you should be able to fish from shore or piers.

Of the 1,800 pounds of trout planted in lakes this week, Wallace Lake received the Lakes receiving the most (800 pounds) - including some brown trout. The remaining trout were planted in Shadow, Ledge, Ranger, and Judge's lakes. Salmon eggs, power baits, and jigs tipped with grubs are just a few baits these trout will hit well.

Local rivers are reporting good trout fishing, including steelhead trout fishing. Excellent reports have been received from the Vermilion and Rocky rivers and from the Chagrin and Ashtabula rivers and Conneaut Creek. The Grand River is finally shaping up as well, and should be in fine condition in a couple of days.

Fly fishers are casting a wide variety of egg patterns, especially sucker spawn flies, as well as nymphs. Some of the largest steelhead trout of the winter have been caught in recent days from the Rocky River.

For more information about trout fishing in the Cleaveland Metroparks, click here.

Trout Fishing Tournaments on Lake Jocassee

Once again, the Jocassee Outdoor Center in Salem, S.C. is sponsoring a series of four trout fishing tournaments on Lake Jocassee.

The first trout fishing tournaments is scheduled Jan. 12th, 2008. The remaining tournaments are scheduled for Feb. 9th, March 8th, and April 12th.

Entry fee is $50 per angler for the first two tournaments, $35 for the March event and $25 for the finale. Entrants also have the option of putting into a pot for the largest trout weighed in each of the tournament days.

For more information, visit the Jocassee Outdoor Center's web site or phone 864-944-9016.

Jocassee also has a trout club which is open to everyone interested in conserving, protecting, and improving the trout fishery at Lake Jocassee.

For more information about Lake Jocassee, click here.

Fly Fishing Clinics in North Carolina

If you live in or near Fayetteville, North Carolina you might like to take advantage of the fly fishing clinics being offered at the John E. Pechmann Education Center. The clinics are scheduled for Jan. 12, Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and Feb. 16. The first three clinics are open to first-time participants only. The last clinic will be for anglers with advanced fly-fishing skills.

Additional clinics are set March 1 and March 8 for Boy Scouts seeking to earn fly-fishing merit badges.

If you wish to attend a clinic, you must pre-register and pay a $5 fee. Clinics are limited to 40 participants. To register phone 910-424-6134.

Fishing equipment will be available for those who need it.

For more information, visit the North Carolina Wildlife web site.

The Complete Guide to Freshwater Fishing

If you're still looking for Christmas gift ideas for the angler in your life, you might want to check out the book, The Complete Guide to Freshwater Fishing (the Freshwater Angler).

I recently purchased a copy of the book and was quite impressed by the depth of information contained in it. It's one of those books that every angler would appreciate having in their library. I personally will be picking up a couple of more copies for my nephews.

Merry Christmas!

2008 Changes to Kansas Fishing Regulations Online

Printed copies of the 2008 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary won't be available until early January, but anglers should be aware of several new regulations that take effect Jan. 1, 2008.

Some of the changes include reduced fees youth trout, paddlefish and the 24-hour fishing license. Other changes affect gigging (i.e., spear fishing), length and creel limits, and more.

Changes affecting trout fishing in Kansas include:

• Willow Lake in Tuttle Creek State Park has been added to the list of waters where a trout permit is required for all anglers from Oct. 15 through April 15; and

• Lake Shawnee in Shawnee County requires anglers fishing for or possessing trout to have a trout permit Oct. 15-April 15.

• A 20-inch minimum length limit and one-fish creel limit on brown trout has been established in the Mined Land Wildlife Area;

• Youth 15 and younger no longer have to possess a trout permit to fish during the trout season in designated trout waters, but there is a daily creel limit of two trout for those youth (unless they purchase a trout permit, which allows a full daily trout creel limit);

You can read the rest of the 2008 Kansas Fishing Regulation Changes by clicking here.

Trout Make a Daring Escape!

This story is too good not to share. Hatchery trout were recently caught on photograph making a daring escape from the hatchery (no kidding!).

To see the photo and read the full story of the brown trout making their escape, click here.

Trout Stocked at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

533 Trout were stocked Friday at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center into a new pond beside the Hart-Morris Conservation Center as well as into the older 1.5-acre casting pond (which got 995 trout). Trout will continue to be stocked through the winter months.

The new pond (which also has a fishing pier), has plenty of room around it for backcasts, making it ideal for fly fishing. In addition to rainbow trout, the pond also has largemouth bass in it.

