Top Pick for Fall Trout

Local trout lakes are fishing about as good as they get all season – if you were thinking about heading out to your favorite lake, now is the time (today’s crappy weather aside).

The big hatches of summer have certainly slowed down but there are still enough bugs active to keep things interesting. The fish do tend to be a little less selective at this time of year and sometimes it seems that any pattern will attract at least some attention (especially from the tiddlers). But there are still certain patterns that tend to hook the most, and biggest fish.

Backswimmers and Waterboatmen are at the top of my list. Populations are at their greatest numbers in the fall, and characteristics of their behavior expose them to feeding trout more than at any other time of year. Regardless of what’s hatching, trout maintain a well-developed search image for these bugs and will rarely pass up the opportunity to pounce when they encounter one out in the open.

Waterboatman (Corixidae) - adult with fully formed wings

My preference is to stalk rising fish from a float tube – I usually work the edges of weedy shoals in 2-6 feet of water (this requires a slow and deliberate approach). Cast your fly on a floating line within a foot or so of the rise, twitch it a few times and then let it sit. If you don’t get a hit within a few seconds, start your retrieve – a series of quick 1” pulls with a long pause. Hits can come during the retrieve, or the pause; watch your fly line carefully on the pause – if it moves, set the hook.

A calm evening at a local trout lake - perfect conditions for spotting rising fish