As The Weather Cools Off The Trout Fishing Is Heating Up. Who Doesnt Love Fall Trout Fishing?

So I headed down to the same are of the Swan River that I fished last week, but this time rather than walking along the bank down to the really big "hole" I decided to wade straight across the river. You see, I know that there is a nice hole on that side of the river as well, which I figured needed a little attention too. And being on my little "mini jig kick" (which I referred to in my last post) you can imagine what my bait of choice was going to be on this particular day.  In case you were wondering, the grainy picture to the right shows you the exact rig.

Once I got across the river and worked my way into casting distance of the hole itself I began to drift fish.After two casts I realized that I needed more weight, so I pinched a single split shot sinker onto my line twelve or so inches above the mini jig.  This did the trick, because I began catching rainbows from 8 to 12 inches every other cast or so.  I even changed my trout worm color to natural and the hungry rainbow didn't mind a bit!  After working my way through the hole I waded down river to the BIG hole.

While the action wasn't as "hot and heavy" as it was upstream I did catch a small trout or two and missed what felt like a very nice one.  I then did exactly what I did the prior week.  I switched from a Powerbait trout worm body to a Powerbait Power Nymph body.  I know, it was just like the prior trip and can you guess what happened? 

Once again within a cast or two I felt the familiar "bump, bump", but then a very heavy pull.  I set the hook and immediately felt the weight of a large fish.  "Oh Jesus", I thought to myself.  I figured that this trout didn't realize that he was hooked because judging by the weight, if he made a run, I was in trouble!  So I kept reeling in slowly and could feel the monster shaking its head back and forth the whole time.  It just wasn't making sense, because a rainbow trout of this weight NEVER behaves like this one was.

I then got the fish close enough to see him and much to my chagrin, it was a lake trout!  A five or six pound lake trout, which on my four foot ultralight rod felt like a monstrosity.  I reeled the big fella in, unhooked him, then sent him on his way.  I then couldn't help but think about was terrible fighters lake trout are!  In hindsight, every one that I have ever caught has been just like this they initially bite, then get hooked, and all but roll over, just waiting to be winched in.  Oh well, it makes for a decent little story and the rainbows made for a nice little day.  All in all a good day on the water without a doubt.

Being Prepared For A Little Fall Trout Fishing

It has been a long, hot, and particularly dry summer here in Northwest Montana and my motivation to get out there chase the trout around has suffered because of it.  My motivation for trout fishing often wanes in the summer time, but this year has seemed particular bad.  That's okay though, because I'm even more excited for the fall, when I know I will be out there on the Swan River catching some nice trout.

As everyone is more than likely aware, the fall of the year is my favorite and most productive time of the year for trout fishing.  There is simply nothing better than standing in the flowing waters of a river when the air is crisp and clean and drift fishing for a rainbow trout or two.  To me personally this is a little bit of heaven.

But, if you want to be successful when fishing for fall trout it's important that you are prepared, and what exactly do I mean by this?   Well, it's pretty  simple really.  First of all it means that you go through your fishing vest and remove any unwanted/unneeded items, as well as stocking up on the items that you know you will be using during your fall trout fishing excursions.

Next and maybe most importantly is the condition of your fishing line.  As you know as trout fishermen we tend to use fishing line that is quite light (often 2 or 4 pound test) and light fishing line becomes worn quite easily and thus needs to be changed.  For this reason I make it a habit to always discard my fishing line and add a fresh spool of line to all of my reels before the fall trout fishing season begins.  Doing this not only makes for easier casts, it also gives you confidence that your line won't fail when you're fighting one of those heavy fall trout!

Keep these simple tips in mind and you will have a much more productive and enjoyable time of the water this fall fishing season.  Remember the more prepared you are the more efficient you will be on the water, which means that you get more time fishing and thus more time catching fall trout.  

The Leaves Are Starting To Fall & The Rainbow Trout Are Starting To Bite

As I began my hour or so hike down the partially dry creek bed to get to this years favorite fall trout fishing spot, I couldn't help but notice that the leaves on the birch trees have not only changed color, but are also beginning to fall from the trees.  I would imagine that the three or four days of unseasonably cool weather that we had a week or so ago "triggered" the color change, but whatever it is that is causing the leaves to do their thing earlier than normal, I'm not complaining.

I love to see the fall color change happen, because it triggers the real start of the fall trout fishing season in me and I know that I have some great fishing for the next few months.  I had returned to the same stretch of the swan river that I fished on the last trip and for the first 40 minutes or so I didn't receive a single bite.  This really confused me, but within another 10 or so minutes I had a bite, which I missed, and caught and released a nice little 15 inch bull trout.  At this point I worked my way downstream to a really nice hole that I discovered at the end of my last trip.

