What do larger brown trout eat on the flats in the spring? Stomach contents from a 19″ male fish caught yesterday tell the story. Five small crawdads, a black leech, a worm, a baby rainbow trout and half a stone fly. These larger fish are on the feed after ice is out, looking to gain calories and energy after a long winter. No hatches yet…no chironomids, caddis, callibaetis or tricos…no damsels or dragonflies or grasshoppers….the big fish are looking for meat and potatoes!
Photos by Randy Brown
Fish was caught on #8 maroon leech, gold bead, Mustad S82-3906B hook, 2X long, 3X strong wire.