I don’t know what it is about bull trout, but I am fully addicted. It could be their elusive nature, and no, I don’t mean they are hard to catch. What I do mean is they are often hard to find. Once you do find them, it can be a lights out experience. Though, it could also be just the sense of unknown they place upon my fishing adventures. That when you’re out fishing a river that has bull trout, you just never know when a monster bull is going to grab on and not let go. This could be them grabbing your fly or a fish you’ve already hooked. There is just something so special about looking down into a deep and dark fishing pool and not knowing what lurks beneath. Yet, my hope is that a big bull is waiting below to be stirred up and awoken.
However, as I said previously, bull trout aren’t always hard to catch, but there are times of the season that can prove downright challenging for them. Furthermore, it’s important to know when to pack up the fly rod when bull trout are trying to do their thing. So, you ask, what are some tactics one can use during the different times of the year? Well my dear reader, let’s dive in!
The spring is an amazing time to hunt for bull trout. The water levels are still quite low, meaning the fish are still stacked up in their wintering holes. Bull trout become more predictable, and you can find them in many of the deep holes you can scour. However, unfortunately for me, Alberta is a province where the majority of the rivers are closed until June, leaving fewer options to hunt for these beauties. However, if you’re lucky enough to get to fish for them, here are some of my helpful hints:
Ah, summer! Your favorite time to fish! The sun is out and the fish are hungry. It’s time to put away the waders and get the wading socks out. During the heat of the summer, bull trout have long started their journey up towards their spawning grounds. This means the fish are more spread out and can be found in more random areas of the river and they make their way towards the spawning ground. Now that the summer heat is in full swing here is how I play it:
The fall is one of my favourite times of the year to fish. Many of the anglers have gone back to work or school, leaving the rivers free for me to wander around in solitude. For bull trout though, the beginning of the fall means they are till spawning. It’s best to wait until October to start fishing for them again. So, the bulls are headed home, what so you do? Let’s start here:
You must be a very brave or very stupid to be wading through waist deep snow to fish. I fall under the latter category. However, I love fish fishing in the winter. Beyond the frozen guides and icy temperatures, winter fishing means complete solitude. No one will be as stupid as you to go chase bulls in the winter, but little do they know, it can be a magical time… if you can find them. Here’s how:
Bull trout are some of the most exciting fish an angler can chase. They provide an element of mystery, while still being relatively easy to catch. Often it’s the finding part that seems to be difficult. However, with perseverance and the right tools a good fisherman can spend the day with his rod bent.