I tried to fish this hole but found that it is so deep and hard to get good casting angles in, that I would have to try to fish a little further downstream.  Well after about 5 minutes of drift fishing a stretch that looked good, I had another bite.  As I quickly lifted the tip of my rod to set the hook I felt that I was dealing with a fairly heavy trout.  I started to slowly step back, trying to raise the trout enough so I could see it.  It was nice alright, but not fighting like a rainbow of that size usually does?  With 5 minutes I had the rainbow landed, and it was indeed a nice one (about 20 inches) and I quickly removed the gang hooks and released the fish. 

I worked my way downstream a step or two and began fishing again.  I quickly hooked another larger rainbow, and this rainbow trout acted like I have come to expect during the fall of the year.  The trout immediately jumped out of the water and when it reentered the river began zipping line from my reel as the fish bolted directly away from me.  It the made on last jump and just like that was gone.  This time the line didn't break, but rather the small #10 gang hooks that I prefer to use simply disengaged from the rainbows mouth. "Jesus!", I thought to myself, "That was a nice fish".  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted and saved what would have otherwise been a less than epic fish catching day. 

Fall Trout Fishing is Underway For 2013

After my morning run, I immediately checked to see when the moon rise/set calender to see when I should head out to the river and learned that on this day the moon was rising at 11:56 AM, which was perfect because I usually eat my lunch at around 11, which gave me plenty of time to get to the river within the moon rise window. I arrived at the river and began fishing at about 11:45. For the next 30 minutes or so I drift fished without as much as a bite, so I moved downstream to a nice hole that usually hold a nice rainbow trout. Withing 3 casts I felt the familiar tap, tap, pull that usually means a decent trout, and I set the hook. As son as the hook was set the reel began to squeal and I was in business.

Ten or so minutes later I landed a nice, wide 17 inch rainbow and I couldn't help but think to myself, "I'm surprised that she didn't fight me a bit harder?", when I remembered that it was early September and the water temperature was still fairly warm. You see, rainbow trout don't like warm water temperatures and for the past 2 or so months it has been pretty hot, which means the water temperatures are above what the rainbows prefer. When the water temperatures are above 63 degrees the trout tend to be fairly sluggish and thus they don't fight as much as you might expect.

In any case, after catching that trout, I couldn't get any more bites, so I headed downstream. As I walked and waded downstream I couldn't help but think about how the fall trout fishing is underway for 2013. The next hole that I fished has the perfect combination of current, depth, and wide open river for fighting large trout that you will find anywhere on earth, and as I was releasing another 17 inch rainbow, I thought to myself how this was the perfect place to find and catch a true trophy rainbow trout.

I continued to fish this hole for another hour or so and in that time hooked and lost a HEAVY fish and landed two more rainbows in the 15-16 inch range. It was a successful trout fishing outing by anyone's standards, and it helped to realize that the 2013 fall trout fishily season is underway and I have located the stretch of river that will probably produce my next trophy sized rainbow tout.

Tactics For Catching Fall Trout

As I have said many times, the fall is without question the best time of year to fish for trout (especially when you are talking about rainbow and cutthroat trout). During the fall, the rivers and lakes are much less crowded, the water temperatures cool off to the trouts ideal temperature range, and instincts kick in which cause the trout to begin to feed heavily before the onslaught of much colder temperatures. No matter where you fish for trout a combination of these factors, plus others more than likely come into play, causing the Autumn season to be one of the best times of the year for trout fishing.

When it comes to catching fall trout, often there are trout baits and tactics that are more effective than they are during other seasons and in this post I will focus on a few of these tactics. Sometimes, adjusting our approach to ultralight trout fishing just a little bit can make all the difference, and when it comes to fall trout this fact is especially true. If either of the following tactics aren’t a part of your trout fishing arsenal, they should be added sooner rather than later.

1. Drifting/Ripping Streamers - Although many ultra light spin fishing trout fishermen think that fishing with artificial flies in out of the question, nothing could be farther from the truth, especially when you are talking about streamers. There are many different varieties of streamers that are effective for fall trout, and two of the ones that I utilize the most are the Muddler Minnow and the Universal Fly. In the picture that is attached to this post you can see the setup, and the streamer is drifting and twitched with the current or cast out and retrieved fairly fast (sometimes called "ripped"). Hungry fall trout find large streamers difficult to resist, whether you are a fly fisherman or an ultra light spin fisherman.
2. Drifting/Ripping Large Dark Colored Spinners - Using spinners to catch trout is no huge secret, but changing your tactic to include larger spinners with dark color patterns often is. As I eluded to earlier, fall trout are often more aggressive and thus much more apt to attack larger meals, which is why spinner sizes should be up-sized to 1/4, 3/8, or even 1/2 of an ounce. And stick with black, brown, dark green, or a combinations of these darker colors when choosing a color pattern. Also, I have always found gold or black blades to be more effective for trout during the fall months.

