How to Catch Big Rainbow Trout from a Lake? | Fishing with Rod

There are many lakes around Merritt BC Canada where big rainbow trout can be found. Catching them though, takes a bit of knowledge and work. Here is a video showing my attempts to find some trophy rainbow trout at these lakes.
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Camera:
Rodney Hsu
Kitty Kanhoffen
Editing:
Rodney Hsu
Music:
Epidemic Sound
Copyright: Fishing with Rod Production
My name is Rod, and I am an avid fisherman, fishery advocate, conservationist and educator in British Columbia Canada. On this channel you will find:
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🔸 Targeting many different fish species including salmon, trout, steelhead, sturgeon, bass, pike!
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#trout #troutfishing #flyfishing

[@FishingwithRod]

Has everyone caught the blooper I added to the end of this video?

[@ryanbarton6739]

Yup👍

[@vancityflyguy]

:) sure did:)

[@EllenJohn4]

Really appreciate the good example you set in handling your fish, Rod and Kitty! You clearly prioritize the long term well being of the fishery over grip and grin photo ops.👍

[@FishingwithRod]

Thank you Ellen! The welfare of the fish is indeed the number one priority when making these videos if they are to be released. I want people to understand and appreciate that it is a privelege to enjoy these resources so we don't take it for granted. 🙂

[@edboutdoors3632]

Amazing video rod really enjoyed it happy to see ya back out fishin cant wait for some more lake fishing for trout keep up thos amazing videos!!

[@FishingwithRod]

Thanks Ethan. :)

[@FishingwithRod]

Thanks for watching everyone. Check out this video highlighting the three strains of rainbow trout commonly stocked in BC lakes as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sILKYqd_gbafe5Y

[@brentskibikeski]

Only one lake in Region 3 that has no ice fishing, but no fly restrictions, has been stocked consistently with Blackwater Rainbow Trout and has a boat launch.

[@brentskibikeski]

And one other lake that's been stocked every other year with Blackwater. One lake is catch and release only, the other is quota = 1 (none under 50 cm).

[@skikid00]

Another great and informative video!

[@FishingwithRod]

Thank you. 🙂

[@wildmanstew5736]

Nice video very well made.

[@Alphonse0014]

I always look forward to your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@FishingwithRod]

Thank you!! :)

[@yoCrypto]

Awesome video, great job!

[@FishingwithRod]

Thank!

[@AreEff1987]

beautiful fish. love that you have that long tub to keep them wet when handling them for the video

[@skylazart]

OMG rod! Amazing fisheries! 🎉🎉🎉

[@FishingwithRod]

🥳

[@dude999642]

You are right on about seeking out lakes with big (not numerous) fish!

[@FishingwithRod]

Thanks Dale 🙂

[@MarktheMartian]

Cool deal Rod! Man you’re lucky you live in trout paradise! Can’t blame the big trout for liking Kitty, trout appreciate beauty too!

[@FishingwithRod]

I guess I'm not pretty enough?? 😆

[@MarktheMartian]

How else would you explain it? Beginners’ luck? Hahah

[@FishingwithRod]

🤣

[@yongsoochang8722]

Travel restrictions are almost over, so I'm looking forward to going to the fishing highway and catching some big fish! Thanks Rod for your perseverance because that gives me hope :)

[@FishingwithRod]

Awesome! Have a great time up that way. :)

[@yongsoochang8722]

@@FishingwithRod looking back on this season, my best fish was caught by my daughter at a lake you have highlighted. It was a 4 pound Horsefly Rainbow Trout and now her personal best! Thanks Rod for your inspiration for me to go out there, catch fish and enjoy all that BC has to offer! I wish I could send to you this picture I took of her holding this monster lol...

[@FishingwithRod]

@@yongsoochang8722 That's awesome! You can show it to me through IG or FB messages if you want. :)

[@JesseJames-qn9os]

ZEST COAST: Cone catch Rainvow at Stone Mountain Park BC this summer, I’m the park operator!

[@xnorcal831x]

Those are nice fish congrats man. I have had a similar yr. So far 18 trout over 2.5 pounds up to 4 with, one at 6.8 pounds. Some yrs are just amazing

[@FishingwithRod]

Can't complain about stats like that! Awesome.

[@ulflonegren4870]

I just started fishing Okanagan lake (4 times now), from my kayak. I’m catching fish and I did land a 4lb rainbow which was nice, but I want bigger! 🎣🐟

[@keithpowley1445]

Some really nice bows rod hope to run into you out there I shied away from fishing when I discovered gold panning but am really getting back into it now I've been fly fishing the interior since I could cast a fly about 40 years now anyway have a good one rod

[@FishingwithRod]

Thank you Keith! Every trip there is always something new to learn, it never gets old. See you out there! 🙂

[@jasonforester4572]

I want to catch a big rainbow trout! Or more.😁 I also want to be able to book a campsite! I'm going to have to find a campsite for our travel trailer FIRST before I can get fishing. Not having luck looking for anywhere between the Shuswap and Merrit areas. Stoopid me, I actually took the travel restrictions (just lifted) seriously and didn't book earlier in the year as usual. Paying the price now. The search continues. 🤞

[@FishingwithRod]

Thanks Jason. You're right, now that restrictions are lifted it's going to be difficult to find vacant spots for camping and just recreational accommodations in general. I just returned from Merritt a couple of days ago and traffic heading to the interior was very steady. Nevertheless, it is nice to see people are able to enjoy the outdoors after some very challenging months.

[@iancollings5047]

LOL at the line pull with the rod stuck in the holder....happens to me so many times... and then you get the double....

