Catching Trout in a Lake

At this time of year when the rivers and steams become high and muddy, many anglers are reserved to catching trout in lakes. Catching trout in a lake means that you will be fishing for stocked trout much of the time, and stocked trout mean that they shouldn't be terribly difficult to catch. Think about it, if a bear is born and raised in captivity, how much of a mean streak to you think said bear will have? Not much and I feel the same way about trout raised in captivity. Sure they're fun to catch in a pinch, but given the choice, I would much rather catch native trout who have grown as nature intended, and not in a glorified aquarium.

That being said, catching trout in a lake can be quite productive and fun when done properly. How is it done properly? The first thing to do is begin using a set of gang hooks. Obviously anglers know about hooks, but gang hooks are a bit different. You see, gang hooks are simply two small hooks tied in tandem. For trout fishing I suggest size 8 or 10 gang hooks. Gang hooks allow the angler to present a worm in a completely natural manner, and when it comes to catching trout in a lake allows the angler to present Powerbait in a very effective manner.
Although many different baits can be employed while attempting to catch a trout in a lake such as cheese, corn, and marshmallows, the most effective bait that I've found is Powerbait or similar synthetic baits. When a set of gang hooks is employed, no the angler can present twice as much bait, thus doubling their chances of a hook up! This is obviously quite an advantage.

It's quite simple to set up a gang hook rig. Simply take the end of your line and slip an egg sinker onto it (1/4 should work if it's not too windy). Now tie a small barrel swivel onto your line that will act as a "stopper" for the egg sinker. If the egg sinker can slip over the barrel swivel, attach a small split shot to act as a "stopper". Now tie a set of pre-tied gang hooks onto the other end of the barrel swivel (You can make your gang hooks yourself or buy them, it's up to you). Now add your Powerbait or similar synthetic bait to each of the hooks on the set of gang hooks. I like to use just enough bait to completely cover each hook. This is your gang hook still fishing rig. Simply cast this out and let it sink to the bottom. Then slowly reel in any slack line, and wait.

I usually wait for at least 30 minutes before checking my bait if I haven't received any bites. After an hour, I'll usually re-bait, sometimes with a different color. Sometimes something as crazy as the color of your Powerbait can make a difference? You can never tell with these stocked trout. I think they are born without brains in some cases. Who knows what the scientists do to breed these finless wonders? The point is that sometimes the color of the Powerbait makes a difference, and experimentation is the only way to find out which will work best on a given day. At the end of the day, this technique will enable you to catch trout in a lake, especially if stocked trout live in that lake.