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trout locations in the spring |
Where
are rainbow trout in the spring?
To answer
this question, you must understand the conditions of the lake
which you are planning to fish on.
Ask yourself
the following questions:
- What is the
water temperature?
- Rainbow
trout will be found between 6°C (44°F) and 23°C
(75°F), however, the optimal temperature for rainbow
trout is 12°C (54°F).
- Where is
the oxygen?
- What food
is present?
- Is there
any new aquatic vegetation growing yet?
How does
water temperature apply?
In the spring, rainbow trout are scattered throughout the lake because
the temperature in the lake is usually uniform top to bottom. To
understand why this occurs, you must understand the chemistry of
water. Water is heaviest at 4°C. Imagine a lake with
just after ice off... The surface temperature is 1°C and the
water below is between 1°C and 4°C. The sun and air temperature
begins to heat up the surface water to 4°C. Here's where turn
over occurs. The lake is temperature is somewhat of a sandwich,
4°C on the surface, somewhere between 4°C and 1°C in
the middle, and 4°C on the bottom. The weight of the 4°C
water on the surface is heavier than the 1°C water sandwiched
in the middle. The heavier 4°C water sinks and with the help
of spring winds the whole lake gets stirred up and spring turn-over
occurs. The final mixture is 4°C throughout.
It will be
about two weeks before fish become active after spring turn-over.
Why do fish become inactive? Stirring up the bottom decreases the
oxygen in the water column making fish lethargic. Once the water
clears, you will be back in action.
What about
Oxygen?
It
is important to note that oxygen is depleted in lakes throughout
the winter. Degradation processes occuring at the bottom of the
lake uses up valuable oxygen required by fish. This forces fish
to move into shallow water where oxyen is present. This also gives
you a good reason to fish the shallows right after ice off and before
spring turnover.
What foods
are present for rainbow trout in the spring?
Knowing what foods are available in the spring and in the lake you
are fishing in will help you decide what to tie to the end of your
fly line. Since the diet of the rainbow trout is mainly aquatic
insects, knowing what is going on below the surface will increase
the likelyhood of you catching fish! To find active trout, look
in shallow areas where the water is heating up. Aquatic insect activity
is water temperature dependant and insects will hatch depending
on changes water temperature. Be observant! Look in the water
at the shore before venturing out into a lake. Turning over rocks,
debris, and staring at the mud on the bottom of a lake will reveal
the foods available. Once out on a lake, keep your eyes on the surface
for insect husks. This may not reveal the colour of the insect,
but it will give you and indication of size and Genus. Another good
clue of insect activity and fish activity is the presence of birds.
Birds are your eyes in the sky. Dipping and swooping of feeding
birds usually indicates a hatch above the water and therefore rising
insects below!
Some common
foods of rainbow trout in the spring include chironomids, blood
worms, and caddis. All of these insects are fished most
productively as nymphs at this time of the year.
How does
shelter apply?
Spring
time usually means that there is minimal aquatic vegetation available
for cover in lakes and the only cover is water depth and overhanging
logs and beaver dams. Fish around whatever cover you can find!
If you have comments, please email: feedback@valleyfishing.com.
This list is given in the form "common name" and "Genus
species". For more information on each fish species,
click on the species name.
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