Hit Winchester Lake in Chandler this morning. Kind of a funny day. All my normal spots were a bust and none of my regular lures worked. Couldn't buy a bump on a kastmaster or a super duper. Finally saw a trout swirl and it was really close to the bank. Got me to thinking maybe I was fishing too far out. Tied on a #6 wire panfish hook and put some of my favorite bait (Pautzke's FireBalls) and tossed it out completely weightless. Just the hook and salmon eggs. That was the ticket. Took less than 30 seconds to hook the first one and then steady action. Kept 5. Longest about 11 inches and all the rest between 9 and 10 inches.



I was wondering what to serve the charming Mrs. Chief for supper. I believe that question has been answered.

Cheers Y'all!

Nice fish Flags It amazes me how stock trout seem to favor different baits in different parts of the State.


Side note. Those will fry up nice.

Nice report and some SUPER fish. What color Super Duper were you using?

I tossed silver, gold and copper with no hits. Also tossed gold and silver kastmasters (which are normally really good here) with no hits. I tossed a black panther martin with no hits and a white panther martin with a pink blade with no hits. Then went to FireBalls and tore them up!

That'll teach them!

Thanks Flags for the information. I always use lures and now I am into fly fishing and I am using my fly rod only on the trout. So far so good. Been getting limits every time out. I will admit on a couple of days I really had to work for them. Friends of mine using lures and trout bait limited out much quicker than me. The spots we fish are always loaded with fish during the stocking season.



Side Note: There are certain places on the river that hold trout year around!

I have had a few times that I would not get one bite on any bait I was using including lures. This happens only after the truck dumps the fish. I had to fish a couple of hours till the bite turned on. I think once the fish settle in they get aggressive and the bite gets better. I have been having a lot better results fishing the day after the stockings. Just my two cents.



Side Note: I have watched many a fly angler change out flies a lot until they find the one the fish wants. Once the trout turn on they usually will bite on just about anything. There will be times they will only bite certain baits.

Those are some "SUPER NICE" trout! Great job Flags!




Side Note: Are those the average size trout being stocked in your area?

Thanks. Yeah those are average. Maybe even a little less than average. Biggest I've taken there is about 13 inches and I haven't taken one less than 8. So these would be representative for that pond.

The average fish in our area is between 8 to 10 inches. There are a bunch of six and seven inch fish being stocked also. My biggest this year has been 13". I have also caught a few in the 12" range.

Totally agree Chuck on the average size of the fish being stocked here! 8 to 10 inches. I also have caught a few in the 12" range with my biggest so far this season being in the 13" range.



Side Note: Catching a lot of small fish in the 5 to 7 inch range!

Thanks Flags! It seems the average stock trout is about 9 to 10" with some in the 11 plus range.