Cool enough to feed.
Carry a thermometer. Comfortable water and enough oxygen matter more than a favorite color. A shaded bank can still have warm water, and the deepest part of a lake is not always its best habitat.
For anglers, by anglersTrout fishing.
Trout fishing.
Find the cool water.
Make the next cast count.
A rainbow cruising a lake edge and a lake trout following baitfish in deep water need different plans. Learn what to look for, what to tie on, and how to put it where a trout can eat it.
Look for a meal.
A tiny rise, a cloud of midges, or baitfish breaking the surface can narrow your search. Trout eat insects, crustaceans, and fish; what is available now matters more than a universal “best bait.”
Get the drift right.
Before changing the lure, adjust its depth or speed. A nymph racing unnaturally across a current seam or a spoon passing well above deep fish can miss a good opportunity.
Different fish. Different starting points.
Which trout are you after?
Trout belong to the salmon family. Brook and lake trout are char, close relatives with their own habits. These illustrations show useful clues; color changes with age, habitat, and spawning condition.
Rainbow trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Recognize it
- A pink side stripe and fine dark spots, including across the tail. Some lake fish are much more silver than this illustration.
- Where it lives
- Cold streams, stocked ponds, reservoirs, and large lakes. Stocked fish and long-established wild fish may use different food and cover.
- A useful first approach
- Try a small spinner along a lake edge or an insect imitation at the feeding depth. Floating dough is another option in waters where bait is allowed.
Brown trout
Salmo trutta
- Recognize it
- Golden to brown sides with dark spots and often red spots surrounded by pale halos. Large lake fish can look silvery.
- Where it lives
- Undercut banks, deeper runs, woody cover, and lake shorelines close to deeper water. Bigger fish often include more fish in their diet.
- A useful first approach
- Give a streamer, minnow plug, or spoon room to work beside cover. Early or late light is worth trying, but browns also feed during the day.
Brook trout
Salvelinus fontinalis
- Recognize it
- Wormlike markings over the back, red dots with blue halos, and white leading edges on the lower fins.
- Where it lives
- Cold headwaters, spring-fed streams, and suitable northern or mountain lakes. Small-stream fish and larger lake fish can look like very different prizes.
- A useful first approach
- Keep casts short and quiet on little streams. A compact dry fly, nymph, or spinner can fit the available space better than oversized tackle.
Cutthroat trout
Several native forms
- Recognize it
- Orange or red slashes beneath the lower jaw are a useful clue. Spot patterns vary among forms; a Lahontan cutthroat is illustrated here.
- Where it lives
- Western streams and lakes. A small headwater cutthroat and a large Pyramid Lake Lahontan demand very different tackle.
- A useful first approach
- Match the fishery. Small insect patterns fit many streams; larger flies and spoons can be useful in a big-lake setting. Check local protections and gear rules.
Lake trout
Salvelinus namaycush
- Recognize it
- Pale spots on a darker gray-olive body and a deeply forked tail. Also called mackinaw in parts of the West.
- Where it lives
- Cold northern lakes and deep reservoirs. Fish may use shallower water during cool periods and move to deeper feeding zones as surface water warms.
- A useful first approach
- Find a useful contour and forage, then control a jig or trolled spoon at that level. A tiny stream-trout outfit is not the default for this job.
Steelhead are rainbow trout.
The name commonly refers to rainbows that migrate between feeding waters and spawning streams, including ocean-going fish and Great Lakes populations. They are not a sixth species on this page.
Wild isn't the same as native.
A wild fish was born through natural reproduction. A native fish belongs to a species naturally found in that drainage. A trout can be wild in a place where its species was introduced.
Hybrids and other trout occur too. Use a local identification guide before keeping a fish you cannot confidently name.
Give every cast a reasonRead a lake.
Read a lake.
Read a current seam.
In open water, follow a feeding route. In current, look for a place a fish can hold without spending more energy than its next meal provides.
From a lake bank
Start close. A trout may be cruising the first drop just beyond your feet while you are trying to reach the middle. Work a fan of casts across a point, a weed edge, or an inlet area that is open to fishing.
After covering the shallow band, let the same lure sink longer and repeat. Keep track of the count that gets attention. If you see repeated rises, watch where the fish is headed and cast ahead of it instead of landing on the last ring.
A longer cast is useful only when it reaches something worthwhile.
In a stream or tailwater
A boulder, a soft inside bend, or the edge of a faster tongue of water can give a trout a resting place beside passing food. Approach from a position that keeps your shadow and line out of the feeding lane.