Wet flies such as Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail, Prince, Soft Hackles and Dave’s Red Squirrel work well. Effective streamers include olive or black Wooly Buggers, Zonkers, Marabou Muddlers and Black-nosed Dace patterns.

Fishing is included with admission to TFFC, and no license is needed. TFFC also provides bait and tackle. Anglers who wish to keep trout must pay $5 for the opportunity to harvest up to five fish.

For more information, visit the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

Fishing Regs Change December 10 in Minnesota

If you live in Minnesota, you should know that some of the fishing regulations will change on December 10. These regulations affect ice fishing, handling fish, and fishing for certain species of fish. But some of the changes affecting trout fishing include:

WINTER TROUT FISHING

All lakes in Aitkin County and Blue Lake in Hubbard County are open to winter trout fishing.

ICE FISHING MEAL PREPARATION

While on or fishing waters with size restrictions, all fish for which the size restriction applies must have their heads, tails, fins and skin intact and be measurable except when a person is preparing and using such fish for a meal.

PACKED FISH LABELING

When packing fish, labels identifying the fish must include the name of the lake where the fish was caught and the size of each of the fish that are regulated under a special size limit.

TAKE A KID ICE FISHING

Anglers older than 16 do not need a license from Feb. 16-18, 2008, if they are accompanied by a child younger than 16 and are actively participating in Take A Kid Ice Fishing Weekend.

For a more complete list of fishing regulation changes in Minnesota, click here.

2008 Ohio Trout Lottery

It's that time of year again for anglers to send in their application for the 2008 Ohio Trout Lottery. This lottery is hosted by the Department of Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife and gives anglers an opportunity to fish a controlled section of Ohio's Cold Creek - A half-mile section of the creek, located at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery in Erie County.

However this angling opportunity is limited to a certain number of anglers and selected dates between March 31 and October 31st in 2008. Lucky anglers will be chosen through a special lottery.

Anglers interested in fishing the stream must submit an application form and a non-refundable $5 application fee to the Division of Wildlife, 2054 Morse Rd, G-1, Columbus, Ohio 43229-6693 between December 1, 2007 and January 31, 2008 in order to be eligible for the random drawing. The online application fee is $3.

For more information about the 2008 Ohio Trout Lottery, click here.

Speckled Trout Fishing in Mississippi Improving

Fall has always been one of the best times of the year for trout fishing. And Thanksgiving weekend brought a cold front across much of the country - which caused trout fishing action heat up even more!

Speckled trout fishing in Southern Mississippi continues to improve thanks to this recent cold front. Below is the fishing report recently published in the Sun Herald.

As water temperatures plunged below 70 degrees, speckled trout and redfish are searching for bait from Moss Point to Bay St. Louis with the majority of the action taking place around deep drop-offs and bends in the rivers.

The only holdback has been dealing with the effects of rainfall - before Thanksgiving and after. In some places, the smaller bodies of water will be murky.

When this happens, look for cleaner water in the main rivers and bays that cycle muddy water out quicker with low and high tides.

With that in mind, places like the old Kremer Marina in Gulfport and Biloxi's Big Lake should be good.

In Hancock County, fishing remains solid off the Jourdan River near I-10 and back south toward the Bay of St. Louis for trout. In Harrison County, Bernard Bayou, Parker's Creek and the Industrial Seaway should have trout.

The Pascagoula River, Mary Walker Bayou, Sioux Bayou and the Singing River have been solid all the way from the interstate south to Northrop Grumman.

Other top spots in Jackson County are Fort Bayou - just east of the bridge on Washington Avenue - and the mouth of Graveline Bayou.

Two of the top baits for Graveline are live croakers and small minnows suspended underneath a popping cork.

Live shrimp should be available at bait shops through the end of the year. Small pogies and finger-size mullet are plentiful in the bays and rivers for those anglers using brill nets.

Slow-trolling using plastic jigs and slow-sinking lures will become more productive in December.

To read the entire fishing report which also covers redfish fishing, click here.

For more speckled trout fishing tips, click here.

Heritage Pond Stocked with Trout

Heritage Pond on the north side of Dubuque was scheduled for stocking yesterday. It's the first of three stockings scheduled. More than 1,500 catchable size rainbow trout were planted in the first stocking.

These stockings are part of an initiative by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to provide trout fishing opportunities through the Thanksgiving holiday.

More stockings are planned for January and March.

For more information about trout fishing in Iowa, click here.