The bottom line is that the months of September, October, and November are probably the best months of the year to fish for trout, so make sure that you get out there as often as you can. If you do, I virtually guarantee the the the trout God's will make it worth your while.

Fall Trout Baits – 3 Extremely Effective Fall Trout Baits

As you may or may not be aware, the fall of the year is probably the best time of the year for trout

fishing. This is especially true here in Northwest Montana, where I have caught virtually all of my "trophy" sized rainbow trout. I also know that the fall of the year was extremely productive in Central Pennsylvania where I grew up. When it comes to trout fishing during the fall of the year, it is vitally important that yo8u utilize the most effective trout baits, which is what this article is about.

Throughout the article below I will outline 3 extremely effective fall trout baits, so that you can make sure that one or all of them are a part of your fishing arsenal when you head out trout fishing this fall. All of these baits are effective for river dwelling trout. Many trout fishermen make the mistake of not giving enough thought to the type of bait that they utilize in relation to when they are fishing and this is a big mistake.

The first fall trout bait that I want to discuss is the inline spinner, but not just any inline spinner, in the fall I like to use dressed spinners that have a dark color pattern and a gold blade. For some reason, during the fall of the year gold blades seem to outperform any other blade color. When fishing spinners for fall trout, don't forget to up size your spinner to an 1/8 or even 1/4 of an ounce. Aggressively feeding trout (which you often find during the fall) are more susceptible to larger meals.

The next of the fall trout baits that I want to discuss is the live or synthetic fishing worm. Live or synthetic fishing worms (such as Berkley tout worms or "Alive" nightcrawlers) that are rigged onto a set of gang hooks and "drift fished" through the current of your favorite trout river is as effective a fall trout fishing technique as there is. Whatever you do, don't forget the fishing worm when you head out in search of fall trout this year.

Finally we come to one of the most overlooked baits that there is when it comes ultralight trout fishing, the nymph. Whether you are talking about Wooly Buggers, Mohair leeches, or even the Universal Fly nymphs are a favorite trout bait choice for many fall trout fishermen. What, you think that because your aren't a fly fisherman you can't use artificial flies such as nymphs as bait? Well you are WRONG, just check this post out for more info: Spin Fishing w/ Artificial Flies. 

The bottom line is that there is probably no more effective time of the year to catch trout than the fall, so make sure that you get out there and "wet a line" during this extremely productive time of the year. And make sure that one (or all) of the aforementioned fall trout baits are along for the ride.

Secrets of Fall Trout Fishing

I have been fishing for trout for more than two decades and for the last ten years have focused primarily on catching both rainbow and cutthroat trout, and the one lesson that I have learned above all others is the the fall is, bar none, the best time of the year to catch trout. Not only do I catch more trout during the fall, I also tend to catch significantly more large trout as well. As a matter of fact, virtually all of my "trophies" have been caught during the fall trout fishing season. In this post I will reveal a few secrets of fall trout fishing that have been revealed to me over the past 10 years on the river.

During the fall, trout are extremely active, not only because water temperatures have started to cool back down after three months of sweltering heat, but also because the amount of activity on the river dwindles during the fall to a much more "normal" level. These factors come together to create what I like to call "perfect conditions" for trout fishing. Comfortable trout and next to no fishing pressure, it just doesn’t get any better.

Next we have the fact that because of these changes, instinctively the trout feed much heavier than normal as they prepare for the upcoming cold temperatures of winter when their metabolism slows and and they feed much less often. This means that during the times of the day when trout are normally active such as during a moon rise or set, a new moon phase, or during the morning or evenings, during the fall the trout will be even more active.

When fall trout fishing, although most of the normal baits will work, there are a few that seem to perform better than others, so you want to make sure that you have some variety available. The other thing that comes into play in the fall in regards to trout bait is that it seems that darker color patterns are more effective than lighter or bright color patterns.

The bottom line is that the fall is the time of the year for catching trout so make sure that you make time to get out there and enjoy some fall trout fishing this September, October, and November. If you will employ the above secrets you will experience even more success, I promise you.

