Stocked trout pond at the campground.. can’t catch shit. I’ve caught one rainbow in 6 days slow retrieving a live worm. Any suggestions?

Posted by Northeast4life

30 Comments

  1. Northeast4life on

    Also how is there no other fish? Sunfish., perch.. I’ve never met a pond that was just completely absent of any fish other than trout.

  2. devildocjames on

    Slowly retrieve another live worm? lol

    I dunno, maybe look for spots for them to hide. Near where you can see the water ripple or whatnot, like as if there’s something under the water.

  3. GovernmentLow4989 on

    Most of the country has been pretty hot lately, the trout are likely down in the deepest parts of the pond where the water is cooler. If you can find the deep spots you will find the fish

  4. A Carolina rig with powerbait casted to the deepest part of the pond will probably do the trick, but you tend to gut hook them with that method so only do it if you intend to keep the fish.

  5. What part of the world are you in? If it’s hot, trout are cold water species as others have mentioned so deep water or near an inlet of moving water is where I’d go.

    If it’s private, get a can of corn and bait a hook with that. It’s illegal in a lot of places so make sure it’s private. I’ve caught trout with orange barrel/black spot rooster tails, kastmaster blue/silver spoons, and I start with the small ones so I have the largest range of size fish that will chase and once I know what they’re hitting, step up the size/weight for larger fish. Bright orange power bait (small form factor) have served me well too.

    Make sure there aren’t bass in the pond. There are a lot of bucket biologists that like to introduce fish knowing nothing about the species nuances (bass are warm water) and the bass will destroy a trout pond, as will otters. Find out the last time it was stocked too.

  6. Floating jig hook, made for fishing walleye. I throw a split shot about 18in up from the hook. Mess around with whatever micro plastics you have. A white floating jig with a pink and white or red and white crappie tube seems to work. Throw that out where ya know they’re at and slowly reel it in every so often. It’s a unique enough presentation in a water column they probably never see it in. Works well when stockers have been in their body of water for awhile and they’ve seen a lot.

  7. TPconnoisseur on

    It’s summer and that water is warm and shallow. I’d still fish that worm on the bottom.

  8. 3Huskiesinasuit on

    How long ago was the most recent stocking of the pond?

    Some commercial groups who stock ponds with trout, do a ‘purge feed’ that results in a lot of high calorie feed in the water with the fish when they get transported. This can cause the stocked fish, and those left over from prior stocking, to be gut loaded, which makes them not hungry for a few days to few weeks after the new stock is loaded.

  9. Stock trout usually die if it gets too hot, like right now. Depends on your water temps and climate. Other commenters advise seek deeper water, which is good advice.

    If you aren’t also catching panfish or bass with live worms, this could be a very stagnant piece of water.

  10. Try floating a worm on a leaf, gently hook the leave and when you get to a target area based on wind and current pull worm of the leaf. Should be a winning presentation.

  11. Factsimus_verdad on

    Bread ball. Fly – if no fly rod use a clear bobber with a 4# leader. Live worm and bobber.

  12. HellsAnglersOH on

    Live minnows under a float

    Powerbait under a float or on bottom

    Small spinnerbaits like Panther Martin or Vibrax

  13. nervousfella7980 on

    Powerbait is a killer for stocked trout. #14-16 treble hook, carolina rigged with a 1/4 ounce egg sinker, 16″ between hook and weight. The powerbait floats off the bottom and it’s in a ball on the hook. It emulates the feed they were fed at the hatchery. I get green, yellow, orange, or a rainbow mix with all 3. Use the one infused with “Gulp!” Scent and flavor. If the stockers are there you’ll kill it! Good luck!

  14. Your best bet would be very early in the morning , or in the evening. That’s usually when you’ll see them start to leave the deepest parts of the pond in search for food (assuming it’s not an hasn’t been tooooo hot). I’d honestly go worm 18-36″ below a bobber on a small hook at those hours.

  15. You need to throw 1/8oz rooster tails. Even if theres no trout left, other fish will take em

  16. If they’re not feeding or dead then you can’t catch them. In that temperature you need water of about 20 foot plus depth to have the water cool enough that rainbow trout will be feeding on the bottom. I’d use a booby nymph fly retrieved very slowly on a very fast sink line. As you can use bait; a worm on a sinker. But you have to find that deep cold water.

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