Fall Trout Fishing in Arizona

Fall trout fishing continues to be excellent in Arizona. I've been taking my nephews, their friends, and others out fishing at Lynx Lake a lot this season. My youngest nephew is 5 now and old enough to really enjoy trout fishing on his little Jack Sparrow fishing pole.

Since Fall is one of the best times of the year to be out trout fishing, now is a good time to take the kids out for a day of fishing! It's a lot easier to keep kids focused on trout fishing when they're catching trout.

Here are some photos from some of this year's Fall trout fishing excursions.

Fall Trout Fishing 2007

Trout Fishing Opens on Madison County Lake Next Friday

Madison County Lake (near Huntsville, Alabama) will open for trout fishing the day after Thanksgiving.

Anglers ages 16-64 must have a valid Alabama fishing license and a daily lake permit - both of which can be purchased at the lake store. Bait and rental equipment also are available at the lake store. The lake is open on weekends until Feb. 1 from daylight to dark.

Stockings will be a bit different different this year. The lake will get its usual 3,000 pounds of trout from a Georgia hatchery, but this year there will be several smaller stockings instead of three large ones. This should give anglers more opportunities to catch trout over the whole season.

For more information about trout fishing on Madison County Lake, click here.

Trout Fishing Tip #2 - Watch Where Trout are Rising

It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people will sit there watching trout rise or jump out of the water for insects and never move try and cast their line into that spot.

Figuring out where trout are hanging out is half the battle. But once you do figure it out, you can improve your chances of catching them by casting your line into that spot. Trout are lazy fish - they don't want to work hard for a meal. So if you present your offering to them, you have a better chance of getting them to take it.

But watching trout rise (or jump) is important for another reason. In addition to telling you where trout are - it also tells you that they're feeding near the surface of the water. And if you're lake fishing - this information is especially important!

Lakes are usually deep and so there are different feeding zones. As the day progresses, trout may change feeding zones. When you see them rising (or jumping), you know they're actively feeding near the water's surface - so you'll want to keep your bait near or close to the surface of the water (in other words, you don't want to be bottom fishing deep in the lake when trout aren't there).

Watching trout rise is another of those telltale signs that gives you a couple of bits of information which can in turn help you choose the right fishing technique.

Trout Fishing Tip #1 - Watch the Birds!

One of the biggest keys to successful trout fishing is being observant. There are usually telltale signs around you that will give you an advantage of how and where to catch trout.

Watching the birds is one of these telltale signs. Birds have an uncanny ability to spot trout in the water from the air! If you pay attention to the section of water they're flying over and where they're swooping down to grab fish, you'll know where the trout are!

And if you know where the trout are hanging out, you'll have a better chance of catching them!

You'll notice in the image above, that this Osprey has a trout in his claws. I took this picture a few weeks ago at my while I was fishing at Lynx Lake. I watched as he swooped down and grabbed the trout from the lake. By being observant, I was able to stay in touch with where the trout were hanging out in the lake that day and make sure our kids took home their bag limit.

Watching the birds (as well as the rest of your environment) is important when trout fishing. Being observant of these little telltale signs will make you a better trout angler!

Brook Trout Fishing Secrets

Brook trout are fall spawners so many trout anglers consider this to be the best time to catch them. And since brook trout need cool, clean streams in order to spawn, you can often find them in making their way into tributaries this time of year.

Like other trout species, brook trout like to hang out near boulders, logs and other structures that provide cover and security. They feed on worms, grasshoppers, and other insects.

When fishing in lakes, try trolling near shore with worms or spinners tipped with worms. Salmon eggs, Wooly Buggers, and dark colored nymphs are also effective. Corn is also effective on hatchery brook trout.

Artificial flies are also work well when fishing for brook trout – especially dry flies, streamers and nymphs that imitate natural food sources.

Keep in mind that of all the trout species, brook trout are usually pretty small and if fishing in streams or small rivers, you’ll need to use light tackle (2-4 lb test). In lakes, you can usually get away with using 4-6 lb test line.

Although most brook trout are pretty small, there have been some amazing trophy-size brookies caught. In 2006, an angler in Manitoba caught a 29 inch brookie. Although this catch would have most likely given him the world record, he released it after snapping a few photographs - thereby eliminating his chance of a world record. However, in 2007, the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame awarded this angler a catch and release record.

Struggling to Catch Trout - Try Trout Attractant!

