Some advice on stocker Trout

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Drew9870
A lot of people just do not get stocker Trout, they are literally fish in a barrel, and let me give you some advice on ''barrel angling'' :lol:.

First of all, kastmasters, lol, I absolutely hate them, caught plenty of Kokanee on them along with a good handful of Rainbows, but seriously, think of the action of your Kastmaster and combine that with the mentality/speed of a planter fish, most will either not get a good hook hold or get hooked outside the mouth. Replace your Kastmasters with a Triple Teaser and a tiny split shot or ''downrig it'' with a 1/8oz sliding weight for deeper water. Hatchery fish do not care about the shape, color, or action of your lure. I haven't tried it, but I can bet money one would do just as good using a spinner with no blade as you would with a bladed spinner.

Flies, the stockers are not ordinary fish, not all of them are adapted to looking for bugs on the surface, so dries don't usually work as well as wets/nymph. Nor do the Trout recognize any certain pattern, to say one color Powerbait was the best is a flat out joke. I prefer white just because it can be seen in muddy and clear water, you only cover more water using a bright color in clear water, I just bump the size of the fly down.

The hatchery Trout are not anything like a wild Trout, wild fish are more agile and seem to have less trouble accurately hitting a lure, so slower presentations usually allow for better hookups, especially since the stockers will chase your offering for a good distance or sometimes they will be hanging out right at the shoreline so sometimes you only have about 15 feet of space to drag your offering through, and a slower presentation can get the most out of this small amount space.

I'll keep adding bits to this.
 
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beaverfan
In my experience Kastmasters work tremendously well on stocker trout, especially immediately following a stocking.
 
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Troutier Bassier
Kastmasters must hate you too. :lol: I love them. Thats one of my number one lures for stokers.

Also Blue Foxes work really good since you can retrieve them super slowly and have the blade running fast.
 
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nwkiller
lol, in my opinion a stocker trout in a pond will hit a cigerette butt...(not that i would try) anyway, but i also agree with what drew is saying in the fact that a stocker that is planted in the colder temps as aposed to summer months would react much more to baits they can get while being lazy, but some flat out smash lures and baits...so i think that if your pulling lures that need certain speeds to work properly and not catching fish, then find a lure that slows down or speeds up your presentation ....and "find the fish"
 
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Drew9870
One other thing about hatchery fish is that they are no different on one day than another, maybe location/depth, but that is it.

Also saying, just think of how hard it is for them to grab the hook that is swinging left and right, versus something moving about 4-5 inches per second or not moving at all, common sense, not saying you can't go out and get a limit with a kastmaster, but I bet you will lose a lot more from awkward grabs, slaps, and follow ups versus something moving extremely slow.

Blue Foxes I don't mind, it is about the only spinner I will use along with a few Panther Martins, hardware should be fished either just fast enough to keep from hitting bottom, or to keep action on the lure. I'd say about 3/4 of the places that get stocked with Trout need a pretty quick retrieve to keep from catching rocks/stumps/algae with a Kastmaster. The other 1/4 of the places are deep lakes and reservoirs, with plenty of room for the fish to chase it down and also to present a slower retrieve.

Flies, if you tie them, can be adjusted weight-wise, allowing you to control not only the rate that your fly sinks, but also how fast you can work your retrieve.

Worm with no weight is another one that really fools hatchery fish, I'll use a worm with no weight even in 60ft of water (Munsel Lake or Gravel Pits) and it usually hardly hits the bottom if you land in the right column.

I've used it all, and I have been fishing stocker ponds since I was about 9, ever since I started learning how to work the flies right in the ponds, bait and lure guys sometimes think I am standing in the ''magic spot'' so they decide to gather around me :mad: and I tell them, there are 2000 fish in this pond, do you really think they are all in the general area I am casting? DUH!

If Kastmasters weighed a lot less, like hollow aluminum, lol, they would probably hook a lot more fish and less likely get thrown out of the fishes mouth, I have never, ever, ever, watched any of the regular hardware tossers catch a limit real quick, I went out there last month and c&r'ed between 15-20, most people don't realize how slow and simple of a presentation it really takes.
 
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beaverfan
Quite trying to pass off your opinion as fact. The truth is it's not very difficult at all for them to strike a moving lure. If you are irratically reeling in your line with all kinds of rod jerks and stuff you might have a point. Of course in the early season bait is going to be most effective but that's the same with native trout too. Once the water warms up Kastmasters will usually catch just as many fish as someone using powereggs.
 
