Minnow for trout

[Santiago]

Begs the question as to the legality of catching one's minnows. I expect that one can use a trap, otherwise one is blaitentlty coarse fishing if done during the coarse closed season.

Regardless, I would use a bubble float or similar and trot therm!

[Pallenpool]

The main problem for me in using Minnow is the distinct likelihood of catching coarse fish. This would be whether live or lure. I can only imagine you will not be fishing a Trout Stream or River as certainly where I am one can only use the fly in the season - which makes a compelling case for not targeting Trout on a general coarse biased river in the closed season you will be bound to catch coarse species.

[Shaun Harrison]

Do you really need to sacrifice a live fish to catch a trout? Trout are one of the least fussy species going when it comes to bait. They can be a massive nuisance when targeting other species so why not just stick with the other options and cut down the out of season perch and chub you will catch?
Better still, go after them with fur and feather, at least you won't deep hook so many. with them being a tad silly on bait methods, they do tend to gorge baits quickly.

[Pallenpool]

The same will also apply to worms - using a worm still opens one up for catching Perch & Chub in the main. As Shaun has pointed out Trout are an aggressive and not particularly fussy feeder - they take mostly any standard bait - the biggest issue with worms etc. is that you will invariably be faced with a deep hooked Trout when using them - which take it from me is not an enjoyable experience at all. If you want to fish in the closed season and catch yourself a Trout the best way is as Shaun mentions try a bit of fur and feather. You never know you may enjoy it thoroughly.

[Penninelad]

Where I fish, on the western loughs of Ireland, they use "brickeens"(minnows) as gorge baits to troll behind a boat for trout. Not a method that appeals to me as the trout invariably is killed(and that includes some monsters). I find it odd that Irish trout fisherman lobbied the Government to bring in Regulations so that four pike a day could be taken from many of the larger western loughs,to preserve salmonoids when they use this method. The Regulations have just been declared unlawful by a High Court Judge sitting in Dublin on the application of the Pike Anglers Club of Ireland. The minnows are collected using traps in the rivers of Connemara. Probably using a Devon minnow would be equally effective.

[Pallenpool]

The same will also apply to worms - using a worm still opens one up for catching Perch & Chub in the main. As Shaun has pointed out Trout are an aggressive and not particularly fussy feeder - they take mostly any standard bait - the biggest issue with worms etc. is that you will invariably be faced with a deep hooked Trout when using them - which take it from me is not an enjoyable experience at all. If you want to fish in the closed season and catch yourself a Trout the best way is as Shaun mentions try a bit of fur and feather. You never know you may enjoy it thoroughly.

I'll be fishing the upper stretches of my local where Coarse fish are very sparse, if they're there at all. The deep hooking is quite an issue though, would larger worms prevent this? Also, maybe the use of prawns would be better?

I have always fancied having a go at fly fishing, but I have no gear, and no idea. Also, the river I'll be on is a borderline stream in some parts so casting a fly could be quite problematic.

Bait size and Trout in my experience is not an issue they will take it whatever size and aggressively. A river in it’s upper stretches can be deceiving I fish a chalk stream - predominantly Trout - however I do fish for the large Chub, Roach and Dace in season and some fine specimens are there to be taken but they are wholely different from fish in the lower stretches regarding there habits.
They tend to be more secretive certainly the larger Chub,
I have only ever seen a handful of them all around the 2 - 4lb mark but I do know there are are some fine specimens in its meandering Course.

Basically do not take for granted there are no Coarse fish - for instance a 7lb Chub was caught from a glide no more than a couple of feet deep a couple of years ago from the above.

Depending on where you live I am sure you will be able to locate a fly fishing tutor and will be surprised how quickly you pick it up. Equally someone on the forum may live near you and offer some tutorial - give it a try.

[Pallenpool]

I think that would be a very good idea - when it comes to fly fishing I’m mostly all at sea - some worthy advice I am sure will develop on a new thread - as I have said Trout are not for the faint hearted when pursuing using a float and bait - catching them in the past when angling for other species has left me on occasion very sad indeed.
Peter

[Santiago]

You could also fly fish using a bubble float and trot using normal coarse fishing tackle. The main purpose of fly line is to add weight to the cast, so fly line can easily be substituted with a bubble float or similar. Pheasant tail nymph etc trotted this way is actually a traditional method you'll find in quite a few traditional fishing books, and it allows good presentation especially under down stream bushes.

[JW1]

Have you thought of using circle hooks, I have used them extensively for sea fishing and apart from whiting they invariably hook into the scissors.

JW

[Olly]

Santiago - Regional Bye Laws differ across the country. These are for the South East Region:-

In the Thames byelaw area when fishing for salmon, trout, or rainbow trout during the
annual close season for coarse fish (15 March – 15 June dates inclusive), you may only
fish with an artificial fly or lure. A minnow taken in a minnow trap for use as bait in the
waters from which it was taken is also permitted but requires the previous written consent
of the Environment Agency. This is a regional byelaw.

In the Southern byelaw area during the annual close season for coarse fish (15 March – 15 June
dates inclusive), no person shall fish with rod and line for salmon, migratory trout or non-migratory
trout (including rainbow trout), other than with artificial fly or lure, without the previous written
consent of the Environment Agency. This is a regional byelaw

It could be very different in other Regions.