Trout Species – Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout Rainbow Trout: Few freshwater fish can match the fighting spirit and beauty of a Rainbow Trout. The Rainbow Trout is a well-traveled species of fish. Originally, the Rainbow Trout was found in the coastal rivers in the United States on the west coast but today, Rainbow Trout are found throughout the United States, as well as in the cold-water streams of South America, Europe, New Zealand and even Australia. The reason for the wide range of Rainbow Trout in the U.S. is that Rainbow Trout are relatively easy to transplant. Virtually all areas that Rainbow Trout now inhabit are due to environmental transplants – both intentionally or unintentionally.

Confidence in Fly Fishing Three quick stories come to mind illustrate this. First off let me say there have been plenty of times when I have been on both sides of the confidence equation. A few years ago, I was steelheading with a couple of fly fishing buddies. Unlike me, though there guys weren't purists. And we were using terminal gear. Although were just dead-drifting jigs, very similar to fly fishing, I felt about as coordinated as a monkey performing brain surgery. As the day wore on more and more steelies were caught. Huge steelies, the biggest I had ever seen! None by me. I could feel my confidence shrinking. And I mean my confidence in all kinds of things, like being able to read the river, being able to detect a strike. Things that had no connection to me using unfamiliar gear. The pressure inside my head built, until I HAD to catch a fish. I didn't catch one fish that day, although I finally had a strike, and set the hook so hard I jerked it right out of the fish's mouth. And I fished longer and harder than anyone else on the trip.

Erie Steelhead Flies Steelhead feed heavily on schools of shad, smelt and other fish in the summer months. And when they first enter the river they have fish on their brains. Streamer patterns are the thing to start off with, when steelhead are first stacking up to make their run. Primary patterns used are the Woolly Bugger, Mickey Finn, Muddler Minnows and other streamer patterns. Dead drifted or swung they are deadly in the early months. Steelhead consume lots of eggs in their lifetime. Especially in the winter, when suckers move up the rivers to spawn. The most popular egg pattern is the Sucker Spawn, with the Crystal Meth a close second. Egg patterns are generally bounced along the bottom. And are a good choice all winter long into March.

Braggin' Board
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M&S joins fight for Scottish fishing (The Herald)
Marks and Spencer has joined fishermen and environmental groups in backing an action plan, launched today, to secure the future of the Scottish sea-fishing industry..