Rainy, Cool Weather and a Few Nice Rainbow Trout

When I woke up the other morning, trout fishing wasn't on my list of things to do, but as the morning progressed into the early afternoon, I thought to myself, "Even though it looks like it might rain, why don't you go fishing?" I sat there for a moment and realized that winter was going to be here before I knew it and I wasn't going to get many more drift fishing opportunities for the next eight months, so I stopped what I was doing and loaded the car.

 It took about a half an hour to reach the river and then another twenty or so minutes to reach the area that I wanted to fish. I had caught a ton of rainbow trout from this stretch of river a couple of weeks earlier and had hooked one that was more than likely in the "trophy" category so my spirits were high.  As I made my first cast I couldn't help but smell the fresh air and feel the cool air temperature through the Wristies that were protecting my hands and realized as I often do when I'm standing thigh deep in a flowing trout river how much I love the act of trout fishing. 

After thirty or so minutes of drift fishing without as much as a nibble I was beginning to think that maybe the trout God's weren't going to cooperate with me on this day, and then I felt the familiar pull that so often means that a nice rainbow trout is biting the end of my line.  I set the hook and the fight was on.  Fifteen or so minutes later I was admiring a healthy 20 inch rainbow trout. 

I let that trout go, re-baited, repositioned myself and made another cast.  Mid way through the drift, Wam!, I had another healthy rainbow hooked.  This fish wasn't as long as the previous trout, it only measured about fifteen inches, but was easily four to five inches wide, which made her a very healthy rainbow trout as well. 

By the time my quick fishing trip was over I had caught and released six rainbow trout that were from twelve to twenty inches long and I left the river with a smile on my face.  As I hiked back to my vehicle, crossed the river, and climbed the hill towards my vehicle I couldn't help but give thanks to whatever forces converge to make the fall such a fabulous time of the year for trout fishing. 

Trout Fishing In The Fall Can't Be Beat

So, I headed out to my favorite trout river the other day.  I figured the fishing would be good because the barometer was dropping as a weather system began to push through the area and the moon would be rising within three hours of me be on the river, so my attitude was as good as it gets.  When I left the house I grabbed a leftover container of worms from the refrigerator and on the drive to the river I contemplated making a quick stop to buy some more, but I never made that stop.

I knew the container had a decent number of worms in it so I figured that there wouldn't be any issue.  As I began transferring the worms from the Styrofoam container, into my bait bag I realized that there were only about 10 worms but I thought, "hey I don't want to be here all afternoon anyway" and I began my trek across the river.

When I reached the first hole, a deep, fairly slow moving stretch of water with  large boulders hidden beneath the surface, I rigged a half of a night crawler onto my gang hooks and began drift fishing.  This is a nice hole where I have caught multiple 18 plus inch rainbows from in the past, but on this day it was not to be.  After drift fishing for upwards of an hour without as much as a nibble, I headed downstream.

When I reached the next hole, which is more of a 'deep run' rather than a 'hole' on my first drift I felt the familiar tap, tap,from a hungry trout.  I hooked and landed 3 or 4 small rainbow trout (8-10 inches) and began to realize that my bait bag was almost empty.  I had used almost all of my worms and only had a few chances left. 

On the next cast I felt the familiar 'pull' feeling that usually means a decent trout is biting.  I set the hook and voila, I missed him!  I quickly reeled in and baiting my gang hooks with my next to last worm, casted out and began drift fishing once again.  Again, I felt the familiar 'pull' from a decent sized trout and set the hook.  This time I 'jagged' him (or her) felt weight and almost as quickly as I hooked the trout, it was off of the end of my line.  An expletive followed as I reeled in to bait my hooks with my final worm. 

Ads I casted out for my final drift of the day, I couldn't help but think about how much I LOVE drift fishing for rainbow trout.  About half way through the drift I felt a nice little tap, tap on the end of my rod.  I set the hook and soon was releasing a beautiful 10 inch rainbow trout.  The big one didn't bite that time, but oh well, you can't catch a monster every time that you go fishing, right?  

The Best Kept Secrets of Fall Trout Fishing

If you like to fish for trout, whether you are talking about rainbow, cutthroat, brook, or brown trout, you need to be aware of one simple fact and that fact is that the fall months offer some of the best trout fishing that can be experienced all year long. I have been fishing for trout for almost a quarter of a century and in that time have learned that fall trout fishing is unmatched for many reasons some of which include; Uncrowded waterways, unmatched scenery, comfortable temperatures, and trout that seem to be "stocking up" on food before the onslaught of freezing temperatures.

In this article I will outline a few secrets of fall trout fishing that I have learned during my extensive time on the water in the hopes that they will help you to experience more success when fishing for trout this fall. All of these secrets have served me well over the years and I know when implemented how effective they can be, so they will no doubt help you to catch more trout this fall season.

