3 days of season left here in IL, then we close for stocking until 5 A.M. April 7th. So far, this Fall and Winter I have been out 8-10 times and managed to catch zero trout (including the Fall opener at which I was witness to an unbelievable rise for an hour before sun up). It’s all still water and stocked rainbows around here. I’m hoping to make it out a couple of times in the next three days, any good last minute suggestions for a noob on flatwater? Technique? Time of day? Pattern? Indicator? I’m getting desperate here… dynamite? Luke
I can only guess at the bug life in your area, but given such a short time stocked trout are suckers for smaller black and brown wooly buggers stripped very slow. I would also try red blood worms or chironomids under a strike indicator along any drop offs and/or shoals. If that doesn’t work, try a San Juan worm below the chironomid. You might give small damsel nymphs a try too, they are always in the water too. I hope you lay into them.
Good Luck!
Loufly
there is something that someone new may not do, if you put out there a dry (some times this will work) leave it sit on the water longer than you might want to. I have sat down on a log and left flys to just sit out there while I was enjoying the surroundings … after a period of time, gently pull it off the water and cast it back out, let it sit again. Sometimes this will draw the attention of this fish to the point of giving it a try… its worked for me many times, mostly on water that have been fished alot…
Hey Grubb,
That’s EXXXACCTLY the way I fish after about 5 miles of crawling through a maze of windfall timber,marsh and other stuff. I settle down with my foie gras on toast points sammiches and watch the “bobber”:).
Life is ( can be) good !
Mark
PS: wine selection - Sauterne ( stream chilled- a MUST)… or Ripple, if available.