Trout fishing help

[Mattybofmd]

im going to get into trout fishing as a new species of fish to target. Now before I decided to ask on here I did Google it in everyway I could im gobe with no clear answer. So maybe some1 will help me here.
When does trout fishing start in 2015?
Can you still trout fish this year? (I have a license and stamp)
What website can I use that just gives me simple info?
These questions are in reguard to fishing the patapsco River at bloedes and Daniels dam

[Mark]

The areas of the Patapsco you mentioned are generally considered to be "Put and Take" areas. Usually they only close for a few weeks in March during spring stocking. You can go to MD DNR website to get precise seasonal information, including stocking dates for each location. Note also that the DNR stocks many "Put and Take" areas a second time each year in the fall. That means you can fish those areas for trout all year except during their specified closed dates in the spring. Of course the longer you wait to fish after stocking the less chance you have to catch trout especially in heavily fished areas. I believe fishing pressure and summer temperatures make it difficult for the rainbows the DNR stocks to holdover from year to year.

I have never fished the areas of the Patapsco you mentioned but I have caught stocked trout in the Avalon area of the park on streamer flies, small crank baits and Mepps Spinners. It surprised me that the fish would hit artificials given that they were farm raised on pellets. Their predatory instincts take over quickly when they get their brief taste of life in the wild.

[alabamaangler]

http://dnr2.maryland.gov/Fisheries/P.../stocking.aspx
there's a little bit about the different locations to fish

[M1A4ME]

We used to "troll" the small panther martin spinners. Toss them out, start rowing (12 foot Sears row boat) and they hit them.

I've also caught them on crappy jigs under sliding floats. Fire tiger colored crappie jig with about 5 or 6 feet below the float (would depend on the dept of the fish) and just toss them out and let them float. Nicest rainbow I ever caught (19&1/4") was caught on a windy day like that. I thought is was a small bass, you know how they don't pull the float under, they just swirl it around and make if bob. I set the hook, reeled it towards me and about the time I saw it, it saw me, and it started ripping 6 lb. test line off the reel. The day after Thanksgiving at Summit Lake above Richwood, WV.

I've only caught one on a crankbait and as mentioned above, a small crankbait tossed up next to a rock ledge.

They hit hard/fast on a spinner/crankbait, kind of like a small mouth bass.

[bignose]

Start out with a copy of a Guide to Maryland Trout Fishing.
Amazon has used copies that are very inexpensive.
New copies at Bass Pro.
The Patapsco around Daniels Dam to Blodes Dam will hold a few fish from the fall stockings but they are few and far between by this time of the year.
There are other alternatives: The Gunpowder River below Pretty Boy Reservoir is usually productive, as is the Patuxent River, and Big Hunting Creek up in Thurmont. These have significant restrictions so check the regs.
The DNR lists the stocked trout streams so access their website.
Size 0 or 1 Mepps spinners, tiny jigs, or flies, like a size 8 Wooly Bugger in black or olive will all catch trout. Or bait if that's your style, but once again check the regs as to which streams you can fish with bait on and when.

[PigPen]

I do well there with large yellow bugger's and muddler patterns. I've also wondered how farm raised trout know to eat emergers, but I have caught a few on them as well. Stream holds lots of small small mouth, shad, and bluegills.

[Mark]

Years ago at Avalon I hooked a nice rainbow on a wooly bugger. A Blue Heron had landed and stood to my left within 8 to 10 feet of me while I fished. It was very calm and completely unconcerned by my presence. I was wondering why the bird chose there to stand and then I discovered why. When my rainbow jumped from the water about 30 feet downstream the Heron flew and tried to intercept it. The bird failed but at that point I realized I had two jobs to do: catch the fish, but not the Heron. I managed to do that by retrieving the trout faster than normal. When I got it to within my reach the Heron gave up the chase. Obviously that bird recognized what I was doing and no doubt had stolen fish from other fishermen. I bet it even recognized the DNR's stocking truck and I'm certain it paid no attention to the state's stream closure dates.

[bignose]

And the heron will not practice catch and release!

About the farm raised trout eating emergers: for the first couple of weeks those dumb, hungry fish will hit anything that makes a slight splash on the surface because they think that it is a food pellet. After a couple of weeks, the holdovers wise up.

[M1A4ME]

And the heron will not practice catch and release!

About the farm raised trout eating emergers: for the first couple of weeks those dumb, hungry fish will hit anything that makes a slight splash on the surface because they think that it is a food pellet. After a couple of weeks, the holdovers wise up.

I remember going to a trout hatchery when I was a kid. We spit in the water, toss dandelions in the water, pieces of grass, anything that hit the water surface was swarmed.

[JAR]

The Patapsco is still producing a good number of trout for me in December. If water conditions are good, I can normally find holdovers in January. You'll have to put your time in though.