Are you thinking about taking up the sport of trout fishing? If so, you’ve probably quickly realized that there are many different techniques regarding fishing for them. Ask five different trout fishermen, and you are liable to get five different techniques for trout fishing that they just swear by! How do you tell the difference?
Well, you have to just try different techniques out until you find the one that works out right for you. When it comes to trout fishing, there just isn’t a “one size fits all” technique. Of course, one of the most popular strategy would be to night fish for trout.
Of course, when it comes to night fishing for trout, it can be a whole different kettle of fish (no pun intended) entirely. Here is a brief overview of some of the basic tips regarding trout night fishing:
Don’t be afraid to make a splash (literally).
If you want to get some trout activity, the best thing you should do is make a pointed effort to get your bait out in the water with a noisy splash. Those ripples across the water will get the trout’s attention in a hurry. This could turn a trout who is simply watching into a biter quite rapidly.
Try to figure out your trout’s personal preferences.
Trout will have their preferences, and it might vary within the different types. Does the trout you are after like areas that are somewhat lit up at night? Or are they perfectly happy striking completely in the dark? Do your homework on this and you are sure to be rewarded.
Cast out parallel to the bank.
The trout will generally follow the contour of the lake, and so you should definitely fish parallel to the bank.
What About The Bait?
Of course, the elephant in the room regarding night fishing for trout would be the bait. In reality, you can definitely make a serious case for using live bait such as worms, and that will be the scope of the rest of this article. Consider some of the following advantages in your trout night fishing endeavors with using worms:
Worms will give you more motion.
Remember how we just discussed the importance of making a splash in the water? Well, what better way to do this than with live bait such as worms? Naturally, they will not want to be on that hook, so trhe worms will be struggling throughout the whole entire casting process. This is definitely a good way to attract a fish coming to investigate just what all of the commotion is about.
Worms will take advantage of a trout’s natural habits.
If you are going to night fish for trout using worms, you should be aware that one of the main advantages would definitely be that it is appealing to the fish. Along with walleye, trout is one of those species that will have a tendency to feed constantly through the night. In this case, lures just won’t cut it. You need live bait, pure and simple.
One added advantage to fishing for trout at night is that they will often not be as skittish as they are during the day. For some reason, they are more bold, and they often will leave their hiding places and go after more prey at night. This can often work out very well for you.
Realize that there are several different strategies for using worms for trout night fishing.
Considering that worms are a trout’s favorite natural prey anyhow, there are all kinds of strategies that you can employ on the next night you are out fishing for them. This is because using worms for fishing for trout is just about the most productive way to catch them, bar none. Consider some of the following options:
Pairing Worms With a Sinking Rig
This is one of the trout night fishing strategies because it capitalizes on the fact that the trout are already out and about at night anyway and in the shallows looking for their next meal. If you are going to attach your worm along with a sinking rig, it usually is best if you utilize a small hook. Indeed, most anglers will recommend using a size 4 baitholder if you are going to employ this method and then possibly breaking the worm in half. Several anglers have been known to recommend this because the trout are more likely to get the hook in their mouth instead of just getting the tail of the worm in there and missing the hook. You definitely wouldn’t want to get a bite and then come up empty!
Again, don’t forget that trout are a very line skittish fish species, so make sure you use a line that is as light as possible. Many anglers recommend using light fluorocarbon lines, simply because they don’t show up in the water but at the same time they go well with the sinkers you should use.
Anglers will often recommend using either an egg sinker that is 1/8th inch or 1/4th inch. This is because they want to make sure the line will slide freely through the sinker, allowing you to feel the fish to bite but also ensuring that the fish isn’t warded off by the weight of the sinker and decides to spit out your worm bait. Tip: if you use a small barrel swivel underneath the hook and tie it to your leader with a two-foot leader, this will still allow your worm bait to float around and make it much more likely to entice a trout.
Yet another suggestion would be to inject the worm with air using a worm blower. This will often blow the worm up bigger and make it float easier, thus making it easier for the trout to see the worm.
Moreover, this can be a good practice to get into if the lake or stream you are fishing has a lot of debris on the bed. That extra vegetation could make it hard for the trout to find the worm, and that’s the last thing you want on your trout night fishing excursion.
