Brook trout are normally caught by spin casting or still fishing. A light weight flexible rod with spin-casting or spinning reel and never more than 6-pound test line is ideal. A variety of small artificial lures (not more than 2 inches long) including gold and silver spoons or spinners are good.
How do you fish for brook trout in a lake?
Where are native trout in WV?
Types of Fishing on the Monongahela National Forest The Forest features more than 600 miles of cold water streams that are inhabited year-round by native brook trout. These streams are prized for the vital habitat they provide in sustaining West Virginia’s only native trout.
Are there wild trout in West Virginia?
Brook trout are West Virginia’s only native trout species.
What bait is best for brook trout?
Simply because they have similar diets. Lures that are or mimic brook trout food are flies, jigs, spinners, prepared dough bait, and worms. Flies are going to be the most common lure for any trout species, especially, brook trout. Because many anglers prefer to catch brook trout on a fly rod.
What bait does brook trout like?
Brook trout can be taken on a variety of live baits, including earthworms, mayflies, various fly larvae, wax worms, grasshoppers and crickets, minnows and fish eggs. These baits are best set on hooks ranging from size 6 through 14, depending on the type and size of live bait being used.
Where are the biggest trout in WV?
The most trophy rainbow trout caught from any single West Virginia water during 2016 came from the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River.
Does WV stock brook trout?
The brook trout is the only native trout species in the state, but due to a robust stocking program through the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR), anglers can also catch rainbow, brown, and the unusual golden rainbow trout that originated in the Mountain State.
Can you fish trout year round in WV?
West Virginia Trout Season 2022 Trout fishing season is open all year round with stocking occurring in specific trout waters between February and May.
How do you catch trout in West Virginia?
Are there trout in the Potomac?
The tailwater area of the dam supports a popular trout fishery and is managed under put and take as well as catch and release regulations and is stocked with several thousand trout annually. The release from the dam remains very cold all summer, supporting year-round survival of trout for many miles downstream.
Where can I find golden trout in West Virginia?
- Curtisville Lake in Marion County.
- Mason Lake in Monongalia County.
- Coopers Rock Lake in Monongalia and Preston counties.
- Tygart Tailwater in Taylor County.
- Teter Creek Lake in Barbour County.
- Mill Creek Reservoir in Randolph County.
- Black River.
- Thomas Park Lake in Tucker County.
Are brook trout hard to catch?
Brook trout are easy to locate and easy to catch; getting to them is the hard part. Native brooks inhabit the headwaters of mountain streams, the wild, hard-to-reach sections of creeks accessible only by foot where the water is pure and cold, places choked with rhododendron and mountain laurel.
How do you rig for trout in a lake?
Where do trout hide in lakes?
In large bodies of water, Trout hold to the thermocline, which is a gradient layer in the water column where cold water meets warm water and mixes nutrients and oxygen. This layer is generally located in the bottom two-thirds of the water column. For example, 5-10 ft. off the bottom in 30 ft.
What is the best time to catch brook trout?
Conventional wisdom suggests that late spring is the best time to catch trout, especially if you’re looking for larger fish. The warmer it gets, the more fishing pressure from other anglers, the thicker the grass and brush surrounding their habitats and the lower the water levels.
What size hooks for brook trout?
Things to Remember. In general, trout hooks that are size 8 to 14 are going to be best. Always use barbless hooks for trout unless you plan to eat what you catch. Smaller hooks are always best for trout because they will see larger hooks if the water is clear enough.
What colors do trout see best?
The trout’s eye is also more sensitive to the red spectrum than the human’s. The color it has the least ability to discern is green and the color it sees best is blue. Rod cells are very sensitive in low light and give the trout excellent night vision.
Do trout feed off the bottom?
Trout are not bottom feeders like carp or catfish. But, they do feed predominantly near or just off the bottom. Trout prefer to wait and cruise in the bottom 2-3 feet of water to intercept any food that drifts by.
How do you target a brook trout?
Is brook trout good to eat?
Yet, whether through sentimentality or not, I still find brook trout to be completely delicious. Their meat is as light and delicate as stained glass and has an almost sweet flavor when compared with the flesh of other trout species. Brookies can be cooked in a lot of different ways, from pan-fried to braised.
Can you night fish for trout in WV?
Night fishing is allowed, so you can practice your cast under the stars of Pocahontas County’s famous dark sky. Reminder: You’ll need a West Virginia license and trout stamp, along with a National Forest Stamp for some rivers. Where are you catching the next big one?
Where is the best trout fishing in the United States?
- Frying Pan River, Colorado.
- Henry’s Fork, Idaho.
- White River, Arkansas.
- Bighorn River, Montana.
- Green River, Utah.
- Deschutes River, Oregon.
- Beaverkill River, New York.
- Connecticut River, Vermont & New Hampshire.
What flies to use for trout in West Virginia?
West Virginia’s best-known fly tier is Charlie Heartwell. In June, his Green Drake Emergers and Sulphur Spinners (#8-14) are a must for matching local hatches. Throughout the summer and into fall, terrestrials dominate the menu. Use spiders, brown and tan Elk-hair Caddis, and ants (#14-20).
What streams are stocked in WV?
Native brook trout streams often flow into larger streams that are stocked with trout annually. Streams such as Cranberry River, South Fork of Cherry River, Williams River, and the upper Elk River are just a few examples of these waters.