Tired of fishing for hours and not even attracting the smallest nibble? Your problem could very well be attributed to the depth you are fishing at, especially when it comes to trout.
One of the very first things that trout anglers learn is that cooler water is where they need to be. Sounds easy enough, right? While we may know that trout are going to migrate to deeper, cooler water (especially in the summer) the problem arises when it comes to finding the perfect depth.
Not only can it be difficult to find the right depth to fish at, but it can also be downright frustrating. So what can you do to make the process a bit easier and up your odds of bringing home a beauty catch?
The key is to think back onto the basic needs of trout.
The primary need for all trout is to simply be comfortable. This means that they will almost always work their way into water that contains high levels of oxygen and ranges in between the temperature of 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Once they have found water that provides that sort of comfort, the next and last thing on their mind is food.
So now you know the conditions that you have to look for, but how can you go about finding the spots where these ideal conditions exist? The likely answer is to invest in a fish finder that displays depth information, but what if you are more of an economical fisher?
If technology isn’t your thing then your best bet is to opt for trial and error. If you are comfortable and knowledgeable about the body of water you are fishing then you can take a stab at finding the ideal location pretty easily.
Once you have found your “promising” location what you want to do is drop your line to a certain depth and just wait. If you get a few nibbles then you know you have found the right general depth. If not, reel the line up a fair bit and wait again. It may sound tedious but repeating this process is the best way to locate the ideal depth on any given day.
If you still cannot locate the right depth and are getting no action at all, you may simply need to move to a whole new location. Remember that trout fishing is all about trial and error, and creativity. What works like a charm on a Monday could leave you skunked on a Tuesday. Switch things up, try new things but find the right balance of patience as well.
One final tip that could have you sitting pretty on a hot day is to stick near dams if you are fishing in a river or lake. Often times, trout will migrate close to dams when the weather is humid thanks to the large amounts of oxygen and food that can be found in the deep, cool waters that exist in the area. Don’t neglect your usual tried and true spots, but if things seem “off” try heading for the dams and see if your luck just might change.
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