Of course, it does take a bit of practice to blow up a worm appropriately, and there is a lot of debate regarding how to do it. Usually, the most effective method would be to insert the furthest point of the bower just under the skin and then give the blower a quick squeeze. However, you don’t want to release the blower while the point is in the worm or the bait will simply just deflate. Instead, you should hold the pressure WHILE YOU REMOVE the blower instead of the normal releasing behavior.
More about keeping worms alive after your fishing trip – what do fishing worms eat?
Trout Fishing Using a Bobber and a Worm
If you are planning on night fishing for trout in a lake, this is an excellent method. Ideally, you should be able to find an inlet or a point sticking out into the lake, and then you should float a worm right around these locations. Inlets usually have the water flow to carry bait and other natural food for the trout to eat, so they have a tendency to hang out in these areas. Generally, if you are fishing with a bobber, you should consider using a smaller-sized 4 level baitholder hook when floating around a worm with your bobber.
This is because you want the hook to be small enough to fit in the fish’s mouth, yet still large enough that you can get the worm in it effectively. Most people will still usually just use a worm that has been cut in half, unless of course they only have very small worms.
If you are dealing with lake water that is shallow, you should go with a regular bobber with a three-foot leader underneath. However, with this configuration, you definitely should use the smallest size of bobber that you have. You don’t want a large bobber to get too close to your bait, otherwise it might scare off your trout.
Of course, you should yet again change your bobber and line configuration if you are fishing in a lake that has a severe drop off. In this case, using a slip bobber along with 8 to 12 feet of leader is something you could try. However, admittedly this strategy seems to work better during the day rather than at night.
Trout Fishing Using a Worm Drifting Strategy
If you are thinking about doing some night fishing at a nearby river or stream, then one of the best strategies for you to use would be that of worm drifting. Moreover, this strategy isn’t really that difficult to do either. All you do is simply cast your line out up the stream and then just let your worm drift back down toward you.
You should make sure to keep any slack out of your line because you will definitely want to be aware of any fight on the line that you might encounter. Of course, you also want to make sure that you avoid reeling in too much line too fast. Doing this will negatively affect the speed of the worm floating in the water, and it will look unnatural to the trout. These fish are much smarter than they seem.
If you are going to do this type of night fishing, you will need to invest in the right fishing rod. In order to find the right one, you should start off by fully analyzing the type of trout that have been caught by other night fishers. If the trout are only a pound in weight, then that probably means that you will only need a very light fishing rod with a fluorocarbon line that only weighs four pounds.
However, if the trout in your night fishing spot are significantly larger than a pound, you probably should go with a rod that has a line of at least six pounds or more.
Well, that’s it. That’s pretty much all you need to know regarding night fishing for trout with worms. So, feel free to go and try it out. Except….there’s just one little thing that we are forgetting here. You see, actually, that isn’t it. It might be a good start, but six months to a couple of years down the road, you just might find that your night trout fishing endeavors are becoming kind of routine, and dare I say, boring. However, there is one thing you can do. Have you ever considered changing up the bait? Take a gander at this upcoming suggestion:
Night Fishing For Trout With Worms and Marshmallows
Yes, you read that right. It’s not a misprint. Experienced trout anglers have been using marshmallows as part of their bait repertoire for many years now. Here’s how they do it:
Pick the Marshmallow.
First of all, you will need to pick the marshmallow that will be working in tandem with your worm. Interestingly enough, there are many different ways to do this. One of the best methods for using marshmallow bait would be to get one that has been dyed orange, chartreuse, or red in order to mimic trout eggs. Not only is using a marshmallow a good method for night fishing, but it also will do excellent for drift fishing as well. This is due in part to the fact that these marshmallows will naturally float, making them a great option for those trout that never bite at the bottom anyway.
Consider using a fish attractant.
Perhaps one overlooked area in this already-overlooked bait strategy would have to be using a marshmallow that is scented. Consider adding a natural fish attractant to your marshmallow such as garlic, and there is no question that it will vastly increase your chances of landing that prized trout on your next night fishing adventure.
Make sure you utilize the right hook.
Feel free to experiment, but many anglers have found success using a hook that measures 6” in length. Ideally, you don’t want one that’s too small. However, you don’t want a hook that’s too large either simply it will look “off” to the fish.
If you keep all of these factors in mind, you should have no trouble making night fishing for trout one of your favorite times to go out on the water and enjoy your fishing sport!
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