Montauk Springs

[Person01]

Hello, I have started fishing trout parks, Montauk State Park, to be specific. However, I can’t catch anything. I’m using an ultralight spinning rod/reel with either 2lb or 4lb test. I’ve tried fire worms, and fire eggs with a small hook and a tiny split shot just to get the lure deeper in the water column. I’ve also tried a micro jig to no avail. Does anyone have any suggestions? I don’t see many people catching fish while I’m there. The park is loaded with trout though. The only thing I can figure is to have much success you have to be there as soon as they release them in the morning.

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Try a 1/16-oz marabou jig in a dark color (black, olive, etc.) on 2-lb test.

[jdmidwest]

Ultra clear low water conditions have made the fishing very tough.  When in doubt, powerbait on a treble hook will bring them in.  In the bait area of course.

[T.J. Clarke]

Lie others have said try some jigs.  Trim a tad bit of the feathers off the back.  Try late in the day just before the ending whistle.  

[Foghorn]

Got one buddy who has also just started fishing Montauk and usually camps out. He goes at the whistle and uses a Panther Martin spinner and usually catches his limit. I've fished it for years( think it was 1966 the first time) and rarely go at the whistle anymore. It's a 2 hour drive and another 30 minutes getting a tag and getting fly rods and waders on so it means leaving really early. One friend takes his kids and uses the pellets ground up with white sandwich bread and they always catch a bunch. Polarized sunglasses help see the fish and how they are or are not reacting to your bait, lure or fly. A marabou jig on 2# test should get you some strikes and you can fish it anywhere in the park.

[Gavin]

One thing about park fishing is DO NOT FISH TO DEEP! Park Fisk tend to suspend  above the bottom, and they are trained to look up for food. Put your lure below them, and you won’t catch many, if any. Match depth to bump them in the nose.

[trouty mouth]

The trout parks in MO aren't able to stock as much as they have in the past. It feels like the stockers get caught in the morning and taken out pretty quickly. 

Montauk's a good park with a healthy population of holdover fish, but those fish are smarter and more stingy than the stockers so @Person01 saying the parks loaded but they can't catch them makes sense to me. The resident fish can make you go crazy trying to get bit. 

I like the idea of fishing a marabou jig under a cork and just waiting for a fish to mess up. 

[Person01]

On 10/3/2023 at 9:10 PM, Foghorn said:

Got one buddy who has also just started fishing Montauk and usually camps out. He goes at the whistle and uses a Panther Martin spinner and usually catches his limit. I've fished it for years( think it was 1966 the first time) and rarely go at the whistle anymore. It's a 2 hour drive and another 30 minutes getting a tag and getting fly rods and waders on so it means leaving really early. One friend takes his kids and uses the pellets ground up with white sandwich bread and they always catch a bunch. Polarized sunglasses help see the fish and how they are or are not reacting to your bait, lure or fly. A marabou jig on 2# test should get you some strikes and you can fish it anywhere in the park.

Bread intermixed with fish food pellets sounds like an excellent idea. Is this legal within the park though? Based on the regulations I have seen it seems like it is I just would hate to get in trouble. 

[Gavin]

We used to mix pellets with bacon grease, I think those are the ingredients for Bosco bait “ the best there is.” But it’s been a LONG time since Bosco has been around.

[Foghorn]

Old Bosco was showboating one day while we were fishing Maramac Springs. Think he was on their watch list for helping people catch their limit. He was breaking his bait off and I was fishing the same hole with a little brown jig and catching a bunch. He figured he wasn't going to get any business and as he left the stream picked up a soda can off the ground and threw it at the garbage can. Missed it and left it laying on the ground. Don't remember if it was the park ranger or a conservation agent, but the  officer took him to the park office and was going to write him up for littering. Heard he was later banned from the park but that was probably 30-35 years ago. Think there was more going on than just littering.