With water temps starting to dip across the country, now is the perfect time to begin upsizing artificial presentations for big trout. As with most freshwater fish, trout spend the fall gorging on available forage to prepare for the lean winter months ahead. Additionally, both brown trout and brook trout spawn in the fall, meaning that a period of aggressive feeding will ensue to add the fat stores necessary to guarantee both fertility and energy.
This time of year, trout are no longer keyed in on micro insects and crustaceans. To get the most bang for the buck possible, trout are eyeing large native bait fish. So if you want to have a chance at hooking a 20-plus-inch monster brown, use these five baits and tactics.
1. Rapala X-Rap
Anything that swims will eat an X-Rap, including bruiser trout. This lure will subtly wobble on a straight retrieve, making it perfect for cold water applications. When trout are keyed in on a reaction bite, long rips and pulls of the rod tip will result in sudden slashes followed by suspended pauses. Fish will often crush these baits on the pause. Additional features include realistic 3D eyes and a teaser-style feather rear treble hook.
2. VMC Twichin Jig
Most conventional trout anglers are accustomed to using jigs, but likely not in the aggressive twitching manner that the VMC Twitchin Jig was designed for. The moon-eye-shaped jig head was constructed so it could be violently moved up through the water column while also being able to flutter and dart on the way down like a wounded baitfish. The jig comes tied with both rabbit hair and tinsel, adding a ton of flash and enticing ungulation.
3. Berkley Flicker Shad
A staple throughout the Upper Midwest among walleye anglers, the Flicker Shad's action and accompanying rattle are also deadly to large trout. The lipped design makes covering the entire water column a breeze, and casting anglers can get these baits well below 10 feet on the appropriate gear. My favorite part about the Flicker Shad lineup is the option of multiple sizes and a wide array of both natural and aggressive color patterns.
4. Savage Gear Fat Tail Spin
Trout often congregate in deep pools and tail races in the fall, and it can take a lot of work to get a bait down to their proper feeding depth. Enter the Fat Tail Spin from Savage Gear with a super dense and compact body paired up with a hammered tail blade. It is best fished on the fall and hopped across the bottom. For boat anglers, this bait is perfect for vertical jigging around current breaks or main river channels.
5. Storm Original Thunderstick
Sometimes, simple is better, and the Original Thunderstick from Storm is hard to top. A no-frills design results in a bait that can be cast a mile. Plus, it has the most realistic minnow action on the market. The addition of rattles helps draw in trout from long distances, making it ideal for muddy or stained water.
Gearing Up
Covering water is the name of the game when on the hunt for big fall trout. I prefer casting outfits with low-profile reels in the 100-150 size class. When it comes to rods, I suggest finding a model over seven feet in length for additional casting accuracy. Most of the lures used during this time of year require anglers to add extra action during the retrieve, and a fast tip coupled with plenty of backbone down the blank is ideal.
Trout have excellent eyesight and can be very line-shy. To remedy this, a braided main line in the 5-8 pound class with a lengthy fluorocarbon leader is always a good bet. Additionally, both braid and fluorocarbon add a bit of abrasion resistance if fishing around heavy cover.
Where to Fish
In the fall, streams and rivers tend to run at extremely low levels due to summer droughts. This means that anglers need to be on the lookout for the deepest water possible. Once deep water is located, look for structure and cover such as wood cover, rock piles, or banks undercut from erosion. These are all great starting points.
Other productive areas to consider include the confluence points of tributaries and larger bodies of water. These influxes are often colder than main flows and bring a buffet line of forage. Additionally, the sporadic current found in these areas disorients baitfish, and trout use these zones for easy meals.
Another thing to consider is baitfish movement, as key species like creek chubs, shad, suckers, and golden shiners all tend to push shallow during the fall in search of warmer water. In many areas, great night fishing can exist as trout use the low light to their advantage.
Be Aggressive for Fall Trout
Most of the year, trout anglers rely on subtle presentations and ultra-light gear, but fall offers a chance to fish more aggressively. With trout feeding on larger prey to prepare for winter and fewer anglers on the water, it's the perfect time to land your biggest trout of the season. Depending on the situation, use the baits above to hook into your biggest trout ever.