With a drifting nymph or permitted bait, manage slack so the offering moves with the water. With a spinner, feel for the blade working as the current changes. Below a dam, changing releases can quickly alter both the fishing and your route back to shore.
Check release information and keep an exit route before wading.
Bait, metal, or a handful of feathers?
Choose the presentation for the water in front of you. Bait rules vary sharply: a method that is fine at a stocked pond may be prohibited at a nearby trophy fishery.
Inline spinners
An inline spinner has a blade rotating around a straight shaft. It is a handy search lure when you want to walk a bank and cover different angles.
Begin with enough speed to keep the blade turning. Watch it beside you, then vary depth before racing the retrieve. A small swivel ahead of a leader can help manage line twist.
Casting and trolling spoons
A spoon wobbles and flashes on the retrieve. Small casting spoons fit shore fishing; deeper lake-trout work may call for different weights or depth-control equipment.
Test the action next to the bank or boat. If it spins continuously, slow down. Count it down, keep a controlled retrieve, and note the depth where fish respond.
Nymphs, dry flies & streamers
A nymph works below the surface, a dry fly imitates food on top, and a streamer suggests a swimming meal. You do not need a rising fish to fish a fly.
Try a nymph when insects are feeding fish underwater. Watch a rise before choosing a dry. With a streamer, vary short pulls and pauses while keeping contact with the line.
Floating trout dough
A small ball of floating dough can lift a hook above the bottom. Its buoyancy depends on the amount of bait and the hook, so test the finished combination in shallow water.
Use only where permitted. Keep enough dough on to float the hook without hiding an oversized lump around it. Watch the rod closely rather than leaving bait unattended.
Worms & nightcrawler pieces
A small worm or manageable nightcrawler piece is enough for many trout. A float lets you control how far it hangs below the surface and makes subtle takes easier to see.
Choose a small hook that suits the bait, leave the point clear, and respond promptly to a sustained take. Carry bait securely and pack out unused worms and containers.
Minnow plugs & small jigs
Fish-shaped lures and compact jigs can be useful when larger trout are feeding on baitfish. Match the size of the available forage before reaching for the biggest lure in the box.
A minnow plug can work with pauses beside an edge. A jig gives more control of depth; keep enough tension to notice a bite as it falls.
Fish eggs and egg imitations are another local option in some fisheries. Do not assume they, scented products, or soft plastics are allowed under an artificial-only rule; read the definition for that water.
Three ways to present a small mealStart simple.
Start simple.
Know what each part does.
These diagrams show the connections clearly. Adjust depth, weight, hook size, and leader strength to your fishery; the drawings are not to scale.
A fixed-float bait rig
View larger setup ↗- Attach a small fixed float to your line. Tie on a single hook sized for a worm piece or other permitted bait.
- Add the minimum split shot needed to settle the bait below the float. Keep the shot above the hook.
- Slide the float to set depth. Fish above weeds or along a feeding lane, adjusting before the bait drags bottom.
A fixed float is easiest when the fishing depth is shorter than a manageable casting length. Use a slip float for deeper presentations.
A floating-bait bottom rig
View larger setup ↗- Thread a small sliding sinker onto the main line, add a bead, then tie to a swivel.
- Tie a light leader from swivel to hook. Start with a manageable length and check local tackle restrictions.
- Add floating bait and test that it lifts the hook. Cast gently, let the weight settle, and take up loose line without dragging the rig.
Leader length limits how high the bait can rise; it does not guarantee a precise vertical height. Monitor takes closely to reduce deep hooking.
An indicator-and-nymph rig
View larger setup ↗- Connect a tapered leader to your fly line, then add tippet suited to the fly size and fish.
- Attach an adjustable strike indicator above a weighted nymph. Keep the indicator away from the delicate knot at the fly.
- Set depth so the fly travels through the feeding zone. Mend slack without jerking the fly, and lift smoothly at an unexplained stop or dip.
In moving water, line angle means indicator-to-fly distance and fishing depth are not identical. Add depth gradually rather than constantly scraping bottom.
Choose tackle for the fish, not just its name
| Trip | Starting outfit | Pay attention to |
|---|---|---|
| Small stocked lake or stream | Light spinning rod, balanced reel, roughly 4–6 lb line | A smooth drag and a rod that casts your small lure comfortably. |
| General fly fishing | A 9-foot 5-weight is a versatile starting point | Match leader and tippet to fly size, wind, cover, and fish. |
| Bigger lake rainbows or browns | A stronger spinning or fly outfit matched to your presentation | Enough leader strength to land a fish promptly rather than prolonging the fight. |
| Deep lake trout | A jigging or trolling outfit rated for the lure and depth-control gear | Line capacity, boat control, depth, and safe fish handling. |
Light does not have to mean fragile.
