The truth is, finding the best trout fishing spots near you is not always easy. It can be frustrating sometimes. You may feel like you are wasting your time. Or maybe you are trying to introduce fishing to someone else and want to make sure they have a good first trout fishing experience. I want to simplify the fish finding process for you. It will still take work on your part. But it is an enjoyable work, and very rewarding.
I’ve lived in quite a few places in the US and around Asia. This is the method I use to find fish everywhere I go.
It has helped me find beautiful and productive trout streams in deep Idaho canyons.
I’ve used it in Texas to find a catfish pond where I could catch over 20 catfish in an hour.
I even used it in Taiwan to find crystal clear streams packed with beautiful Xige fish.
Step 1: Know Your Target
The first step in finding great trout fishing near you is to understand what trout need to flourish.
Oxygen Rich Water
Trout need plenty of oxygen to survive. Oxygen is infused into water from trickling streams, waterfalls, and plants growing in the water.
Cold Water
Trout seem healthiest living in ice cold streams and high mountain lakes. If you don’t have these types of water bodies in your area you can still find trout in streams that are relatively cold for your area.
In the Phoenix metro, trout are stalked in many ponds during the winter months. Summers are too hot and the trout can’t survive, but you can catch trout year-round in the bigger lakes and in the Salt River just outside of town, where the water is slightly cooler.
Good Food Source
The trouts main diet is aquatic insects. They’ll also eat terrestrials like crickets, grasshoppers and beetles. When they get big enough they’ll eat smaller fish and even mice.
You can tell if a body of water has a strong aquatic insect population by picking up football-size rocks and looking to see what’s crawling on them. (If there is a big Hellgrammite you can use it for bait!).
You can also observe if fish are rising to the surface in the evenings when maturing insects swim to the surface and fly away.
Step 2: Ask Around
You can definitely ask online through the trout fishing forums of your local area. But you probably won’t get the best answers. It’s one thing to reveal your secret spot to a friend, it’s another thing to post it on a forum for hundreds of people to see.
You are much better off going to a local tackle shop and asking for some guidance. They are much more willing to help their customers have a good fishing experience.
Be sure to buy a thing or two while you are there. Don’t just go in and ask for the best spots then leave. The more often you shop there and build a relationship, the more likely you are to get the good info.
The best way to find a good spot is to have a friend who is willing to take you to their secret trout fishing spot. He or she already knows where to fish from, what the fish like to eat there, and when the best time to fish is.
Maybe you have tried all these and nothing seems to be working. Don’t give up yet! In my opinion the next step can be the most fun, and definitely the most rewarding for finding trout fishing near you…
Step 3: Google Maps
This is by far my favorite way to find fishing spots. I could stare at maps for hours marking fishy looking streams ponds and lakes. You could have some of the most adventurous experiences and find the most beautiful and productive places through this method.
It is good to have at least some knowledge about the trout in your area before employing this method.
For example, at the time of writing this I’m in Arizona mid summer. There are no trout in the metro ponds or canals during this time of year. So if it is trout I want to catch, I need to be looking at streams and bigger lakes at higher elevations.
When I lived in Idaho, there were trout in almost every body of water. I could find some blue on a map and expect trout to be there.
Your area may or may not be like that. This is why you should try to get some basic info by doing online research of your area, or from experienced local anglers first.
Steps For Using Google Maps
- Start by opening Google Maps and search your town or area you want to fish.
- Next, zoom out so that you have the area of which you are willing to travel in the screen.
- Make sure your on the default setting where your map shows green, gray and blue. Green is for parks and forests, grey is for developed areas, and blue is water.
- Are there any blue areas that stand out to you? If you are zoomed out then Google Maps will only show the major bodies of water.
- Take note of these lakes and rivers and if you haven’t already, search online for trout fishing in those water bodies and see if you get any results.
- Now zoom in and look around different areas. Do more blue spots show up? If so, do some more research.
- Switch between satellite view and the default view to make sure you find all the streams, ponds and lakes. Sometimes they will be easier to spot on the satellite view and sometimes it’s easier on the default view.
Using Google Maps is a great way to find smaller creeks, and lakes where few people go to fish. Look for water that is far from roads. If you are really adventurous, you can even find places without hiking trails and do some bushwhacking.
Just make sure you go prepared. Have an understanding of the dangers in your area and survival skills. It’s also important to stay off private property. And leave no trace. It’s no fun to make the effort of finding a new spot and hiking for miles only to see a discarded worm cup sitting on the bank.
