| Some people may think I'm talking about some | | | | bottom can be depended on to do the trick; black |
| "airy fairy" new age subject when I title my | | | | and red, especially fluorescent red, seem to add |
| article - How To Catch A Rainbow - but that's not | | | | something of value to the presentation. |
| what's going on here. I'm speaking of the beautiful | | | | If you're more of a bait fisherman, the good old |
| Rainbow Trout. Otherwise known as a rainbow | | | | earthworm or power bait are great bets. A |
| for short. So how does a person go about | | | | bottom rig is the way to go when fishing on a |
| catching a Rainbow? That's what we're going to | | | | lake. For those who aren't familiar with this |
| discuss here. | | | | technique, start with a 1/2 ounce egg sinker. Slip it |
| For our purposes I'm not writing about the "darts" | | | | onto your line then tie a #10 barrel swivel onto |
| that we all know and love. A dart is a stocked | | | | your line. Now tie another section of line onto the |
| trout. We've all seen them. All of their fins have | | | | other end of the barrel swivel. You want this |
| been rubbed off from swimming in a tank with so | | | | length of line to be the length that you want your |
| many other fish. It makes them all but finless. | | | | bait to float off of the bottom. Now attach a |
| And they thus resemble a "dart". The other name | | | | small hook to the end of the line. This is where |
| that fits these genetic anomalies well is "finless | | | | you will add a ball of Power bait that will then float |
| wonders". In any case, that's not what we are | | | | off of the bottom. This technique will work in |
| going to be discussing here. We're going to focus | | | | most lakes throughout the country, especially if |
| on a true Rainbow Trout that was born in a body | | | | there are stocked trout swimming around. |
| of water and has been swimming free for years | | | | But as I said before, I don't want to focus on |
| just as God created it. | | | | stocked trout. |
| The first thing you have to do is locate a | | | | When river fishing with bait, live bait will be your |
| Rainbow. Rainbow Trout like colder water | | | | best bet. The synthetic baits have never worked |
| temperatures. They prefer water from 50 to 60 | | | | well for me with "native" trout. "Native" trout are |
| degrees and will tolerate temperatures up to 75 | | | | trout that were born and continue to live in a |
| degrees. With that little tidbit of information, we | | | | particular stream or river. Thus becoming "native" |
| obviously want to start looking in the northern | | | | rather than planted from an outside source. In |
| part of the United States. Rainbows inhabit both | | | | any case synthetic baits have never performed |
| lakes and streams, as long as the water | | | | well for me for anything other than stocked trout. |
| temperature is cold enough. This obviously means | | | | So you're best bet to catch a rainbow in moving |
| that on hot summer days, as the water | | | | water will be some form of live bait, whether it |
| temperature in a given body of water is reaching | | | | be worms, minnows, crickets, crayfish, |
| it's peak for the day, an angler isn't going to have | | | | mealworms, etc. You'll want to use something for |
| a ton of success fishing for rainbows. | | | | bait that the rainbows are used to eating. The |
| Fishing success is typically greatest in the spring | | | | more natural the presentation, the better. You |
| and fall. Rainbow trout are voracious feeders and | | | | may want to consider employing a set of pre-tied |
| strong swimmers willing to hit a wide variety of | | | | gang hooks to achieve a very natural |
| lures, baits, and flies. Many anglers prefer | | | | presentation. The bottom line is that you want |
| weighted spinners. The wobbling spoon is another | | | | your live bait to appear as natural as is possible. |
| fine rainbow lure. Fly fishers find that streamers, | | | | The more natural the bait appears, the more |
| muddlers, and egg patterns fished near the | | | | rainbow's you will catch. It's that simple. |