The first secret to trout fishing in the fall is to make sure that you are on the water when the trout are the most active. Now, you're probably wondering how you are supposed to know when the trout are going to be active and the answer to this question is that there are many ways, but the easiest way is to pay attention to something called the moon rise and/or set. You see, the moon rises and sets just like the sun does and fishes activity level is directly tied to these celestial events.

Many people think that the moon rise and/or set would be opposite of the time that the sun rises and sets, but this is not the case. As a matter of fact sometimes the moon rise can take place in the middle of the afternoon, believe it or not. The key is that if at all possible, you want to be on the water fishing for trout in the hour or two that brackets either the moon rise or the moon set. The trout will be more active during these times, which means that they are more likely to be feeding. Just do a search in the internet for the term "moon rise" and you will find the information that you need.

The second secret to trout fishing in the fall of the year is to utilize live fishing worms as bait. While live worms are an effective trout bait during most of the seasons, they seem to be most effective during fall trout fishing, especially if you are "drift fishing" in a small to medium sized river. Trout feed heavily in the fall of the year and during this time find a juicy worm difficult to resist.

The third secret that I have learned when it come to fall trout fishing is to have protection available for your hands. While the weather can be quite mild during the fall, it can also change very quickly and the slightest breeze can cause your hands to become extremely cold. As I have learned from experience, when your hands become cold, trout fishing becomes much more difficult as you begin to focus on warming your hands up, rather than trying to catch trout. For this reason, you always want to carry a pair of fishing gloves with you anytime that you are fishing for trout during the fall months so that you can slip them on whenever they are needed.

If you add these simple secrets to your trout fishing repertoire this fall you will experience more success on the water, there's no doubt about it.

The Moon Rise, Drift Fishing, & a Ton of Rainbow Trout

I knew I was going to have some time on Monday afternoon to get some fall trout fishing in, so I checked what time the moon was rising on that particular day and learned that the moon rise was taking place at 2:35 in the afternoon. "Perfect", I thought to myself, as that was about the time that I expected to be on the river. I pulled up to the parking area at about 11:45 AM, put on my waders, loaded my bait bag with live worms, and headed down the hill to the river to try to catch some trout.

I was drift fishing by 12:15 and within 10 minutes had my first rainbow trout hooked. She felt like a decent trout, and once landed her I found out that she indeed was a fifteen inch beauty. I fished the same hole for another half an hour or so, catching only a little seven or so inch rainbow, and I began to work my way downstream to the next nice area. I was a bit confused as to why I hadn't received more bites, but quickly forgot about this, as I cast my live worm into the next hole. Within three seconds I felt the familiar "tap" "tap" from a hungry trout. A minute or so later I had landed a nice 10 or so inch rainbow trout

This trend continued for the next hour or so until which time as I ran out of live worms. None of the trout were huge, with the fifteen incher being the largest, but it was nonetheless a wonderful afternoon on the water. Once I ran out of live worms I figured that I'd give a spinner a shot because spinners are usually an effective drift fishing choice as well. After a half an hour or so without as much as a bite, I abandoned the spinner fishing and headed back to my vehicle.

Even though the rainbows were biting like crazy on live worms, they simply weren't interested in anything else on this particular day. Such is the case with fishing for rainbow trout, you never know what they are going to prefer most on a particular day? What I do know is after an experience such as this, there is no way that you can convince me that the moon rise and/or set doesn't have an impact on fishing. I've simply experienced too many times that it does, but the fact that it is the fall certainly doesn't hurt the trout fishing either.

Fall Trout Fishing: The Top 3 Baits

For anyone who isn't aware, the fall months are, without question, the best time of the year to fish for and catch all of the four main species of freshwater trout. Some very important factors converge during the fall months including; cooler air and water temperatures as the winter approaches, less fishing pressure as people begin to focus on other activities, and hungry trout as they begin to "stock up" on food before cold water temperatures slow their metabolism thus causing them to feed much less often, which all make the months of September, October, and November as good as it gets when it comes to fishing for trout.

Based on my personal experience fishing for trout for the last 25 plus years I have learned that certain baits seem to perform better than others when it comes to fall trout fishing and below I will list the top 3 so that you can make sure that you have one or all of them available to you the next time that you head out in search of fall trout.

The first bait that I would like to outline is the good old live worm. Whether you are talking about a red worm or a half of a night crawler, the fact of the matter is that a live worm is an excellent bait to use when fishing for trout during the fall months. Nowhere is this more true then when a live worm is "drift fished" through the current of a small river or stream.