Step 4: Do The Work And Go Trout Fishing!
Now the real work starts. But don’t worry, it should be fun work, and if it isn’t then maybe fishing isn’t the hobby for you. You are going to be skunked. It will take multiple trips to not only find a good spot, but to dial in your tactics to master the body of water. More on that later.
Now that you have asked around, searched the map, and done your research, you should have a pretty good idea of where to start.
Start packing. Grab your rod, and tackle box and head out.
When you first show up to the body of water, walk around a little bit. see where people are fishing. Ask others if they’ve had any luck. And pay attention to what they are using.
If You Are Trout Fishing in a Lake or Pond
Look around and find a spot that gets deep relatively fast. If there are kids swimming near by then find another place. If there are other people fishing, give them space.
It’s important to find some sort of structure that fish like to hang around. This could be boulders, trees that have fallen into the water, or along weeds and lily pads.
If you are at a lake or pond that doesn’t have much structure, you can try corners, peninsulas, and drop offs.
Choose Your Bait
If you haven’t yet, read this article about choosing the right bait for trout fishing.
Generally if I’m on the hunt for fish I’ll start with an earthworm under a bobber.
Cast your worm next to the nearest cover and wait for 2-3 minutes. If nothing bites, reel in and make another cast about 10 feet away from your first cast, but still alongside the cover.
This is a good way to approach a new spot and cover a lot of ground. I like to do this around the lake or river until I find fish.
If you aren’t getting any fish around cover, then they might just be deep. Find a comfortable spot near some deep water and try a sliding sinker rig with Powerbait.
You can still use your worms on a sliding sinker rig if you want, but it’s best if you can get your worm to float off the bottom.
You can do this by using a worm inflater to inject an air bubble into your worm, or you can put it on a hook along with a Powerbait marshmallow. The marshmallows are super buoyant and can easily float your worm.
Cast out into deeper water and allow your bait to sit for around 15 minutes before checking your bait and casting again.
If you are practicing catch and release
Keep the rod in your hand the whole time so you can feel even the smallest bites. Set the hook early before the fish has a chance to swallow it down into its stomach. A gut-hooked trout is a dead trout.
If you plan on eating what you catch
Cast out, wait for your sinker to hit the bottom then slowly reel in the slack until you feel your line is tight. Then put your rod in a forked stick and let out a few inches of line so there is a little slack.
Leaving some slack in your line will allow a fish to really swallow the bait before it feels the pull of the rod. You’ll almost always gut-hook the fish this way. This means death for the fish and the possibility of loosing your hook.
The benefit is that the fish hooks itself this way. It is more difficult to get the timing right when you are trying to hook a fish during the nibbling stages. Only practice this method when you are going to keep and eat the fish.
If You Are Trout Fishing a Creek or River
Once you learn to read a river, fishing it can be a lot of fun. When you fish a lot of rivers and learn to read them well, you will be able to guess with a high probability where a fish is. Even to within a square foot or two.
Trout can grow very healthy and strong in rivers. Fish for them behind rocks, in front of rocks, or anywhere you have fast water next to slow water.
Trout like to relax in deep holes where the water is moving slow, but will often move into shallower water to eat bugs that are swept up by the faster current.
In smaller rivers I have noticed that most of the fish I catch are in and around the deepest holes. There may be long stretches of rocks, seams, and smaller pools that look like amazing spots for fish, but they are mostly empty.
Every river can be slightly different. The more you fish a specific river, the better you will know what kind of currents and structure fish in that river prefer.
When approaching a river for the first time
Start by observing what food sources are around. Flip over rocks in the river. Look for grasshoppers on the grassy banks.
Watch the water for a while and see if fish are rising, or if you can see any swimming down deep. Wear polarized sunglasses to see into the water better.
After a few minutes of observation, I’ll decide where to start. If you are using bait, earthworms or mealworms work great as a starting point.
If you are a beginner
Start with a bobber. Using a bobber can prevent some snags, and make casting easier. But be sure to use a small Styrofoam bobber. Plastic bobbers break when they hit a rock. And big bobbers can scare trout.
If you want the more advanced technique
Use a worm and some splitshot with a dropshot rig. You need to make sure your worm is drifting through the water as naturally as possible, and at the right depth. You usually want your splitshot to be tumbling lightly along the bottom of the river with your worm about 6-8 inches above it. You’ll need a long sensitive rod for this technique to really work.
