Fishing Trout Without or Am I An Idiot?

[TheNorthStar]

Gentlemen, I'm not a huge or very accomplished fisherman, but I do attend a 6 or 8 man trip to Ontario every Summer. I've been fishing walleyes with the same St. Croix blank I wrapped myself for high school credit my Sr. year with only a couple different spinning reels ever topping it since 1999. I've got a decent showing of crank baits for Pike and Bass though most of my time in a boat is spent jigging and I don't have a single fly, dry or wet in my tackle box.

I'm coming out to Idaho this fall with my dad for a mule deer hunt and the IDFG has seen fit to issue a 3 day fishing license as well. I imagine a few of the rivers and streams in the area we'll be in hold trout, so here's my query...

So am I an idiot for even considering trying to trout fish with the kind of gear I own? I'm not going to bother investing time or money in fly fishing with the small amount of time I spend on the water, though I imagine it would be nice to eat planked fish a night or two instead of mountain house if'n I can manage to snag one or two. Is there a good way to go about cold stream fishing with a spinning reel?

Thanks in advance!

Phill

 

[Sawtooth]

If the rod and reel is light enough to cast a panther martin or other small spinner using 6 or 8 lb. line you should have no problem catching a few trout. A clear bubble and fly combo also works well. Most backcountry lakes and streams will hold a good supply of hungry trout. I would definitely bring the rod and reel. If you want to pm me with the rivers you are thinking of I could give you more specifics on gear for that specific river, but the above mentioned options are always a good start. You can look up on most local fly fishing shops fishing report to tell you which flies are most productive in their local waters. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Bambistew]

Sounds like a fun trip! I wouldn't sweat it too much. Black or brown maribou jigs, 1/16 to 1/8oz. Fished bare or with a tiny bit of worm and you'll have all the trout you want. A hopper fly with a live hopper is 100% money every time. The only way it won't catch a fish is if you miss the bite.

Small Panther Martins or small spoons as well work great. Trout are not that hard to catch IMO, especially with bait or hardware.

Fly fishing is all about handicapping yourself for the sport of it. Before I hurt any feelers, I should mention, I've got a dozen fly rods in the cabinet, and didn't own a spinning rod until I was 21 after landing a hundreds of trout. Fly fishing can be very effective, but it will never, ever out fish bait.

 

[wytex]

Panther martins will work fine with your spinning outfit. I would get some size 2 spinners, 1/16 oz., maybe a couple of 4 also. The brown trout patterns work well for me, but lots of others will catch trout also.
Good luck!!

 

[rideold]

My dad pulls more fish out of streams and lakes with his spinning rig than he and my mom can eat even with giving a good portion away. He fishes fly and bubble but he also does well in lakes with weighted woolys and the like fished like a lure. Small spoons are a great bet.

 

[NoWiser]

I'd go with the light marabou jigs and some panther martins. I threw in my fly rod as an afterthought when we went to Wyoming last year. After we each had our elk I caught a few cutthroats, which we threw over the fire with some fresh tenderloins. It was one of the most memorable meals I've had in my life. I caught the trout on black wooly buggers - pretty much the same thing as a light marabou jig. Definitely bring it. You may not wet a line but, if you get a chance, it's well worth the time to give it a shot.

 

[406LIFE]

If you are coming out here to hunt Mulies, I would just focus on that. If you wanted to do as many above have said, you could. If I were coming out for something like that I'd put all my eggs in that basket.

 

[TheNorthStar]

Thanks for the advice, fellas. I guess I didn't realize trout fishing could be so easy as throwing spinner baits. Anyone use the smaller Mepps spinners for trout then?

If you are coming out here to hunt Mulies, I would just focus on that. If you wanted to do as many above have said, you could. If I were coming out for something like that I'd put all my eggs in that basket.

I'm by no means expecting a slam dunk on 2 tags, I know most of you out there have had a hell of a winter, but we've got 8 full days to hunt and if by chance we luck out, I'd much rather suggest we go fishing than to suggest we head home.

 

[2ski]

If you've ever read Mike Iaconelli's book, he talks about how he used to go fishing with his family as a kid for trout. And when trout fishing became too easy, he moved onto bass. He still fishes for bass. And trout in the mountains see less pressure so if you have the time, try whatever you feel like throwing and see if it works. If there are still grass hoppers, you can tie one on a hook and throw it and see what happens. So yes, the little Mepps spinners will work for trout. I troll with them for trout all the time. Pink and black work awesome for the land-locked kokanee we have up here.