Often times when I'm trout fishing my favorite lake, I'll spend the day reeling trout after trout while others around struggle to hook one. We may even be using the techniques (shore fishing with powerbait on a sinker) ... yet I'll catch trout, and they won't.

Sound familiar? Here's one of my trout tips for you ...

What these folks often don't know is that I'm also using trout attractant - which can sometime mean the difference between a good day at the lake and a bad one.

Like it or not, we have a human smell. And this human smell is often transferred to your line and bait as you handle them. If you're a smoker, it can be even worse. One of the ways to fix this problem is to put a dab of trout attractant on your leader and bait.

You can buy the stuff in any sporting goods store (even in Wal-mart). Attractant is specially designed for different types of fish (trout, bass, game fish, etc.). You'll either want the trout formula or the one for live game fish.

Although you can "spray" this stuff on your bait, I like to remove the cap and use the tube attached to the lid to wipe attractant on my leader and bait (sometimes, I'll even dip my bait into the bottle).

Trout attractant gives your offering a bit of edge over other angler's. If you're struggling to catch trout, you might want to pick up a bottle and give it a try!

Fall Trout Fishing Fun!

In the past two weeks, I've made several trips to Lynx Lake in Prescott, Arizona to enjoy the fall trout fishing action. I've been teaching my nephews and their friends how to trout fish ... so we've taken full advantage of their days off school.

As usual, we've managed to walk away with our daily bag limit on each fishing trip. But in addition to sharing our boy's excitement when they reel in their catch, one of the more interesting things to me is watching others around us get skunked.

It doesn't take long before they start moving in closer to us (thinking we've found a secret trout hole), and eventually they start asking our secret - of which I'm always happy to share (especially when there's kids involved).

Anybody can bait a hook and throw it into a lake and wait for trout to swim by. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. But the good anglers are always paying attention to the little things .... such as outdoor temperatures (especially water temps), where trout are rising, and other things.

These are the things that separate intermediate trout fishers from advanced ones. If you want to be a successful trout fisher, you need to understand these things and adjust your fishing tactics accordingly. And the longer your fishing day, the more changes you may have to make.

Fall is one of the best times of the year to be out trout fishing. Water temperatures are cool, and so trout are usually actively feeding near the surface. Pay attention to where they're rising (or jumping). That will tell you where they're feeding - and if you look closely, you may even see what they're feeding on!

Trout are lazy fish - they don't want to work hard for a meal. So if you can get your baited hook to them (rather than wait for them to swim by and find it), you'll have a greater chance of catching trout.

For more trout secrets and tips, check out the "Trout Fishing Tips" eBook. Take advantage of the fall trout season while you can!

Trout Stockings Delayed in New Jersey

Dry weather and low stream flows have resulted in another postponement for trout stockings in New Jersey. As a result, the 16 lakes originally scheduled for fall trout stocking have been rescheduled for October 31st and November 1st.

A total of 20,000 brook, brown, and rainbow trout averaging 14 to 16 inches, and weighing 1½ - 2 pounds, will be distributed in 16 streams and 16 lakes and ponds statewide. In addition to these trout, approximately 1,000 broodstock trout (two and three-year old rainbow trout, averaging 17 - 18 inches) will be planted as well.

The older broodstock trout noticeably larger. This is the second year that broodstock trout will be planted in the Fall in an effort to give anglers the opportunity to catch a big one!

For more information about the trout stockings in New Jersey, click here.

Only a Few More Days Left of Fishing at Lake Pardee

On October 28th, Lake Pardee the 2007 fishing season will come to a close! This means you have less than one week left to enjoy the fall trout fishing at Lake Pardee!

After that you'll have to wait for the 2008 fishing season, which will begin on February 2, 2008.

Fore more information about fishing at Lake Pardee, click here.

Winter Trout Season Opens November 1st in Oklahoma

The Winter Trout Fishing Season will open on November 1st in Oklahoma! This means that you'll be able to fish for rainbow trout in the following areas:

• Lake Pawhuska - This 96-acre lake is about three miles west of Pawhuska. Trout season runs Nov. 1-March 31. During that time, the City of Pawhuska waives the City fishing fee.Quartz Mountain - The designated trout area directly below the dam at Lake Altus-Lugert. Trout season runs Nov. 1-March 15.

• Lake Watonga - This 55-acre lake lies within Roman Nose State Park. Trout season runs Nov. 1-March 31.

• Lake Carl Etling - This 159 acre lake is located within Black Mesa State Park in Cimarron County. Trout season runs Nov. 1-April 30.