Polarized glasses help you see into the water; a rubber-mesh landing net, forceps, spare leader, and a thermometer earn their space on most trout trips.
Less guesswork at the first castChoose your water.
Choose your water.
Build a starting plan.
A stocked pond, a windy reservoir, and a tailwater are different trips. Pick the setting and the way you want to fish; then adjust the suggestion to current rules and conditions.
Let the water finish it.
Shoreline opportunities return.
After ice-out, or as low-elevation water warms from winter, trout can become accessible along lake margins. Compare shallow feeding areas with the first drop rather than assuming every fish has moved in.
In streams, runoff can change visibility and access quickly. A slightly larger visible offering may help in stained water, but unsafe flow is a reason to change the trip.
Find comfort before picking a fly.
Cool early hours can help on some waters, while deep lakes may call for controlled presentations well below the surface. Follow insects on suitable mountain lakes and temperature on warmer streams.
Do not crowd fish concentrated in a small cold-water refuge during a heat spell. Choose another fishery when trout are already stressed.
Separate feeding fish from spawning fish.
Cooling water can open up new shoreline fishing. Browns, brook trout, and lake trout also approach their spawning season, so a gathering of fish is not automatically an invitation to target them.
Respect closures and give spawning areas room. Fish feeding routes away from redds rather than casting repeatedly at paired fish on clean gravel.
Slow down without fishing blind.
On open streams, concentrate on manageable holding water and get a small offering to the fish. A bright mild period or a midge hatch can change a quiet day.
Ice fishing is a separate plan: confirm that the water is open to it and that local ice conditions are suitable. Neither a calendar date nor other anglers on the ice proves it is safe.
When trout reproduce
Not every trout runs on the same clock.
Rainbow and cutthroat trout generally spawn in spring, with timing varying by population and elevation. Brown and brook trout generally spawn in fall; lake trout are also fall spawners.
Many stream-spawning trout excavate gravel nests called redds. Lake trout instead scatter eggs over suitable rock and rubble. Some stocked lakes lack the habitat needed for successful reproduction and depend on continued stocking.
Small changes that matter
Turn a follow into a useful clue.
A fish following your lure has told you more than an empty cast. Change one part of the presentation and see whether the response changes.
If they follow but won't eat
Try a smaller profile, a different running depth, or a controlled pause. Check that the lure is not spinning or fouled with weed. Repeated casts over the same fish can make it less willing.
If the fly keeps dragging
Shorten the cast, move to a better angle, or manage the upstream line before it pulls tight. More false casts do not fix a presentation that crosses several currents.
If every cast finds bottom
Reduce weight or sink time. The goal is a feeding zone, not a collection of snags. Deep trolling requires knowing where the lure runs, not simply how much line is out.
Land it with the release already in mind.
Set the drag before casting, keep steady pressure, and bring the fish to a wet rubber-mesh net. Wet your hands and support it in the water while removing the hook. Have the camera ready before lifting a fish, keep air exposure brief, and release it when it can swim away under its own power.
Do not pull hard on a deeply swallowed hook. Cutting the leader close can avoid more damage. If you intend to keep fish, know the harvest rules and bring a way to chill your legal catch promptly.
Our top 10 trout waters.
Ten destinations to build a trip around, in our chosen order. Pick the trout and the part of the water you want to fish before choosing tackle.
Utah–Wyoming
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Flaming Gorge offers very different trout trips, from rainbow fishing to deep-water lake trout. Its Utah and Wyoming shores belong to the same reservoir, but the rules on each side deserve a separate check.
Trip approach: Choose a target first: a shore-casting rainbow trip and a boat trip for lake trout call for different equipment and depth control.
Explore this water →Missouri
Lake Taneycomo
Taneycomo is a reservoir with a strong tailwater character. Cold releases below Table Rock Dam support stocked rainbow and brown trout, while generation changes how much current you fish.
Trip approach: Plan around the current flow and the exact section. Upper-water bait restrictions mean the tackle that works elsewhere on the lake may not be allowed there.
Explore this water →Nevada
Pyramid Lake
This desert lake is a destination for large Lahontan cutthroat trout. It is a Tribal fishery with its own permit requirements, and bait fishing is prohibited. Shore anglers have a meaningful place in the fishery.
