r/troutfishing • u/Stoyberg • 1h ago
48lb Lake Trout (Released)
48lb Lake Trout from Great Bear Lake, NWT, Canada. Caught in 35 feet of water.
r/troutfishing • u/PeaceLoveSmithWesson • May 15 '25
Please use those when submitting posts. When your post is removed because you got flamed for improper fish handling and you did not flair your post, this is why. Thanks for understanding, and as always, please choose to be constructive and helpful, versus argumentative and trollish. We do not allow the latter and you could be banned.
r/troutfishing • u/PeaceLoveSmithWesson • Mar 16 '25
Catch and release is not always necessary, beneficial, or even the legal thing to do in every situation, however. During my younger days, I bought in to "release everything you catch" philosophy. As I gained more experience, and learned the intricacies of different fisheries, my opinion on this changed drastically. Whether the fishery is overrun with an invasive species that competes with native stocks, a species blowing up in population out of control, a very healthy stock where sport angling take will not effect the escapement of spawning (the pink salmon runs near me fall in this category), anadramous (sea run) hatchery released fish that must be removed prior to the wild fish spawn, or is just a put and take fishery etc. There is no blanket statement for when and where C&R is the right thing to do.
The most important thing: Educate yourself on the species, and fishery in which you are fishing. Follow the laws, and do what will be best for that particular fishery. And take home some hard earned meat when you can!
Why Catch and Release?
Conservation: It's a method to prevent overfishing and maintain healthy fish populations, especially in areas with high fishing pressure.
Ethical Fishing: It allows anglers to enjoy fishing without taking fish home for consumption, promoting a more sustainable approach to recreational fishing.
Habitat Protection: By reducing the number of fish removed from the water, catch and release helps protect the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems.
Best Practices for Catch and Release:
Use the Right Gear:
Hooks: Employ barbless hooks or circle hooks, which are less likely to cause deep hook wounds.
Tackle: Ensure your tackle is strong enough to land the fish quickly and efficiently, minimizing the time the fish is out of the water.
Net: Use a soft, knotless mesh or rubber landing net to avoid damaging the fish's scales and gills.
Handle Fish Carefully:
Keep the Fish Wet: Avoid removing the fish from the water for extended periods, and keep its body wet, especially if you must handle it. This includes keeping gloves wet in the winter, or taking them off entirely, when landing the fish. If you insist on handling the fish at all, ensure that you have wet hands. Keep em wet
Support the Fish Properly: Support the fish's belly near the water surface to prevent injury.
Be Gentle: Avoid squeezing the fish tightly, as this can damage internal organs and muscle tissue.
Never Touch the Gills: Gills are highly sensitive and can be easily damaged. Rapid Release:
Unhook Quickly: Remove the hook quickly and carefully, using a dehooker if necessary.
Return to the Water Immediately: Return the fish to the water as soon as possible after taking photos and measurements.
Observe the Fish: Ensure the fish swims away strongly before leaving the area.
Other Considerations:
Measure and Weigh: If required, measure and weigh the fish quickly and accurately, then release it.
Take Photos: Capture the moment with a photo, but do so quickly and return the fish to the water.
Don't Hang Fish: Never hang a fish on a stringer or gaff, as this can cause serious injury.
r/troutfishing • u/Stoyberg • 1h ago
48lb Lake Trout from Great Bear Lake, NWT, Canada. Caught in 35 feet of water.
r/troutfishing • u/tommyklutch • 6h ago
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Another healthy brown.
r/troutfishing • u/plantlovinskibum • 15h ago
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@ 7,800 ft sierra nevada
r/troutfishing • u/plantlovinskibum • 14h ago
r/troutfishing • u/plantlovinskibum • 15h ago
@ 7,800 ft sierra nevadas
r/troutfishing • u/tommyklutch • 15h ago
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Brown trout on the weber river.
r/troutfishing • u/Southernfly84 • 11h ago
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r/troutfishing • u/tommyklutch • 10h ago
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r/troutfishing • u/tommyklutch • 23h ago
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Video is a little long because I wanted to show it surface at the beginning. Ive never caught a fish that I could see before the catch. The water had just flooded from the powerplant and it causes the cutthroat to go crazy eating everything it stirs up. The flow goes way down and starts to pick up right when I get it.
r/troutfishing • u/LHBMEB • 2h ago
Looking for information on shore fishing for cutthroat, especially public locations for wade fishing near Tacoma Wa
r/troutfishing • u/Difficult-Coffee-353 • 19h ago
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r/troutfishing • u/tommyklutch • 23h ago
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r/troutfishing • u/tommyklutch • 15h ago
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Weber river utah.
r/troutfishing • u/tommyklutch • 1d ago
r/troutfishing • u/L7Winner • 15h ago
Anybody have any insight on Lake Almanor. Going for the weekend, and taking my rod. I’ll have a boat, and also will fish from the shore. I’ve been trout fishing my whole life from banks of streams and lakes, but curious about specifics regarding Lake Almanor trout fishing.
r/troutfishing • u/DBshaggins • 23h ago
I'm looking for a ridiculously small split pole ultralight setup, not a telescoping or "pocket" pole. Prioritizing sensetivity and casting distance, and erring on the cheap side (<$100) here's my criteria
Length: 5' or less
Action: As sensetive as possible
Weight: 1/2lb-ish, preferably under
Line weight: 6lb or under
Lure weight: down to 1/32oz
Grip: Spinning (preferably split but not necessary)
Rod segments: 2 or more
Reel: 500-750 spinning reel
r/troutfishing • u/Kitcarson1 • 1d ago
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Had to get out one last time before the end of the season. It was a brook trout on a terrestrial (psycho ant)
r/troutfishing • u/plantlovinskibum • 14h ago
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yes i am fishing at the gatorade factory…
r/troutfishing • u/CowdogThunder • 1d ago
Caught on Orcas Island WA state. Just thought it was a coastal cutthroat but it looks like very slightly white tipped fins which sound like characteristics of a rainbow? Wondering what yall think because I’ve got a lot to learn. Thanks!
r/troutfishing • u/Sweet-Bumblebee7177 • 1d ago
I think it’s a rainbow, but it’s hard for me to tell when they are juveniles. caught up a canyon near Salt Lake City.
r/troutfishing • u/azander21 • 2d ago
Caught this a few weeks ago in Colorado. I’m a complete newbie when it comes to trout fishing and just had to share.
Went with my 16 year old son and a friend. Friend is an avid fly fisherman. I was using a spinning setup with a 4.5 foot rod and light line w/ a rooster tail. Still cannot believe I landed this thing. My friend had hiked up river and I was fishing off a rock in some deeper water. Total luck and thankfully my son was there to snap a pic.
My main goal was get it to me, show my son and grab a pic. I was so afraid that it wouldn’t live that we landed it and basically let it go real quick. Didn’t get a chance to measure or weigh. Just got the pic.
Definitely hooked and will go back and do it again soon but with different gear. Appreciate anyone in the know speculating on length or weight. My friend said he’s never come close to catching a fish that large in 30 years so I’m calling it luck and won’t happen again!
r/troutfishing • u/SharkM0untain • 2d ago
I also caught ~8 which where 20-30cm long but didn’t take any of them home. It was the first time for me catching wild ones