Because trout are fed dried pellets ,specially formulated to meet their nutritional needs, at the hatchery, they are particularly susceptible to manufactured baits when they are first stocked.
Berkley Powerbait, that multi colored , play do looking stuff that you see in little jars in every bait shop in America is the most popular imitation trout feed bait on the market.
Though fishing with it seems simple and self evident, There are a few tips and tricks that can be used to help you catch more fish with it. No rocket science here- even a rank beginner can be catching trout with it first time using it.
Even hatchery trout can be wary and a little line shy at times, you are going to want to fish these baits on the lightest lines you are comfortable fishing with. We prefer 4lb test mono, but have caught hundreds of trout just fine on 6lb if it's easier for you to handle and tie knots with.
If your bass fishing tackle sees double duty in the early spring as your trout rod, just use a leader a little shorter than the rod you are using with the lighter stuff.
Applied to your hook with dry hands, Power Bait should float. Most all of it does, but make sure that the variety that you're using is a floating trout bait. The floating aspect gets your bait off the bottom litter and debris and makes it much easier for trout to locate.
On the Cape, we only have still water pond fisheries. You won't have to deal with your bait getting ripped off by river currents and degraded quickly, but if your bait sits for more than 10-15 mins with out a hit, reel it in and replace it because there will still be some level of degradation - even in still water.
Remember, the whole premise of this bait is to somewhat replicate the hatchery feeding experience. As such, it should be noted that trout are fed at specific times at the hatchery. They will turn on and off manufactured baits at various points throughout the day based on their hatchery feeding schedule the first week or two they are acclimating to the pond. Be patient and keep fishing until they decide it's feeding time.
How to rig: There are many ways to rig and fish Powerbait for trout...this is simply the easiest and most common. Run the end of your line through a light egg sinker (1/4 to 1/2 an ounce). Then, tie on a small cross lock snap swivel(size 10 or 12) . This both keeps the egg sinker from running down your line to the hook and also takes out some of the inevitable twist generated from this style of fishing..
A pre looped snelled hook can be clipped on to your snap swivel (most folks like to use size 8 or 10). Now apply a ball or preformed nugget of Powerbait. Bring a rag or a paper towel so you can hook on with dry hands...then, just cast it out and let it sink to the bottom. There will be slack in your line...reel that up until your line is fairly tight.Now, just stick in a sand spike or hold in your hand.
Like any bait fishing, if you don't pay attention for the tell tale bounce of the intial strike, the trout will swallow bait and hook all the way down their gullett. Hook removal becomes a big chore when this happens and eats up valuable fishing time. Strike on the first tap.
When trout are on the feed right after stocking, the action can be hot and heavy for long periods. When it's not, I like to have another light spinning rod ready to go rigged up with a spoon or spinner so I can seacrh cast and stay active while waiting for my bait to get hit.
So, there is Powerbait 101. The stocking trucks will start rolling in a week or two...get out there and get catching!
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