• Blue River - The Blue River trout area is located within the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area near Tishomingo. Trout season runs Nov. 1-March 31. Bank access and wade fishing is available throughout the area.
  

• Robbers Cave - Located in Robbers Cave State Park, the Robbers Cave trout fishery is located directly below Carlton Lake Dam to the southboundary of the park. Trout season runs Nov. 1-March 15. Bank access and wade fishing is available anywhere within the state park boundaries.

In addition to these areas, you can also catch trout year-round at the lower Mountain Fork River and the lower Illinois River.

For more information about trout fishing in Oklahoma, click here.

Fall Trout Fishing in Utah

If you're looking to take advantage of the Fall Trout Fishing season, there's plenty of good trout action in Utah right now ...

Trout in Utah's northern streams are hitting streamers, small nymphs and Rapalas. Some of the better fall streams include the Green, Provo, Weber, Ogden, Blacksmith, Strawberry, Currant Creek, Huntington Creek, Diamond Fork and the Price River.

Fall lake trout fishing is peaking right now at Flaming Gorge and Bear Lake.

Strawberry remains hot, with fish hitting most jigs or lures all around the reservoir. Scofield, Jordanelle and many other waters are also very good.

You can view Utah's Division of Wildlife and Resources' fishing hot spots online.

For more information about fall trout fishing in Utah, click here.

Top Fly Fishing Mistakes

This morning, I read an interesting article listing the top mistakes fly fishers make. The article was written by John Berry - Arkansas Fly Fishing Guide.

According to Berry, the most common mistakes he sees are:

• Casting too much line - which results in casting beyond trout feeding zones, not being able to detect strikes or set the hook.

• Lack of Line Control - which results in too much slack or drag in the line. If there's too much slack in the line, you can't set the hook (and can therefore lose fish). And if there's too much drag in the line, your fly won't look natural, and fish will be turned off.
  

• Improper Rigging - which often in poor or unnatural fly presentation. One of the most common mistakes here is working with too short a leader/tippet.

• Not Checking Your Fly Often Enough - which can result in a couple of different problems. When you're new to fly casting, it's easy to lose your fly while casting. It's a good idea to check that this isn't happening to you. Another common problem is allowing weeds and other debris to stick to your fly (which makes it look unnatural).
  

Most of the errors described above are seen with new fly fishers. But many trout anglers tend to get a bit lazy about checking the fine details of their gear or technique and may also experience some of these problems as result.

Keeping these mistakes in the back of your mind while out fishing, will help prevent you from making the same ones.

You can read John's full article on the top fly fishing mistakes, by clicking here.

Free Fly Casting Lessons in the UK

Looking for something to do with the kids over Fall Break? If you happen to live near the Albury Park Fishery (near Guildford, Surrey) you might want to consider taking advantage of the free fly-casting lessons.

October 22-26th, the Albury Estate Fisheries will be offering free 30-minute fly casting lessons followed by a trip to the lake to catch a trout. While the casting lessons are free, there is an £8.00 fee for the fish ticket.

Fishing equipment will be provided, but you're welcome to bring your own. You'll also want to bring polarised sunglasses, a baseball cap, and a linen handkerchief.

Although this event is mostly aimed at teaching kids how to fly cast, it's open to all ages.

For more information or to book a lesson, contact Tony Hern at Albury Estate Fisheries on 07976 810737 or Email: tonyhern@alburyestate.com

Trout Fishin' Fun!

I spent most of last week taking my nephews and other friends trout fishing. The kids were on Fall break from school, so we spent most of the week on the lake.

Fishing with kids is always a lot of fun for me (despite all the tangled lines). I love watching their joy and excitement as they're reeling in fish. And I'm always happy to to take time to capture the memories on film!

I've been working to teach our boys the secrets of trout fishing - and so it's always exciting for me when they call it a day after catching their bag limit. They go home proud, knowing they're becoming skillful young anglers.

Despite the great week we had on the lake, we watched other anglers around us struggle. Although some of these anglers were fishing right next to us, they just couldn't seem to catch trout.

Several frustrated anglers came over to ask what our secret was. Each time, I was happy to show them how our poles were set up and offer some bait and fishing tips. As I explained to others, the real trick to trout fishing is understanding trout - what their needs are and how their environment affects them.

While all of these secrets are shared in my "Trout Fishing Tips" eBook, I did my best to condense the information into a few verbal tips.

Of course, I did my best to help other kids on the lake too by re-rigging poles and offering them some of our bait. And it was exciting to watch to watch those efforts pay off as they too started catching trout.