Trip approach: Bring permitted flies or lures and work a reachable contour. Check the open season, Tribal permit, current hook rules, and shoreline conditions before the trip.
Explore this water →Idaho
Lake Pend Oreille
Idaho’s largest lake supports a distinctive trophy rainbow fishery as well as lake trout and other cold-water fish. Its great depth and open-water scale reward a focused plan rather than a lap around the shoreline.
Trip approach: Decide whether you are pursuing rainbows or lake trout, then locate forage and control lure depth. Learn to identify protected bull trout before keeping a catch.
Explore this water →California–Nevada
Lake Tahoe
Lake trout, often called mackinaw here, share Tahoe with rainbow and brown trout. The clear water and steep basin make a deep-water trip a different undertaking from casting along a quiet shoreline.
Trip approach: For lake trout, choose a boat plan that can reach and follow the feeding depth. For shore fishing, investigate cooler periods and accessible edges rather than assuming deep fish are within casting range.
Explore this water →Tennessee
Watauga Lake
This mountain reservoir supports rainbow, brown, and lake trout. Cold, oxygenated habitat gives the lake trout a place here, well south of many of the species’ best-known northern waters.
Trip approach: Separate spring bank fishing from summer depth-control fishing. The reach between Watauga Point and Butler Bridge is an established lake-trout area to investigate.
Explore this water →Minnesota · Wisconsin · Michigan · Ontario
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is a major native lake-trout water, with other trout opportunities along its shores and tributaries. Its size, cold water, and exposed weather make access and boat suitability part of the fishing plan.
Trip approach: Choose a specific shore or launch area and the rules for that jurisdiction. Shore-casting spoons and offshore lake-trout fishing are separate trips with different demands.
Explore this water →South Carolina
Lake Jocassee
Jocassee offers a southern reservoir fishery for rainbow and brown trout. Its deep water and baitfish give anglers a reason to think beyond the shallow stream tactics often associated with trout.
Trip approach: Control trolling depth and compare the layer holding forage. Jocassee has special bait restrictions, including corn, cheese, and fish eggs or their imitations; check the current rules before packing bait.
Explore this water →Montana
Hebgen Lake
Hebgen’s rainbow and brown trout draw anglers to the Madison River country. Its well-known “gulper” fishing centers on trout cruising near the surface and picking off emerging or fallen insects.
Trip approach: On a suitable calm morning, watch several rises before casting. Lead the fish’s route with an appropriate fly rather than dropping a line onto the last rise.
Explore this water →Colorado
Spinney Mountain Reservoir
Spinney Mountain is a Gold Medal reservoir in Colorado’s open South Park country. Trout fishing, mountain views, and exposed wind all shape a day here; it is not a year-round ice-fishing destination.
Trip approach: Use permitted artificial flies or lures. Plan around the park’s seasonal opening, current ramp access, and wind, and check the special harvest rules before fishing.
Explore this water →A few things worth settlingTrout questions,
Trout questions,
straight answers.
Do I need a fly rod to catch trout?
No. A light spinning outfit is a practical way to fish many trout waters. A fly rod offers a different way to deliver small insect imitations and other flies. Choose the method you enjoy and that the water permits.
What is the best bait for stocked trout?
Where allowed, a small worm piece or floating trout dough is a useful starting option. Newly stocked fish do not all behave identically, and fish that have been in the water longer may focus on natural food. Depth and presentation still matter.
What time of day is best?
Low light can help, especially in clear shallow water. An insect hatch, cool weather, cloud cover, or a change in flow may create daytime opportunities. In hot weather, an early start does not make an already warm stream suitable.
How deep should I fish?
Start with the habitat and the target fish. A rainbow may cruise shallow water in spring while a lake trout uses a deeper route. Count a lure down, adjust float depth, or use electronics from a boat to make changes you can repeat.
Does bright line scare trout?
Clear water and pressured fish can reward a suitable fine leader, but visibility is only one factor. A good drift, sensible approach, and dependable knot often matter more than changing line color. Do not go so light that you cannot land a fish promptly.
Is a cutbow a separate trout species?
A cutbow is a rainbow–cutthroat hybrid. It can show mixed features, which is one reason a single color mark is not always enough for identification.
Can I use this guide at every lake on the list?
The principles carry over; the methods do not all carry over. For example, Pyramid Lake prohibits bait, and Spinney Mountain has artificial-flies-and-lures rules. Check each destination before packing natural or prepared bait.
Make the next trip your ownKnow the fish.