Trout at Lout

  Today I went fishing at Lout Pond in {Plymouth. After not catching any fish my first four outings this year I was pleasantly optimistic that I would get off the schneid. I knew that the pond was recently stocked with browns. Last week I went to Lout and it was one of the places I struck out.

   Luckily, today was the day to break the streak. When I got to the pond I was lucky to get the spot I wanted. No one was in the water, but other guys were pulling up as I was putting my waders on. I started out using my casting bubble and a fly (pheasant tail). I was wearing polarized sunglasses and as I was reeling in the fly I could see brown trout follow it but not take it. This happened on multiple casts. Sometimes as many as three trout would follow it and turn away at the last minute. As this was happening I kept changing up my retrieve. It didn't take long for a trout to get interested. I hooked a decent brown about thirteen inches. Since I had such bad luck so far this year, I was nervous I wouldn't land it. Luckily, it was easy and no drama ensued. 

   Within the next hour I landed six trout on the bubble/pheasant tail. Other guys had showed up and they saw me catch these fish. None of them had a hit. I wanted to get my fly rod out of the car but was afraid I'd lose my spot. So I kept fishing. Finally they gave up and left. I ran to my car as best I could in waders and ran back. I was so excited to possibly catch a fish on my new rod I was shaking. I've fished long enough that I no longer get nervous, but today I did. My first cast I tangled the fly around my rod. Second cast went into a tree and I had to break off. As I was retying, I settled down and finally put the fly in the water. Ten minutes later I hooked a brown. As I was reeling in the excess line, I let it go limp and the trout came off so I never landed it. Another stupid mistake because I couldn't control my emotions. Lesson learned. It was the only trout I hooked in a half hour with the long rod.

 

  I went back to my spinning rod and the float and fly seemed to fizzle out. So I put on a 1/8 Kastmaster and started catching again. I caught four more trout and ended the day with ten. Almost all of the brown trout were over fourteen inches. I was very impressed with them. I only saw one other trout caught the whole time I was there. I'd say at least eight to ten guys gave the pond a go. In my younger days, I'd probably get a little cocky being the guy that was catching all the fish. However, the last week has humbled me (and the last eight months in general). I was just glad to be catching fish.

   I will add this, every trout fisherman should have a float and fly as part of there arsenal. By far it is better than spoons, spinners, and small swimmers.
I've caught more fish on the float and fly than any other lure using a spinning reel.  It also has the advantage of casting further than all of those other lures.   

All trout were released in good shape ready to fight again.