Too cold for trout?

Nsghunter · Feb 16, 2015

It's 32 degrees here and I was thinking about a bank trip for trout on the little river(Townsend) this afternoon. novice question, will it be too cold for the fish? Also, I was going to use black rooster tails. Small maybe 1/16- to 1/4. Any other reccomendations.

shorefisherman · Feb 16, 2015

i don't think water gets too cold for trout around here

bigluresonly · Feb 16, 2015

Agree with shoreman- unlike most TN fish, trout are active in cold water. Had some serious cabin fever last year and was determined to fish one weekend. It was 8 degrees and windy when me and a buddy launched the boat. We caught 3 trout in the 5 minutes we lasted on the water. Spent 30 minutes trying to pull the boat up that ramp that had froze over from when we launched.

moondawg · Feb 16, 2015

Depending on the water you fish, the water temperature will be warmer than the air temperature. The trout will be fine. It will be a matter of whether you'll be fine fishing in cold temps. I am not.

catman529 · Feb 16, 2015

Trout like cold water, except when they stock 1500 of them from 45 degree water on a truck into 32 degree water in the creek, then they start floating and sinking...that happened last year, I think a lot of them died.

But back to your question, it's up to you if you want to fish in the cold. I have in the 20s and prefer not to, but sometimes it's worth it

Sent from the talk of tap

Timber Ghost · Feb 17, 2015

No it will not be too cold, small black roostertail fished slowly is a very good choice.

Treestand Troubadour · Feb 18, 2015

Unless they are froze in a block of ice they'll eat

rooketnhunter · Feb 18, 2015

Have had pretty good luck with trout in cold weather

Reg Bishop · Feb 18, 2015

Most larger trout are caught in Feb or March in this area. Mainly talking about the Hiwassee, but I think it applies elsewhere.

SES · Feb 18, 2015

Me and a friend of mine were fishing the Clinch in the snow a few years ago and the trout hit everything we through at them. We even caught some on tiny torpedoes. My buddy caught a brown over 11 pounds that day.