Trout Fishing

1. Live Worms & Maggots: Perhaps the easiest of the bunch to fish, live worms and maggots are simple to use and deadly on trout. Dangle one under a bobber in slack water, or bottom-fish with them in current. Either way their wiggling and writhing is too much for trout to resist. I once lived near a trout stream with live bait restrictions, and on opening day of live bait season, I showed up with nothing but small spinning lures. I’d been catching trout on them all year and wanted to show the worm dunkers a thing or two. Big mistake on my part. Six live-bait anglers limited out as I caught but one dink. They tossed me a cup of worms on their way out and I was home filleting lunch within 30 minutes. I’ve never shunned live bait since, and neither should you.

2. Sweet corn: It could be the smell, the shape, or the color that attracts trout or it could be all three. Whatever the reason, sweet corn is such effective bait, it is actually banned from some waters such as South Carolina’s Lake Jocassee, and on certain stretches of the Chattooga River. If your favorite trout waters don’t restrict its use, make sure you have sweet corn on hand. Sometimes just one kernel does the trick, but don’t hesitate to load the hook completely.

3. Salmon Eggs: I keep a small jar with me at all times and they’ve saved the day on more than one occasion. Some folks are afraid to cast them into fast current but don’t let that scare you. Seeing these colorful little balls of protein tumbling out of running water will attract instinctive bites from even the wariest of trout. For even greater results, go with fresh salmon eggs from your local sushi restaurant.

4. Powerbait: This artificial bait comes in many forms. You can buy Powerbait that is shaped like worms, slugs, or grubs, and you can also buy jars of unformed Powerbait dough that you can place on your hook in whatever form you choose. Countless colors are available, and they are packaged in small jars, making them easy to pack and carry. They slowly disolve in water, which gives off a scent and residue trail that trout can’t pass up.

5. Artificial Corn: This alternative to sweet corn works just as well as the real thing on some days. It also won’t spoil like sweet corn so it’s good to have on hand. Most brands begin breaking down when wet in the same manner as Powerbait. Artificial corn is available in sinking or floating varieties. They are more durable than sweet corn, so they’ll stay on the hook longer. While trout find this bait as desirable as the real things, crayfish, which usually finds sweet corn quite attractive, don’t seem to bother artificial corn. Artificial corn basically has all the positive characteristics of sweet corn without any of the negatives and can be strawberry flavoured too!

Everyone enjoys a good fishing day. Carry these five baits along with you next time you head to your favorite trout hole, and you’ll be sure to have one.