Any list of the top 3 baits for trout fishing in the fall would be incomplete without mentioning the streamer. Whether you are talking about a Wooly Bugger, a beadhead marabou nymph with a peacock herl body, or a Universal Fly, streamers are a great choice to use anytime that you are engaged in fall trout fishing. Whether you are a traditional fly fisherman or choose to use a "fly fishing bubble" and ultra light spinning gear to fish with artificial flies, make sure that streamers are a part of your fishing arsenal during the fall months.

Finally we have a bait that many trout fishermen never even consider using and that bait is called Berkley Gulp Alive Minnows. These biodegradable soft baits are impregnated with fish attracting scents that trout love. Walleye and Bass fishermen have known about Gulp Alive Minnows for a long time and during the fall months trout fishermen need to jump on the band wagon as well. Live minnows can be difficult for trout fishermen to carry and use, but this Berkley product is not. These soft baits are definitely among the top 3 baits that can be used for fall trout.

The bottom line is that the fall is the best time of the year to fish for and catch trout and the aforementioned baits will help you to experience a lot more success on the water. If any of them aren't a part of you trout fishing repertoire they need to be added sooner rather than later.

The Best Bait For Trout Fishing During The Fall

If you are a trout fisherman you are more than likely aware of the fact that the fall is the most productive time of the year for trout fishing (especially if you like to fish for trout in the flowing waters of a river or stream) and if you weren't aware of this fact, you need to be. I have been fishing for and catching trout from rivers and streams in the western hemisphere for more than a quarter of a century and have learned through experience that the fall is by far the best time of the year to fish for trout.

One thing that is interesting about the fall is that it seems that the bait that you use to catch trout can be vitally important, which is why I am writing this post. Although the single "best bait" for trout fishing during the fall is impossible to determine due to things like technique and gear preferences, a group of the best baits is not, which is what you will find below. I am going to list the most productive baits that I have used over the last 25 or so years, so that you can make a determination as to which one might work for you and your favorite fishing style when you head out onto the water in search of trout this fall.

1. Zoom 3" Tiny Fluke - Although Zoom soft plastic jerk baits is most often used by bass fishermen, the 3" Tiny Fluke is also amazingly effective when used as bait for fall trout. The Tiny fluke imitates a bait fish as realistically as any crank bait. The bait can best cast into a lake and fished without a weight or a jig head can be added for weight if you want to "jig" your fluke along the bottom. The Zoom Tiny Fluke can also be 'drift fished" in a river or stream.


2. Live Worms - Live worms, especially when rigged on set of bait rigs and "drift fished" along the bottom of a small river could easily be the best bait to use for trout in the fall of the year. When trout are "stocking up" on calories before the onset of cold winter temperatures a live fishing worm can be hard to beat.


3. Berkley Gulp 'Alive' Minnows - This bait is much like the Tiny Fluke, except that rather than being made from soft plastic, 'alive' minnows are manufactured with fish attracting scents impregnated into them. Many anglers even say that these minnows out fish live minnows, if you can believe that? In any case they make an excellent bait for trout fishing during the fall.


4. In Line Spinner Flies - In line spinner flies or trout spinners that have feathers or "tails" attached to their back end are very effective baits for fall trout. These baits imitate the best of both worlds to hungry trout; insects and bait fish. When it comes to catching fall trout don't overlook in line spinner flies.

Among the many baits that can be used for trout during the fall, in my experience the aforementioned choices are among the best. I continue to have success each fall with every one of them, and depending on your favorite style of trout fishing, I know that these baits will do the same for you. At the end of the day the best bait for trout fishing during the fall of the year is more than likely among these choices.

Fall Rainbow Trout Fishing

Of all of the seasons that a person can fish for rainbow trout, in my experience one season stands out above all the others as far as fishing production goes and that season is the fall. While many people get excited for the fall because of things like football, the kids going back to school, or the approaching holiday season, for me the fall means one thing; trout fishing. In my two decades of experience fishing for rainbow trout, the fall of the year is by far the most productive time of the year to catch these beautiful fish.

The fall has a lot of things going for it that make it so productive, but some of the biggest are cooler temperatures, less crowded waterways, and hungry fish. All of these factors come together to create a sort of "perfect storm" when it comes to fishing for rainbow trout. This is especially true when you are referring to fishing in rivers and streams, which is where I have always preferred to fish for "rainbows".

Here are a few tips that will help you experience more success the fall when you head out in an attempt to catch some hungry rainbow trout. The first tip is to use the moon to your advantage. The moon, whether you are talking about the moon phase or the time when the moon rises and/or sets has an incredible impact on whether or not the trout will be feeding and using this information to your advantage as an angler will have an incredible impact of your bite and catch rates. Do a little research and start using the moon to your advantage on your next fall fishing excursion. If you do this, you will not be disappointed I promise you.

