Rainbow Trout Fishing In The Winter

Many trout fishermen believe that rainbow trout fishing in the winter is something that can only be accomplished on a frozen lake and that fishing in rivers is something that shouldn't even be attempted, but the truth of the matter is that fishing for rainbow trout in winter can actually be quite productive. As productive as it is during warmer seasons? No, not quite, but it can nonetheless be worth your while.

While you shouldn't expect to "hit the jackpot" when you go rainbow trout fishing in winter, if you adjust your expectations, you can usually have a great day on the river. The biggest key to river fishing for trout in the winter is to downsize your expectations, after all we aren't talking about fishing in early spring or early fall, we're talking about fishing in the winter. While during warmer seasons my goal whenever I head out in search of rainbow trout is to catch 3-5 fish, my goal when trout fishing in winter is to catch a single trout, then if I exceed this number, I'm very happy.

There a couple of rules that you should live by when it comes to winter trout fishing. Fishing at the right times and slowing your presentations down dramatically. Fly fishermen say that winter trout fishing is almost exclusively a nymphing game, with Hare's Ear, Copper John, Scud, or Pheasant Tail all being popular and effective nymph patterns. If you are a spin fisherman you can fish with nymphs by using casting bubble or small Styrofoam float above your nymph as an indicator.

Fishing at the "right times" in winter means that you need to be on the water when the trout are the most likely to be feeding. This means focusing on the warmer times of the day, on days when there is a "warming trend" taking place in the area that you are fishing, and fishing when the moon is in your favor. The rainbow trout will be more active when there is a "new moon" and when the moon is either rising or setting. That's right the moon rises and sets just like the sun does and a simple internet search will help you determine when the moon is rising or setting on a particular day so that you can plan your fishing excursions accordingly.

Keep these simple tips in mind the next time that you want to head out fishing for trout in winter. They will help you have a much more enjoyable experience on the water. And although the fishing might not be as productive as you're used to, at least you will be fishing, rather than sitting on the couch, right?