As we get deeper into fall, brown trout will move to their spawning grounds and begin their annual spawn. It can be a great time of year to fish, but it also creates controversy among the fly fishing community. In this blog post, I share my thoughts on fishing during the trout spawning season.
Fishing During The Spawn
Fishing during the spawn is an interesting topic in the fishing community. On the one hand, many of our sought-after fishing experiences occur during the spawn of our target species. Anglers swinging for steelhead or salmon is a prime example. On the other hand, fish are vulnerable and have a higher mortality rate when caught and released during this stressful time. It not only pressures the trout caught but also exposes their eggs in the gravel to danger as we wade the river. As anglers who care about the long-term health of our fish populations, targeting fish during the spawn creates a dispute in the ethics of catch-and-release fishing.
Some anglers completely avoid targeting the trout during their spawn, focusing on other species or not fishing at all during this time of year. Other anglers do not care about spawning fish and take advantage of the spawning season by targeting fish on their redds. They see nothing wrong with this act and plan their fishing trips around it. We all have our preferences in fly fishing, and I am not here to tell you how to enjoy a day on the river.
My Opinion
My views on this topic have gone back and forth as I learn and grow as an angler. I prefer not to target actively spawning fish for many reasons, and I encourage others to stay away from them as well.
Not only do I care about the fish and the fishery’s long-term health, but I also care about how I catch the trout if I am lucky enough to do so. I am not proud of catching a trout while actively spawning or showing similar behavior. Catching a spawning fish does not provide the enjoyment I seek in fly fishing, which is the challenge of fooling feeding fish into eating a fly I tie.
I recently came across multiple brown trout chasing each other in shallow water. These were male brown trout and some of the biggest brown trout I have encountered in my young fishing journey. The fish were not on redds and probably could have been aggravated into eating a fly. However, it made me a tad uncomfortable targeting these fish, and I knew this was not how I wanted to catch a large brown trout. If I am lucky enough to catch one, I prefer it to happen another way.
That being said, I do not mind targeting trout during their spawning season. Many trout start moving toward their spawning grounds weeks before the act. These times present a unique opportunity to catch trout in places you wouldn’t otherwise see them the rest of the year. Many of us look forward to the fall and spring months when big trout move throughout our river systems for their annual spawn.
When targeting these fish, I am conscious of how much I take from the river and use my best fish handling practices. I do not target fish on redds, and I am careful where I wade to avoid disturbing the eggs in the river. Essentially, I have my own boundaries around the spawn and hold myself to them. It works for me and allows me to enjoy fishing this time of year with little guilt.
Do I Avoid Fishing For Trout During The Spawn?
It would be relatively hard in the Yellowstone region if one genuinely wants to avoid fishing for trout during the spawn. If you consider the many fisheries and species we have in the area, most of the year we have the potential to run into spawning fish.
For example, rainbow trout begin spawning in February and go until about May, depending on the fishery. Cutthroat trout start spawning in April and, in some fisheries, can still be seen on redds in July. Brown trout begin spawning in October and often spawn into December. I didn’t even mention the brook trout, native grayling, and native whitefish, which also spawn throughout the year. Again, it varies by watershed, but you can see how much of the year one can find spawning fish. This makes it almost impossible to completley quit fishing during the spawning seasons of trout in this region.
Final Words
In conclusion, we should all be conscious of spawning fish and educate ourselves on the subject. Understand the potential impacts of fishing during the spawn and set boundaries you are comfortable with. The way I prefer to fish may not align with you, which is okay. We all have our own preferences and things we enjoy in a day of fishing.
The most important thing we can do while fishing during the spawn is to use the best catch-and-release practices when handling fish. Keep them wet, use barbless hooks, and fight them quickly so they can return to the river and create the next generation. We all want good trout populations rising to our flies for years to come, and we all play a role as fishermen and women.
I have included a few links below relating to this topic. I highly encourage you to check them out if you want to learn more about fishing during the spawn.
Redd Fish – Should we fish for trout through the spawn or stay home? by Domenick Swentosky
The Ethics of Fishing For Spawning Trout – Outdoor Life
1 thought on “Fishing During The Spawn”
Great read as always Nick.