The Weekend Report

[fishing_blonde]

I'm going fishing for the first time at Montauk this weekend(weather permitting) It will also be my first time trout fishing. I usually fish bass and catfish. Do you guys have any tips or suggestions for first time trout fisher?

I have talked to a few people who tell me to make sure I use a super small hook and told me to use canned corn.

What do you guys think? I don't do the fly fishing thing so any other tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

A

[ekl-stl]

First time trout fishing and first time at Montauk.. If you wade fish, get a jar of powerbait and some hooks from the lodge and go straight behind the lodge. There is a huge hole there that will give you alot of room to try out the trout fishing.. Or you could throw small spinners or jigs..

[ozark trout fisher]

I'm going fishing for the first time at Montauk this weekend(weather permitting) It will also be my first time trout fishing. I usually fish bass and catfish. Do you guys have any tips or suggestions for first time trout fisher?

I have talked to a few people who tell me to make sure I use a super small hook and told me to use canned corn.

What do you guys think? I don't do the fly fishing thing so any other tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

A

First time trout fishing..... I believe I have the prescription for you. Buy a jar of orange or rainbow colored powerbait, some size eight single hooks, and split shot. Tie the split shot on 12 or 15 inches above the hook, and ball up just enough powerbait to float the hook off the bottom, and to cover the hook itself. Get there at the buzzer (its at 6:30 A.M now), at go just above or just below one of the mill dams on either the spring branch or the main stream (make sure your in an area where bait is allowed). Cast out, and let it sit for a minute or two. Do this, and there is little to no doubt in my mind you'll catch trout. By about 8:00 AM, the fishing will get a bit tougher. At this point, you might want to go up into the artificial only area, because many more fish tend to hold over there throughout the day. It says its fly only, but you can use any artificial that doesn't have a treble hook or soft plastic, and a spinning rod is okay. Your best bet will be a white or pink 1/32 ounce marabou jig (they carry them at the park store). You'll want to buy a pair of polarized sunglasses, so you can see the fish better. Pick a school of fish, and repeatedly drift the jig past them. You'll want to try it a few different ways, including a dead drift, reeling it straight in, jigging it up and down, or just reeling it slowly on the bottom. It really just depends on what mood the fish are in that day.

But if you want to guarantee yourself you catch trout, fish a deep hole in the bait area with powerbait just after the buzzer. Anyone can catch fish that way. By the way, I would suggest the first hole below the dam that divides the bait and fly area.

I almost forgot the most important advice I could possibly give you. If you use line any heavier than 4 pound test, don't expect to catch many fish. These trout park fish are super line shy, because of the clear water. Even if it means spooling 4 pound mono on a medium action, that is better than using heavy line. It'll be a bad match if that's all you have, but it will work, because long casts are almost never necessary.A light action or ultralight would be better if you had one.

Line is really the one thing that can kill you in the trout parks.

[mhall02]

I would take it down to 2 pound test and an ultra light spinnig rig if the water is clear, but you gotta go easy when reeling them in if you are not used to light line. A net is handy thing to have at first.

By the way, is the water clear right now? I'm heading down in the morning and wondering if yesterday's rain messed things up.

Take a look at the link below for the different regulations and layout of the stream:

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/12002.pdf

[fishing_blonde]

Thank you all so much!!! It is all super apperciated. I'm so excited but I don't want to look like an idiot not knowing what I am doing. Yes, I will be the girl you guys would all look at and go "First time trout fisher" with a nice chuckle.

What is the average size trout you all catch at Montauk? I don't want to keep anything too small but I don't want to want for bigger and better and end up not taking anything home. I know Brown trout have to be 15 inches and there is no inch limit on rainbow but what is an average size for that area?

Again, thank you all so much for the info. I can't wait to try it all out. What time does the shop there open?

I wonder how the fishing will be with all this rain?

thanks,

A

[ozark trout fisher]

Thank you all so much!!! It is all super apperciated. I'm so excited but I don't want to look like an idiot not knowing what I am doing. Yes, I will be the girl you guys would all look at and go "First time trout fisher" with a nice chuckle.

What is the average size trout you all catch at Montauk? I don't want to keep anything too small but I don't want to want for bigger and better and end up not taking anything home. I know Brown trout have to be 15 inches and there is no inch limit on rainbow but what is an average size for that area?

Again, thank you all so much for the info. I can't wait to try it all out. What time does the shop there open?

I wonder how the fishing will be with all this rain?

thanks,

A

The average fish is about 12", with a fair number as big as 17 or 18 inches. At least 90% will be rainbows, although there are some browns too. The shop opens 30 minutes before the opening buzzer, so that would mean 6 AM now.

By the way, the rain shouldn't hurt anything. Water flows are a little high, but still pretty normal. If anything it'll make the fishing better.

[Geoff]

just curious on something though...what pound test did you land this guy with?

[Leonard]

I was fishing 6lb maxima...

I dont care what anyone says...

if those trout are hungry and see a piece of meat.....

****** THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR LINE COMING OUT OF IT HEAD!!********

[TroutBum4wt]

Holy smokes, Batman. You could put a saddle on that thing. Congrats.

Cheers!

[tippett7]

Not to confuse you but if you like catching 40 - 60 fish a day you might want to use a bait we made up when we were kids. We fished at Meremac Springs mainly but it works great at Montauk too. Here is the SIMPLE recipe.

1. White Bread take off all the crust 3 pieces

2. Can of Sardines.

Take 3 pieces of crustless white bread and mix with some sardine oil and need for about 5 minutes. Make sure you wrap it will in a baggie to keep it moist. It's fish bait and snack food all at the same time.