Don't let dropping temperatures discourage you. Late fall and early winter offer terrific trout fishing through much of the country for anglers who adjust for changing conditions.
Follow these suggestions to catch more trout as the season changes:
1) GO SLOW & LOW - Trout tend to linger near the bottom during the cool months, feeding heavily on aquatic insects in nymph stages. Use a leadhead or a drop-shot rig to fish a YUM Wooly Beavertail, Baby CrawBug or 3-inch Dinger close to the bottom. W
ork the bait s-l-o-w-l-y.
2) DROP 'EM A TINY PLUG - Often overlooked for trout, sinking versions of Rebel ultralights work great for imitating various critters that trout feed on during the winter. Rebel Creek Creatures, Hellgrammites and Cat'r Crawlers all look like meals to trout. Add split shot to the line as needed to keep your lure near the bottom. Twitch the rod tip to add action, but let the current do the bulk of the work moving the bait.
3) DRESS FOR SUCCESS - It’s hard to enjoy catching trout when the cold makes you miserable. In fact, it can be hard to stay focused enough to catch fish. Dress in layers of wool or synthetic clothes, use a wading jacket as a fishing vest and be certain to have good thermal protection for your hands, feet and head.
4) DREDGE THE POOLS - Through winter many trout will congregate in major pools, and they won't roam far from favored holding areas within those pools. Fish the bottoms of pools thoroughly, making multiple presentations at every possible angle and with a variety of offerings. Often, a seemingly slight modification, like replacing a Wooly Beavertail with a Wooly Curltail of the same size, will make all the difference.
5) PICK COLORS FOR CONDITIONS - Through late fall and early winter, trout streams commonly run low and clear, calling for very natural colors like green pumpkin and dark grasshopper. Winter storms bring abrupt changes in conditions, often in the form of high, stained water. When that occurs, more striking colors, like cotton candy and chartreuse pepper, will produce faster action.
6) FLIP SOME ROCKS - Fly-fishermen often begin the day turning stones, just to see what kinds of insects and other invertebrates the trout have on the menu. Spin-fishermen should do the same, especially during the cool months, as those findings offer great clues about color choices and shapes of plugs and soft-plastic lures.
7) KEEP BIG ANTS HANDY - While most trout will feed deep throughout the winter months, occasionally you'll see them sipping bugs off the surface. When you spot rising trout, tie on a Rebel Big Ant. Let it drift in the current but give it occasional short, sharp tugs. The bait will dance a bit and send out a wake, and its loud rattles will get the trout's attention. No matter what the fish are actually rising to, a Big Ant is apt to draw them to the top.