The second tip when it comes to fishing for fall rainbow trout is to utilize a pair of quality fingerless fishing gloves. Although this might not sound like a "fishing tip", believe me it is. During the fall temperatures can change and they can change quickly, so having a pair of fishing gloves available to keep your hands protected can save a fall rainbow trout fishing trip or at the very least make a fall fishing trip a lot more comfortable and enjoyable.

The third and final fall rainbow trout fishing tip I have is to utilize live bait. During the fall rainbow trout are ravenously "stocking up" on food before the onslaught of winter when temperatures drop and make them much less active, and live bait is the perfect bait choice for them during this time. This tip is especially true anytime that you are fishing for rainbows in the flowing waters of a river or stream, when drift fishing is the perfect technique to utilize.

The bottom line is that fall rainbow trout fishing can be as good as it gets all year long in both numbers and the size of the trout that are caught, so do yourself a favor and make sure that you get out there this fall and do some fishing for rainbow trout.

Fall Trout Fishing Has Begun

I've noticed that on my morning runs the temperature has dropped considerably in the last week or so. It seems to be hovering in the 40-55 degree range depending on what the weather is doing, so during this mornings run I thought to myself,"I'll bet the rainbows are starting to bite?" so this afternoon I headed out to my favorite trout river to see if the rainbows were starting to feed.

After a couple of hours spent drift fishing I had my answer. Fall trout fishing has most certainly gotten underway. I caught four rainbow trout, the largest of which was seventeen inches, and this made me remember just how much I enjoy fishing for trout in the fall of the year (even though technically it is still summer).

As soon as the air temperatures begin to drop, which in turn begins to drop the water temperatures, the fishing inevitably begins to heat up, and nowhere is this more true than when it comes to fall trout fishing (at least in the western United States.

Fall Trout Fishing: Being Prepared For the Incredibly Productive Fall Fishing Season

There is no better time of the year for trout fishing in rivers and streams than the fall fishing season. In the fall of the year the trout seem to be "stocking up" on food before the freezing winter temperatures set in and their metabolism begins to slow to the point that they hardly feed. Couple this with the fact that the rivers and streams are much less crowded and the trout are feeling much less pressure and you've got a recipe for some really good fishing.

Being prepared for the incredibly effective fall season is of the utmost importance however and this article will help you be more prepared as you head out onto the water. The first thing to consider in regards to the fall trout season is the condition of your fishing line. After a spring and summer spent fishing for trout, many times your fishing line is in less than optimum condition. For this reason, before the fall trout fishing season begins for you it's a very good idea to replace your fishing line. By replacing your used fishing line with "fresh" fishing line you will ensure that your fishing line performs as it should when you are fishing for (and catching) those hungry fall trout.

The next way to be prepared for fall trout fishing is to take an hour or so and go through your fishing vest. This way you can re-stock the things that are needed and remove things that won't be needed when you head out on a fall fishing excursion. Spending an hour (or less) going through your fishing vest before you head out onto the water in the fall can save you a ton of valuable fishing time on the water.

The final thing that you must be prepared for when it comes to "wetting a line" in the fall is the weather. Weather conditions can be cool to downright cold in the fall of the year, so you always want to make sure that you have a beanie for your head and a light pair of fishing gloves for you hands at least in your fishing vest just in case they are needed. Both of these simple pieces of protection can be the difference between staying on the water and heading home when it comes to fall trout fishing, so having them with you on the water is very important when fishing in the fall.

In the last twenty or so years that I have spent fishing for trout that the fall of the year is unmatched for having incredibly productive days on the river fishing for the beautiful fish that are known as trout. If you've never spent much time fishing for trout during the fall, I would suggest you give it a shot sooner, rather than later.

Fall Trout Fishing

As the summer winds to an end, it's time to begin to focus our attention on fall trout fishing. For me, fall is my favorite time to fish. The rivers and streams are a lot less crowded, and in many parts of the country , trout are "stocking" up before the truly cold weather starts. It has always seemed to me that the fall is the best time to not only catch numbers of trout, but also large trout.

I know that most of my truly large trout have been caught during the fall fishing season. On rivers and streams, at least in the western United States, catching trout in the winter can be difficult because of the cold weather. This is why I like to focus my efforts on fishing in the fall, before the trout's' metabolism slows down and they become much less active.

