[magicjeep]

Ok here's the story. Since my son, who's 5, asked to go fishing back in the spring we have been fishing alot. Not only am I fishing lakes but I started surf fishing also and have been considering getting myself a fly rod.

Well anyway next monday a few of the lakes nearby are being stocked with 2 year old trout. I have next actually fished for a targeted species, other than stripers from the surf recently. I have always been a put a worm on a hook and throw it in the water kind of fisherman. Since my son (and myself) enjoys fishing now, I have been reading and asking around about how to fish for real. Unfortunately there arent many bait shops here, Dick's is where we usually get our worms, to get the how-to's.

So I am asking any of my fellow Gun & Gamers for any information on fishing for trout in a lake. Any thing would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

BTW sorry for the long winded post.

[neophyte]

Match your 'Rod' to your thought fish size. Generally an all around is just to heavy to encourage good smaller fish action.

Rod are from 2weight up to 10 weight. 2 being the lightest. Rod lenght; again compromises; what is the largest area that you can handle your cast.

Generally! 8' 4-5 weight is good for medium 2-4lb fish; and the better you get with handling 4lb tippets; the larger fish you can adapt to.

[Dookiebutt]

Go with a light or ultralight spinning set-up. Use your worms or Powerbait. Farm trout will also hit corn or marshmallows. Fish it below a bobber or with a few splitshot depending on your lake bottom. Trying your luck with a 3 weight flyrod will be a bit too much for you at this point. If your son is young, even the Zebco clamshell rod/reel combos will work.

[LiveToShoot]

Yee Haw...

...reads like you're settin' up for a heckofa fun time on a father-son outing.

And, going fishing is tops on my list for such too...

...hope you catch your limit, and have a blast doing so.

I'd share some advice...

...but plenty has already been offered.

[magicjeep]

Thanks for the info guys. No fly set ups yet, maybe next season (moneys a little tight to go buying more gear). One of the guys I work with suggested marshmallows. I read that cripple herring and castmaster metals work pretty well?

My son wanted to go fishing yesterday than complained the whole time we were there it was cold and "I think the fish are cold too". I'll let you know how our trip turns out.

[Archetype_wyo]

Powerbait or a worm off the bottom is how we usually fish. Get one of those worm blowers that pumps the sucker full of air. Put a split-shot about 8 inches to a foot in front(bait-side) of a small slip-sinker. We use fairly small hooks. For powerbait we use about a size 10 or 12 hook and for worms we use a 8 or 6.

For spinners/lure fishing we use alot of Jake's lures. The gold and silver work the best (they are made in Ranchester, WY about 60miles from me). They are a must have in any trout fisherman's lineup. Roostertails are nice too. There's another lure company out there that makes some killer spinners for trout that I can't put my thumb on right yet.

Oh also during the summer grasshoppers off a bobber are killer.

[mudslinging79]

i use an ultralite rod, 10 lb max test line, 1/4 to 1/8 sliding sinker above the swivel, number 6 0r 8 hook on 6 lb max test. load with powerbait or worm, wing it out there and wait...

[AllAlaskan]

I like to take a small marshmellow and hook my hook through it so the marshmellow is just up by the eye of the hook, then put on my worm and put hte weight about 2 feet up from the hook. The marshmellow floats the worm up off the bottem. I have cought more trout like that then with just regular worm. Another thing that works great up here (dont know how well it would work there) but Shrimp and Salmon roe or single eggs work great too. But keep in mind this is up in Alaska, however the worms and Shrimp should work great where ever trout are. Just my 2 cents.

[Oxford]

I've fished for trout several times at Roaring River State Park in southern Missouri, usually during the first weekend of trout season. I used a spinning reel with an 8 ft rod because of the closeness of the fishermen at that time. Angulars line up as close as five feet apart trying to catch trout which have been released from the trout fish hatchery closeby. Five fish is the limit.

I haven't tried fly casting...but it looks like fun...if there's plenty of room, definitely not what I experienced at Roaring River. Fly casting and spinning reel fishing don't mix IMHO. At another state park in Missouri, Bennet Springs State Park, there are designated sections of the river where trout fishermen can use for fly casting while wading, fly casting from the banks, spinning reel fishing, all separated from each other. This seems to work best.

I always used artificial lures.