A trout fly
California has rainbow, brown, brook, cutthroats, bull and golden trout in various locations throughout the state. While fishing California, anglers need a host of different baits that may entice these species of trout, which can be extremely finicky. Anglers can utilize live, artificial and strange and unusual baits to get a picky trout to bite.
Live bait
Mostly, live bait such as night crawlers, minnows, leeches and crayfish are effective when fishing for California trout. These are natural foods for California trout living in streams, rivers, ponds and reservoirs. For instance, rainbow trout strike aggressively at minnows in fast currents with a single hook and light weight split shot. California brown trout prefer maggots or wax worms as these baits appear similar to the fly lava that frequents California waterways. California's famous golden trout enjoy eating small earthworms that are actively moving while on a hook.
Artificial
There are hundreds if not thousands of artificial lures, which are effective in catching California trout.
Anglers have an assortment of choices from small flies (nymphs) to spinners and bottom lures. A popular bait for rainbow, cutthroat, and golden trout is a rooster tail spinner. This lure moves in a zigzag pattern as it travels through the water. The erratic movement entices a trout to follow it and strike it as it nears shore. The famous Joe's Trout Flies are also highly effective when fishing slow deep waters of any stream or river. These are small trout flies attached to a spinner blade and when used in combination with one or several small split shot entice fussy trout to strike.
Power Bait
Another bait option is Berkeley’s Power bait, a bright colored dough which has a fishy smell and comes in various colors including rainbow, white, orange and green. According to Berkeley, power bait is fashioned out of commercial feed pellets, used in raising hatchery trout. When using power bait, it is always good to use just enough to cover the hook. Trout anglers will find when fishing with power bait that it floats in the water. This allows trout to more easily spot it.
Cheese Bait
Velveeta cheese is a human food that works well when rolled into a small ball and put on a hook. Trout have a strong sense of smell and Velveeta cheese reeks on entering the water; the odor travels through the current to where a rainbow or cutthroat trout may lie. On investigating the odd smell, a trout would notices the yellowish, orange color and mistake Velveeta for commercial hatchery feed. A trout will sample it and find the cheese to be chew and tasty. Usually, California trout gobble it down and swim off, attempting to digest it.
Bubble Gum
An unusual but effective bait is bubble gum. Anglers can chew the sweet tasting gum and place it on a hook. Anglers roll the gum between their fingers into a little ball, then cast it into a deep hole and allow it to drift with the current. The gum's sweet smell entices trout to bite. The fish will literally chew the gum while struggling to get the bait down.
Tags: California trout, golden trout, when fishing, effective when, effective when fishing, entices trout
