3 Reasons Why The Fall is The Best Season For Rainbow Trout Fishing

I have been fishing for rainbow trout for almost thirty years and have literally done so from coast to coast, and there is one time of the year that stands out above all others when it comes to catching these beautiful fish, and that time is the fall. The fall of the year is unquestionably the best time of the year for trout fishing, especially if you are like me and enjoy fishing for rainbows while wading in a small to medium sized river. Below I will outline 3 reasons why the fall is the best season for rainbow trout fishing.

The first reason that the fall is the best season for rainbow trout fishing is that the rivers and lakes are usually virtually empty. There are many reasons for this; football, school, and hunting would be some of them, but the waterways being virtually empty is a big plus for anyone who likes to fish for rainbow trout. The main reason for this is that less anglers means less fishing pressure and less fishing pressure means that you are more likely to experience success. Couple this fact with things like being on the water when the weather and moon are in your favor and you are in for a great fall day on the water.

The second reason why the fall of the year is great for rainbow trout fishing is that as the weather cools off so do the water temperatures, and cooler water temperatures really cause rainbows to "turn on" and feed. A rainbow trouts ideal temperature range is from 55 to 60 degrees and during the fall, water temperatures return to this range after being much higher during the summer months. As this phenomenon happens, the rainbows instinctively begin to feed heavily in anticipation of the upcoming winter months, when water temperatures drop well below their ideal range and the feed much less often. This one fact is probably the biggest reason why the fall is the time of the year that I have caught virtually all of my trophy sized trout.

The third and final reason why the fall is the best season for rainbow trout fishing is that the scenery and conditions are as good as can be found at any time of the year. If you are a serious rainbow angler (as I consider myself to be) you know that in many instances standing in the flowing water fishing for trout is about much more than just "catching a fish". It's about the experience and the environment in which you are fishing and the fall of the year provides the best environment for rainbow trout fishing that can be found at any time. The scenery, cool weather, solitude, and weather patterns all come together to create some great fishing conditions, there’s no doubt about it.