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RunWithSasquatch
Theres not a whole lot of science, and education to be passed along about pellet heads. My opinion goes as far to say that they are probably the easiest fish out there to chase down. You could go into Bi Mart, grab any random thing off the wall, and fill a stringer.:shock:
 
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Drew9870
beaverfan said:
Quite trying to pass off your opinion as fact.

Sorry if the truth hurts, but it seems to be factual information that a pellet head is extremely 'retarded' compared to a wild Trout, a wild Trout is used to only having a split second to react and grab something thus making it easier to grab something a lot more accurately. Not saying a Kastmaster won't catch you a limit again, I have done it, not trying to brag either, but I had a guy stand right next to me who has the same opinion on Kastmasters as Beaverfan and probably knows how to work them just as well, he had tons of bites, but I had caught 7-8 that day right beside him (he used the smallest size Kastmaster), not the only time it happened either, although one guy who uses a Triple Teaser also does way better than most do, almost light enough to even drag on a fly rod :D.
 
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Drew9870
Oh and ANYTHING will do good immediately after a stocking if you know how to present it, lol, I have caught them on Bread and Corn, and especially worm with no weight casting into the fish as they are getting poured out of the truck, literally, lol.
 
D
Drew9870
RunWithSasquatch said:
You could go into Bi Mart, grab any random thing off the wall, and fill a stringer.:shock:

You could probably go into any quicky mart or craft store and grab something off the wall and ditto ditto, :lol:
 
T
Troutier Bassier
Opinions Opinions.
I've caught trout fishing a worm with no weight, casting out with 4lb line and doing some hardcore retrieving. Like muskie style, jerking and rippin. Caught a bunch like that.
 
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capblack
i guess if its this easy, why do we need anyones advice at all??
 
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Drew9870
Who said this advice was for those that already have a good clue on how to catch them, when you say ''we'' I am not sure who else you are speaking for, but some people on this forum (I have gotten PM's from a few) can't even catch one fish out of the stocker ponds, so this advice is for really anyone who needs it. Some people just don't think outside of the box when planter fishing, some swear by Chartruese Powerbait lol, those fish don't care about the color, as long as the scent brings them to it and they see it. After a week or two of stocking, you will hear comments like, ''Orange was the killer bait today, everyone else using Chartruese, Pink, and Yellow weren't even getting sniffed", LOL, maybe that person just happened to be around the last of the Mohican Stockers, :), or presenting it right (sliding weight, no resistance). Or people who ''swear by Silver/Blue Kastmasters" :lol:, do you really think those fish were fed blue/silver pellets and they wouldn't hit a solid orange one?

When people personally say one color worked better than the other for stockers, I just don't say a thing, some things are just fun to believe I guess. lol.
 
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capblack
i enjoy fishing for stocker trout with my kids, and i mostly use power bait eggs, and i carry 4 or 5 colors most of the time. i have my favorites, but there are times that it seems one works better than others, then youll go back the next day, and the other doesn't seem to get looked at. im sure theres people here , myself included, that have been fishing for trout longer than youve been alive, and it seems like with your attitude, you know it all and what other people say is just a joke. let me tell you, that is not a very good attitude if you plan on gaining knowledge of anything. you need to have an open mind and listen to what people say, even if it isn't what you previously believed. just my .02 cents, take it or leave it
 
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Drew9870
^

I may not be of a considerable age, but I sure have spent more time on the water in my whole lifetime than one could imagine, and have learned something everyday of it, most the general knowledge about most fish species I know now, I had known by age 12, not only was I intrigued by fishing, but also fish, I have read every book in my elementary, middle, and high school that had to do with saltwater/freshwater fish/fishing/aquariums atleast twice. Aquarium fish are even like stocker Trout, having an aquarium has taught me a bit on diets, conditions, feeding habits, I could go on, the Red Belly Pacu was a real pain, I had that thing since I was 11, it was about 11-12 inches when I got it and it just died last year, that thing was ancient.

Sorry if I have learned a lot more in a short time than most, but I love catching Trout almost as much as anything now, I actually got into fly fishing around 12-13 years old, Elk Hair Caddis on Mill Creek, nice 10' Cuts, occasional 16-17'' Bows, annoying Shiners and Squaws (thought the Shiners were Dace at the time). Trout, like all fish, are pretty simple once you understand them, but there is always more to learn no matter how much one thinks they know.

Fish, Humans, Animals, we all pretty much live alike, when it comes to it, we require Amino Acids + Proteins + Vitamins + minerals, Eat + Spawn + Try to survive.