If you would like some help choosing the right rod for the technique, check out this article about trout rods.
Start Fishing
Fish each hole very thoroughly. Make 1 or 2 dozen casts in and around a hole until you are confident any fish in there would have seen your bait. then move on. As you fish each type of structure and current, eventually you will see a pattern of where you catch fish.
Maybe you catch most of your fish in front of rocks or behind them. Or you might notice that you only catch fish in the deepest holes. Maybe you see a lot of fish rising so you switch to a grasshopper.
Eventually you’ll get that river dialed in. And remember, if you don’t catch any fish that day, it doesn’t mean there aren’t fish in there. You may just have to adjust your tactics. Or be more sneaky as you walk in or around the water.
I spent off and on two years fishing a small stream in Idaho before I caught my first fish on that particular river. Now that I know exactly where the fish are and what they like to eat, I can go catch 4-5 trout in the 16 inch plus range and a few smaller ones as well.
That is how you find a true secret trout fishing spot that nobody else will take. Find a difficult river where nobody ever seems to catch a fish and put in the time to master it.
Keep Trying Or Move On?
If you have actively fished a lake, pond or stream as directed above for a day or two and still haven’t caught anything, then you have two options… Keep trying or move on to a new body of water.
Ultimately the decision is up to you. If you know for a fact that there are trout in that body of water, then it’s just a matter of figuring out how to catch them.
If there are other promising bodies of water within the range you are willing to travel, then I suggest trying out one of those spots. But maybe it’s the only water in your area.
Don’t give up hope!
It’s just going to take more time and effort. But I can promise you that when you do figure it out it is so worth it!
High school was the time when I was really able to go out and fish on my own. I didn’t have a car, but I had my BMX bike, and a few rivers within riding range. The closest and most promising spot was a park on a river just a 15 minute bike ride away.
I spent a lot of time at that park over the course of a year trying different lures, baits and techniques. Through some research I learned that there should be bass and panfish in that river. I learned all about these fish. What they eat and where they live.
I clearly remember the first fish I caught after months of getting skunked. As I walked along the river bank, I came across a small slough where the water was clam. I had fished this slough many times without luck. But on this day I looked down into the water and saw a single little fish sitting in the sun near the surface.
I tied on a small jig and bobber for panfish and cast out near the fish. as soon as the jig hit the water, the fish darted over and swallowed it. I set the hook and reeled in a beautiful little bluegill.
That was only the beginning. over the next few months I targeted that school of bluegill, experimenting with different baits and figuring out what worked best.
Through my experimenting, I found a lure that also caught me some bass. It wasn’t the type of lures I saw the pros selling on TV, or what people had been recommending in the forums. These bass wanted much smaller lures.
Soon I was regularly catching 10-20 bass every time I went. I’d run into other fishermen who were amazed I could catch so many. It was a difficult river but I had mastered it.
Step 5 Master The Location
Maybe you only have one place near your home that you can fish regularly. Or maybe you just really want to be that guy at your local spot that always out fishes everyone.
Whatever the reason. It is always rewarding to master a fishing spot. The more difficult, the more rewarding.
I have mastered over half a dozen spots. Of course I catch fish all over the place, but when I say “mastered” I mean I know exactly where the fish are, what they eat, what time of year is best, and I’m confident I can catch significantly more fish than anyone else there.
Mastering a spot takes time
A more difficult spot could take around 50 or more hours. Depending how much time you have to fish, this could take a year or two. And it’ll probably take a year or two to learn where and how to catch fish at different times of the year.
If you have already caught some fish there, then that is a good start. But if you haven’t, don’t give up! If there are fish in there, then there is a way to catch them. That is the puzzle we are trying to figure out.
Once you catch your first fish, continue with that method for a little while until you can consistently catch a few fish every time you go out.
Branch Out
If your catching fish on a earth worm. Then try a mealworm. Which works better? A mealworm or an earthworm? keep the one that works better and ditch the other.
Continue this process of trial and error with a number of different types and colors of baits. Try different depths and different times of day. Move up and down the river or around the lake or pond to see if there are better spots.
Try different sizes of line and leaders. experiment with different bobbers and bottom rigs. Try different shapes, sizes and brands of hooks.
The options are endless. And the great part is that there is always more to learn.