One of my favorite techniques for fall trout fishing is to use live worms rigged on a gang hook rig. A gang hook rig is simply a set of pre-tied gang hooks attached to your line using a small barrel swivel. This is how it's done: Start by taking the end of your line and tying on a small barrel swivel. Now, tie a set of pre-tied gang hooks to the opposite end of the barrel swivel. At this point add a couple of split shot sinkers above the barrel swivel (the number and size of split shot will vary with current flow) for weight. Now rig a live worm onto your gang hooks (if the worms are really large, simply pinch them in ½).

That's the gang hook rig. Now cast that rig into the current, close your bail, and let the offering flow naturally with the current. The goal is to have the rig bounce off of the bottom as it flows naturally with the current until it's directly below you in the current (at this point the drift is over). The number of split shot will vary depending on current flow. With a little practice, telling the difference between bottom and bites will become simple, and you'll begin catching a lot of trout. The rig that I just described is deadly when fishing for trout in the fall of the year.

If you want to have an extremely effective and practical way to carry your worms while fishing in this manner, just check out The Original Bait Bag. I've personally been using some manifestation of a bait bag for more than 20 years, and can't imagine fishing with live worms without one. The amount of time it saves the average angler in remarkable. The bottom line is that the techniques revealed in this article will make any fall trout fishing excursion much more successful.

Fall Trout Fishing Is Quickly Approaching

Ok, we're still 6-8 week from true "fall trout fishing", but I can't help but get excited anyway. The rivers in Northwest Montana are receding by the day, which is making them more and more "fishable". Yep, the run off from the snow in the mountains still has most of the rivers running high and stained, but the better fishing is no doubt going to be here before I know it.

 For anyone who isn't aware, at JRW our trout fishing technique of choice is drift fishing, and drift fishing is hard to do when the water flows are high and muddy, which is why the fall is our favorite time of the year for chasing trout. Sure we fish for and catch trout during all seasons, but none of them can hold a candle to the fall season.

So, although the fall trout season is still a few weeks off, the excitement is beginning to build for us, and in our opinion it should be building for you as well?

Rainbow Trout Love Colder Temperatures

On my early morning runs I had been noticing that it was getting much colder and on this particular day on the river I noticed that the water temperature was noticeably colder than it had been.  I suppose this would make sense seeing as how temperatures have been dropping into they thirties at night, and as I hooked my first rainbow of the day and it jumped and tail walked during the fight, it was apparent that the trout were noticing the cooler temperatures as well.

This was one of those interesting afternoons fishing for trout during the fall.  I was fishing 3 days before the new moon, which is a day or two early to experience the full new moon phenomenon, so I only caught 3 trout.  Two rainbow trout and one bull trout, not a bad day by anyone's estimation.  The largest of the rainbows was only fifteen inches long, but about five inches wide so it gave me quite a "tussle".  This was one of those rainbow trout that I like to call a "football" because of their similarity in shape to that piece of sporting equipment.

The bottom line with all of this is that when rainbow trout begin to experience colder water temperatures they get much more active and begin to fight much harder.   And "jumping" out of the water during the fight only occurs when rainbow trout are highly active.  This is all taking place  right now during the fall of the year.  Have I mentioned that I like fall trout fishing?

This is Why I LOVE Trout Fishing in the Fall

It was a cloudy Saturday afternoon in mid October with temperatures in the fifties and I was going to have to hike an hour or so down river of where I parked the car to find the stretch of river that I was looking for.   I had fished this stretch of river many times before, but this was the first time I have been able to access it since the run off (yep, we had A LOT of snow in the mountains last winter).

 I began my day of fishing as I normally do, by crouching down and rubbing a handful of river gravel in my hands to "wash off" any human or otherwise unnatural scent that might be present.   I stood up and baited my gang hooks with half of a very lively night crawler, checked my split shots (3 seemed like a good number for the water depth and current flow) and casted my line directly parallel to myself and closed the bail of my reel. 

This was going to be a nice drift, I could just feel it.  As my worm drifted with the current, 'ticking' the bottom every few feet, I realized that my premonition was correct.  It was a good drift.  Half of the battle when trout fishing in a river is the quality of the "drift" you are getting, so I knew I was in good shape.  The drift ended without any bites and the process was repeated.  On the third "drift" I felt the familiar pull of a nice trout and set the hook.  Fish on! 

After a 15 minute fight I was admiring a beautiful eighteen inch rainbow trout.   The colors were as beautiful as any I have ever seen and as the healthy fish was released from my hands, I said a silent prayer to the trout Gods and continued my afternoon of fishing.  By dinner time I had caught and released 6 rainbow trout and 1 cutthroat trout ranging in size from sixteen to twenty inches.  There is no doubt that the fall of the year offers some of the best trout fishing that can be found all year long and this day on the river was most certainly proof of that fact.