Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Adrian-Webbs-Trout-Tips » Trout Finally Show in the Tannin

Trout Finally Show in the Tannin

By Adrian (meppstas) Webb

The conditions weren't ideal for trout fishing today, seeing the wind was gusting up to 30kph. The good thing was it was sunny, so I decided to head off to have another go at catching trout in tannin waters. I knew once I was in the water I would have some shelter from the wind, though there would be times when I wouldn't as well. The water level was much lower than my last trip, back in August, however it still had a reasonable flow and was a nice light tannin colour. The water temp was also seven degrees, which was much better than the two/three degrees that it has been.

I started off using a small #00 Mepps Aglia in Gold, and yes it was a well-used spinner, which I prefer to use as often as possible. I hate breaking in new lures for some reason, even though I know they'll do the same job... I just like the old used ones. Seeing as this tannin water had only given up one trout for the season, I wasn't feeling all that confident of catching all that many trout this trip. To make matters worse was the fact that the first two long stretches of water didn't show any signs of having trout in them.

Those two long runs have always given up three or four trout over the past few seasons. I would have been happy with just having a follow at this stage. At the top end of the following stretch of water a log lay across and next to the log was a deep hole. Another area that always held at least one trout. It was on the first cast and retrieve into it that I had a solid hit, but missed hooking the fish. Even though I missed hooking the trout, it was good to have a hit.

I moved ahead to where the log lay across the stream and a short cast to the right river bank resulted in another hit and miss that had come from a very small trout. The next cast was straight up the middle of the stream. Three turns of the reel handle and the Gold Mepps Aglia was taken hard and fast. Finally it was fish on! This trout was just a small/medium (260g) brown that did everything it could to toss the lure. Thankfully it was well hooked and the first trout was in hand.

I felt it had taken around forty minutes to catch the first trout, however on checking my watch it was only twenty minutes. It's funny when one's in a river chasing trout and the fishing is slow or the trout aren't around, then you finally hook and land one, it always seems like it's been a lot longer than it actually has. Then again, I have been in a river for two or more hours several times before I've caught my first trout. There's been other times when I have never had a hit from a trout too. Trout fishing is all about being patient and not getting frustrated. If you can't do that, then I suggest you don't go trout fishing. I've had my days (55 years ago) when I felt like throwing the trout rod in the river. Then I just said to myself "Cool it, this is trout fishing".

Anyway, after the release of that fish, the very next cast into the following stretch of water resulted in an instant hook up and another small brown was soon in hand. Two trout caught and released in two casts, was this the start of it being a good day in tannin waters or was that the end of it. The good thing is that they had all been aggressive hits. Something that's been lacking in most of the small streams I've fished this season.

It was quiet over the following couple of shallow flowing runs, before I had to get out and bypass a deep pool and then hop back into the stream. From here on I would be copping a lot wind, seeing as it was more open than where I'd just been fishing. It had been thirty minutes since I caught the last trout, so I was hoping for better things to happen from here on as I moved into a waist deep piece of water that had some dead wood in the river to my right. It was on the second cast and retrieve there that I had a solid hit, but missed it. That lifted my spirits and I was feeling confident that I would soon have another trout in hand.

A long cast into a shallow, shaded stretch of water ahead of me resulted in an instant hook up. Trout number three was on and soon landed. The old Gold Aglia was doing its job today. With the lure being well used, the sheen on the blade wasn't reflecting the sunlight like a new lure would do. With new lures the blades are always smooth and shiny. Trout are very light sensitive, so a shiny blade in light tannin or clear water will keep the trout away from the lure. Had it been a dull overcast day and the water a darker tannin colour, it wouldn't matter if the lure was new. Most times when I put a new shiny blade spinner on, I will run my sharpening stone across the blade to roughen up the blade surface. Doing this takes the gloss of the blade.

A little further up the stream I did a backhand cast into a shaded area to my right. It was here that another trout snapped up the Gold Aglia. I had my fourth trout of the day on and this was more than I had been expecting that's for sure. Then it happened, the trout made three leaps from the river and the fish parted ways. It was gone. I thought it had tossed the spinner, then as I retrieved the line I couldn't feel any drag from the lure. I thought the line had snapped. It hadn't, there was nothing wrong with the Platypus Stealth FC 6lb leader. Somehow the size 14 snap swivel had opened and the spinner had slipped off the small swivel.

So, I had lost both the fish and the ever-reliable little Gold Aglia spinner, a favourite spinner that was doing a great job on the trout today. Not having my normal fishing vest on today meant that I didn't have my usual variety of small #00 Mepps spinners with me. All that I had in the lure box were a couple each of the #00 Copper Aglia's, Gold Black Furys, Black Aglia Mouche Noires and Stone Fly, March Brown and White Miller Bug spinners. I went for a Copper Aglia for starters and had a follow from a small non aggressive brown. Then I remembered this time last year that the trout took a liking to the White Miller Bug spinner, so it was off with the Aglia and on with the White Miller Bug spinner.

After fishing a couple of shallow narrow runs, I had to climb up the side of the river bank and that was where I found something of interest laying in the grass. What I found was a Mepps #1 Aglia Fluo Tiger inline blade spinner. Attached to it was a small red and white bob float, certainly a set up I had never seen before. The thing is I knew who it belonged to. It belonged to one of two young lads who live on a property nearby. I met them one day while fishing here last season and I gave them a few Mepps lures and some advice on trout fishing. The advice I gave them didn't include the set up I found either. ;)

It wasn't until I came to a small pocket of water that had quite a lot of foliage over it, creating a half shaded area near the opposite side of the stream, where the action recommenced. It only required a lob cast into it and on the retrieve I spotted a brown coming out of the shaded area. I lifted the rod tip a few inches, then lowered it to make the Bug blade flutter and watched the trout take the lure. I had caught my fourth trout of the day. Four trout caught so far today had equalled my best catch of this trout season so far, which is nothing to shout about as it had been one of my poorest starts of any season by far. Don't get me wrong. I'm feeling quite happy with catching four trout so far, however I wanted a few more to really feel satisfied.

I continued to slowly fish my way upstream, in waist deep water, without any signs of a fish. It wasn't until the water shallowed off, near the head water, when I flicked the Mepps Bug into a shaded piece of water to my left. A couple of turns of the Okuma Helios SX reel handle was all that it took. The lure was taken hard and fast, and I knew right away that this was a decent size trout by the way it took off. It ran around me in a complete circle and fought all the way to the net. This was a nice 455 gram brown that was in top condition. This fish made today's trip all the more worthwhile.

That was the fifth trout of the session. I went on to catch another two small browns over the following twenty five minutes, then called it a day. I was pretty stoked the way the spin session went, with seven trout caught and released from nine hook ups. Even better was to see the trout were starting to show up in this tannin water again. I'm still well down on last season's catch for the same time of the season. Weather permitting hopefully I'll get to pick a few more up over the coming weeks.

Adrian (meppstas)