Sorry, I'm being a know it all again :wall::wall::wall:
 
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capblack
Drew9870 said:
^

I may not be of a considerable age, but I sure have spent more time on the water in my whole lifetime than one could imagine, and have learned something everyday of it, most the general knowledge about most fish species I know now, I had known by age 12, not only was I intrigued by fishing, but also fish, I have read every book in my elementary, middle, and high school that had to do with saltwater/freshwater fish/fishing/aquariums atleast twice. Aquarium fish are even like stocker Trout, having an aquarium has taught me a bit on diets, conditions, feeding habits, I could go on, the Red Belly Pacu was a real pain, I had that thing since I was 11, it was about 11-12 inches when I got it and it just died last year, that thing was ancient.

Sorry if I have learned a lot more in a short time than most, but I love catching Trout almost as much as anything now, I actually got into fly fishing around 12-13 years old, Elk Hair Caddis on Mill Creek, nice 10' Cuts, occasional 16-17'' Bows, annoying Shiners and Squaws (thought the Shiners were Dace at the time). Trout, like all fish, are pretty simple once you understand them, but there is always more to learn no matter how much one thinks they know.

Fish, Humans, Animals, we all pretty much live alike, when it comes to it, we require Amino Acids + Proteins + Vitamins + minerals, Eat + Spawn + Try to survive.

Sorry, I'm being a know it all again :wall::wall::wall:

i like your attitude, keep up the good work, just remember, theres something to learn from EVERYONE, even if its wrong. keep an open mind. Brian
 
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troutdude
troutdude
Drew9870 said:
but I had a guy stand right next to me who has the same opinion on Kastmasters as Beaverfan and probably knows how to work them just as well, he had tons of bites, but I had caught 7-8 that day right beside him (he used the smallest size Kastmaster), not the only time it happened either, although one guy who uses a Triple Teaser also does way better than most do, almost light enough to even drag on a fly rod :D.

And I have had the exact opposite thing happen on many occassions. In other words, I tossed Kastmaster's (while fishing with peeps on both sides of me), and far outfished the others!

Plus, saying that color doesn't matter (in regards to powerbait / eggs) is ludicrous! I've been fishing for 45 years, and there have been NUMEROUS times that the fish would only hit one color...period. But you only have my word on that; as you can't ask the numerous others that I far out fished because I had the right color. The fish can be--and are often--much more finicky than you make them out to be.
 
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troutdude
troutdude
capblack said:
i guess if its this easy, why do we need anyone's advice at all??

A very well posed question, Captain! :lol::lol::lol:

P.S. Drew, I'm glad that El Capitano helped turn your attitude around. I've been fishing for probably longer than your parents have been on earth. But, I still do not think of myself as an expert. If you'll remember that the biggest room in the house, is the room for improvement...you will go far.
 
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OutdoorsTeen
Drew9870 said:
Who said this advice was for those that already have a good clue on how to catch them, when you say ''we'' I am not sure who else you are speaking for, but some people on this forum (I have gotten PM's from a few) can't even catch one fish out of the stocker ponds, so this advice is for really anyone who needs it. Some people just don't think outside of the box when planter fishing, some swear by Chartruese Powerbait lol, those fish don't care about the color, as long as the scent brings them to it and they see it. After a week or two of stocking, you will hear comments like, ''Orange was the killer bait today, everyone else using Chartruese, Pink, and Yellow weren't even getting sniffed", LOL, maybe that person just happened to be around the last of the Mohican Stockers, :), or presenting it right (sliding weight, no resistance). Or people who ''swear by Silver/Blue Kastmasters" :lol:, do you really think those fish were fed blue/silver pellets and they wouldn't hit a solid orange one?

When people personally say one color worked better than the other for stockers, I just don't say a thing, some things are just fun to believe I guess. lol.


This is BS Sorry I have trolled different colored panther martins with my uncles and cousins And have has days where 90% of the fish were caught on silver or red or blue, you get my point. Exact same presentation , exact same lure. Just different color. Trout even stocker after a couple of weeks. can be the most finicky eater of all fish.
 
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bigsteel
I leave the pellet heads for the young kids and older people to fish,hatchery raised trout have nowhere near the instincts that a wild fish has..the most embarrasing thing is watching grown men standing at a boat ramp waiting for a stocker truck to dump fish in.

there are 50 million books on how to fish and they all end up saying the same thing,just different text.
NO offense but there is not much to be learned fishing in a stocker pond,those same fish would be dead in a week if planted in a river.they are for a put and take fishery,put them in and take them as quickly as possible...these fish grew up in a concrete pen and hand fed,they have no idea how to survive in the wild.
 

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