Spinning for stream trout

Trout, both brown and rainbow, are often associated with old men in Tweed jackets smoking wooden pipes and casting fly gear more expensive than the family car. Sure, in some parts of the world this is still true, and you may be forgiven for thinking this is the only way to catch trout in streams. This, of course, is a long way from the truth, and while many ‘purists’ won’t allow themselves to use anything other than a fly rod, fishing for trout with a light spin rod and a handful of small lures is great fun!

Best of all, the cost of a light spin combo and a few small lures is a fraction of the cost of most fly set-ups.

If you want to start spinning for trout, there is no need for anything too fancy. The Shakespeare Powerplus Combo 7’ 2-4kg 2000 Spin Reel or Shimano Symetre Fishing Rod & Reel Combo will fit the bill for this style. Spooled up with any 4-6lb braid or fluorocarbon, they are perfect little weapons to take on the trout streams.

When it comes to choosing lures, it pays to remember that in many small streams trout can’t afford to be too picky with what they eat. This is why a range of soft plastics, hardbodies and even small surface lures can comfortably fool stream trout.

Soft plastics are a great tool for working a small trout stream, and the Berkley Powerbait Bubble Creeper, 65mm Squidgy Wrigglers and ZMan Grubz 2.5” are some excellent plastics you can try. Fished on light weights, sometimes as light as 1/64oz, you’ll be able to offer the trout something natural and non-threatening.

Moving to hardbodies, the Bassday Sugar Minnow Slim Suspending 55mm, Zerek Tango Shad 1m Depth 50mm and Atomic Hardz Shad 50mm Mid Diver are good options, and will cast well on light gear.

The trick to fishing these presentations in to walk upstream, preferably in the water, and make casts into the pools upstream. Any slower water below or above rapids and riffles can see trout waiting for their next meal. Small undercuts and bubble trails can also be good feeding lies for hungry trout, and these areas should never be ignored.

However you chose to go about it, make sure you keep and eye out for snakes, watch your step on slippery rocks, and handle trout with care.

If you live in our southern states and want to try your hand at a few trout, starting in the small streams is a nice way to spend a few hours. Good stream trout fishing is available within an hour of our big population centres like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart  and Perth, so there’s no excuse not to be making the most of this great resource!