Our boys enjoyed their Fall break trout fishing adventures. Each day became a competition to see who could catch the most trout.

My oldest nephew (pictured on right above) usually caught the most trout - but my youngest nephew (also pictured above in the middle) usually caught the largest trout! His biggest for the week was an 11.5 inch rainbow trout on his little Jack Sparrow fishing pole!

My nephew's best friend (pictured above on left) caught his first fish ever that particular day (not to mention several more). He was so excited that we told him to take the all the trout home and tell his family he was providing dinner that night!

The whole week was like this! We caught our bag limit every outing - and captured many new memories on film.

Fall is one of the best times to be out trout fishing due to cooler water temperatures. And since trout are easier to catch this time of year, it's a great time to get the kids out fishing. Enjoy it while you can!

How To Catch Your Limit While Trout Fishing Lakes

Lynx Lake is one of the nicest fishing lakes in Prescott, Arizona. I spent much of yesterday fishing there with family and friends ... and despite the water levels being very low (lowest I've seen in 30 years), we were still able to catch our limit of rainbow trout.

And of course, as we continued to reel in trout after trout, folks continued to ask us to share our secret - which we were happy to do. But few realized that as the weather changed, so did our fishing tactics - which is what allowed us to keep catching trout when others weren't.

We started off the morning fishing spinners - which worked well. The water was cool and the trout were feeding on the surface. So spinner were very effective.

But by about 10 am, the sun was starting to get a bit warm. As we took our off jackets, we knew water temperatures were rising and trout were no longer feeding on the surface of the water. So we put away the spinners and rigged the poles for bottom fishing.

My favorite bottom fishing rig consists of adding an egg sinker above a snap swivel, and then adding an 18-20 inch leader with a treble hook to the swivel. I like to use the 1/2 oz. egg sinkers because it gives me greater casting distance. We were also using 6-lb test line.

There were three of us fishing yesterday, and some of us used nightcrawlers and some of us used powerbait (all colors). Another thing we did was to add a bit of trout attractant to the leader and bait (many anglers don't think to do this).

Bottom fishing worked very in the late morning and early afternoon hours. And because we were able to recognize when trout changed their feeding zone, we were able to keep catching fish (when others weren't).

These are the kind of secrets that I've revealed in the "Trout Fishing Tips" eBook. Learning to recognize changing weather and feeding patterns is one of the biggest secrets of trout fishing.

Not only did we catch our trout limit yesterday, but we had a fun watching the bald eagles catch their trout too. And I was even fortunate enough to catch some great photos of the eagles. You can check out some of our pictures below.

Good Fishing Day

Extended Trout Fishing in Eastern Sierra Nevada

No need to put away your fishing gear come November 15th! The trout fishing season has just been extended for three prime trout fisheries in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

So come November 16th, you can keep fishing in the East Walker River, Hot Creek, and the Upper Owens River ... and you can keep fishing until November 15th, 2008!

The change was made for two reasons. First, it was determined that closing these waters didn't help the fishery any. And second, it was determined that by keeping them open all year, might help relieve some of the fishing pressure in other regions while providing greater angling opportunities.

This year is a test, to see how things go. So enjoy it while you can!

There are special fishing regulations in effect for these trout waters, including the use of barbless hooks and artificial lures. So be sure to check the rules and regs before going fishing.

Trout Fishing Being Restored at Lake Davis

Most anglers know you're not supposed to release non-native fish into the water. Why? Because it usually ends up destroying the existing fishery. Sure enough, that's what happened Northern California's Lake Davis.

For a while now Northern Pike have been destroying the trout fishing at Lake Davis. Pike are believed to have been introduced into the water back in 1994 by anglers used to fishing for them in the Midwest and Great Lakes. But the problem is that pike are voracious predators and they've been eating the trout - thereby destroying the trout population and fishing.

This past week, California's Department of Fish and Game dumped gallons of rotenone (which is harmless to humans and other animals) into the lake to remove the pike. The goal is to restore Lake Davis to a prime trout fishery.

The whole process will take about 45 days. Lake Davis will be restocked when it's free of any of the rotenone - which is anticipated to occur before the reservoir freezes over.

The majority of the stocking will occur in Spring 2008 rainbow and brown trout.

However, the fear right now is that some pike may escape into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, thereby threatening the salmon and steelhead populations in California's river system.

For more information about Lake Davis and the current problem, click here.