Fishing Forum

Have a couple of questions for the fish scientists out there, be they studied or self-proclaimed.

First, is there something in the water, weather, or genetic code that causes trout to go crazy this time of year?

I ask because I spent all of Monday fishing one of my favorite southeast Idaho rivers and had one of my best days ever (easily the most prolific with regards to trout). I truly could not keep my hook bare. Cast after cast, rainbows and hybrids of all sizes kept taking my inline spinner. I brought along worms just in case things slowed down but never had a reason to switch because the hits kept coming.

I've always done well at this location, but the fish at each hole usually tire of a lure after a few casts or catches. For example, the best I've done in the past with an artificial lure at this one large hole where I started my day is maybe 4-5 fish. Yesterday, I lost count in the 20s and am reasonably certain I got to 30, with at least that many hooking on but not landing, plus countless strikes.

Seriously, the activity was so constant that by 3 p.m. I had actually gotten bored of catching fish (blasphemy!).

At first, I wondered if water temperature was the reason for the explosion in activity, but it can't be the only reason because I fished that river throughout the fall last year and never experienced a day like yesterday.

Could a lack of pressure be the reason? The water levels at this place have been unusually high and variable since late spring, so I doubt it's received the attention it typically does. (For example, I hadn't been there since late March.)

The other question I have pertains to spawning. Do lacustrine/fluvial rainbows also spawn in the fall?

The ones I caught yesterday certainly didn't have spawn colors, but I did land a fat hen with a peculiarly distended belly. No doubt a picture here would've helped.

Thanks,

TT
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The full moon today sure didn't hurt.
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I thought full moons were great for night fishing but poor for day fishing? *scratches head*
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Getting all fattened up for winter?
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I think there are a few factors. The lower water temps help out with trout to a point. They are fattening up for winter and get more aggresive, also there is less food sources this time of year. Hoppers are dropped off, most of the big bug hatches are over.

All those things combined get the fish fired up and feeding heavier.

Also the browns are gear up to spawn or are already moved into spawning areas and get really aggresive.
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Thanks, everyone. Those explanations all make sense. What buggers me, however, is I've fished this place during autumn before, and though the fishing has always been good, it's never been insane like it was Monday.

Unfortunately, I didn't hook into any browns. Never had much luck with them aside from few parrs and juveniles. I'll keep tryin'!
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may have been a case of the proverbial perfect storm. Moon right, little recent fishing pressure, weather, plus all the stuff mentioned before. Ive had a few of those days and when they are occurring you just have to and enjoy the heck out of whats going on cause those days are special and tend to be far and few between.
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Did you do any stomach content checks? The fish may be concentrated on a certain food source as well as being more aggresive with the drop in water temps. I tend to have days like that with spinners when the fish are concentrated on a huge school of minnows. This has only happened to me a couple of times on the teton, but I have had days when the fish are slashing at schools of bait fish like an ocean fish. That is when fishing is easy.

Windriver
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michael44 wrote:[/quote]
Getting all fattened up for winter?[/quote]

Ya, that![cool]

Been paying attention to any squirrels lately?
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The other factor that seems to improve trout fishing in streams tremendously any time of year is cloud cover. Many times on those cloudy days the fish seem to lose their concern of predators I think and feed like crazy. Not sure if that played a role on Monday but I've noticed it many times. Go back the next day because the fishing was incredible only to find typical fishing with the sun shining.
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