[@FishingwithRod]

That was actually the first time I've ever done it lol... I'm going to have to try it again in front of the camera. :)

[@justinstory1714]

Aewsome lake we have caught some tanks out of there

[@FishingwithRod]

Yep! 🙂

[@jeffhan6653]

Hey rod, what flies did you use and size? Pattern?

[@FishingwithRod]

Hi Jeff, they were size 14 chironomid patterns. I can't remember the exact ones as they were different for each outing as the hatches were different. Black body with silver rib, chromies with red rib, antistatic body with brown rib etc are usually my go-to patterns until I can figure out what exactly they are feeding on.

[@afishingmagician]

Very nice to get a double header from you and Kitty. I was wondering what you guys were up to fishing wise this Spring? Did you get out at all? ! As I posted on Kitty's site just now I am headed up to Edith, Jakko, Morgan and Red tomorrow for 4 days. I can tell you now that Morgan and Red can produce some pretty big fish.

[@FishingwithRod]

You should be hitting all four lakes just around the right time. Have a great trip. No Kitty and I have not been filming or fishing together at all this year and it's unlikely we'll do much this year.

[@vancityflyguy]

@@FishingwithRod that doesn’t sound good:(( i’m always looking forward to your videos

[@FishingwithRod]

We'll see how things go as Kitty is pretty busy now. Let her know in DMs if you want to see her doing more videos with me. 🙂

[@TheHartxxx]

What kind of reel is the green one you used?

[@FishingwithRod]

That's an Islander LX fly fishing reel. www.islander.com/shop/fly/lx-series/?v=3e8d115eb4b3

[@adingadormeo8229]

Does he discuss what type of fly or nymphs he is using?

[@FishingwithRod]

Sorry I didn't really discuss the flies which were used. They were size 14 chironomid patterns. I can't remember the exact ones as they were different for each outing as the hatches were different. Black body with silver rib, chromies with red rib, antistatic body with brown rib etc are usually my go-to patterns until I can figure out what exactly they are feeding on.

[@townieoutdoors8121]

Do you have a favorite size of chronomid ? Or do you vary the size ? Nice save by the way lol

[@FishingwithRod]

Usually I stick to size 14 and 16, and there are a few patterns which I like to start with before figuring out what the fish are feeding on. Silve/gun metal/black bodies with red/black/brown rib are typical combinations I go with.

[@DepotFilms]

hey rod whats the magic fly ???

[@FishingwithRod]

Hi Aidan, I was using patterns which imitate chironomid pupae emerging from the bottom of the lake while we were fishing. The patterns and sizes being used were size 14 and 16, sometimes black, silver, or gunmetal body, with silver, black, red, brown rib. It really comes down to what are hatching and matching to those hatches.

[@rexlurex3758]

❤❤❤

[@joesutherland225]

Lois lake all the time pretty well

[@dragonflytoo]

Is a Blackwater Rainbow trout the same as a resident steelhead? I caught two like that in the Stamp river last fall and the CO called them resident steelies... I could send you photos for identification. Awesome fish!!

[@FishingwithRod]

Sylvia, not sure what the CO was talking about... ;) A resident steelhead is basically a rainbow trout, an anadromous rainbow trout is a steelhead. The two are categorized as the same species, they are just distinguished by their life histories. Blackwater rainbow trout originated from the Blackwater River. Many, many years ago, they are collected from that particular river to use as broodstock for these stocked fish. Broodstock collection has since shifted to Dragon Lake, where they capture previously stocked diploid fish for egg collection. That video is actually coming out in a couple of weeks from now. :) The ones you saw in this video, they had been in the lake for several years. For some reason, they have a tendency to develop those darker colours as they get older in the lake, even though they are sterile/triploid.

[@dragonflytoo]

@@FishingwithRod could have black water make it to the stamp River in Port Alberni?

[@dragonflytoo]

@@FishingwithRod the way it was explained to me is, a steelhead lives in the lake until it's ready to go to the ocean, however, if there's lots of food in that Lake it stays in that lake. That's how the co said it was a resident steelhead. He said steelhead because of the orange on the cheek, and the size of the fish, much larger than the regular rainbow trout. Does that ring true?

[@FishingwithRod]

If they choose to remain in the lake then they are just known as rainbow trout. 🙂 The same strategy is used by many other species, eg. sockeye vs kokanee, anadromous and resident bull trout. Generally fish which remain in freshwater are much smaller than their anadromous cousins due to the lack of feed, but Vancouver Island lakes can be productive and yield some big specimens at times. Cowichan Lake coastal cutthroat trout is a good example of this.

[@shmish]

Is there much chance of catching a fish at lakes like these without a depth or fish finder? I’m a bit dubious, I think it would be like hunting in the dark with no idea where to start.

[@FishingwithRod]

Hi Doug, it's tougher but not impossible for sure. I spent the first few years of lake fishing in my boat without a fish finder. Some days it worked out while others the sounder would definitely be handy. The sounder's main purpose isn't necessarily to mark fish, but to show you the depth and the contour of the lake bottom so you can make some educated guess on where fish might be hanging around. Without it, you certainly can still make those guesses by using a few clues. The shore structures and steepness can tell you what the lake depth change might be. Look for bird activities near the surface. Look for chironomid hatches as they emerge from the water column. Don't go out in the middle of the lake, stick to 10 to 20, or 30ft for best results. Fish near the bottom.

[@shmish]

@@FishingwithRod yeah, definitely its a depth issue (not fish finder). I suppose if I have an idea of the shoal, I can also drop a line with weight on it and get the depth that way. Hey, did you use to race bikes with the UBC club in the 90's?

[@FishingwithRod]

@@shmish I sure did. 😄 I was the prez of the cycling club in the the second half of 90s and early 2000's, and managed the mountain bike racing team.

[@shmish]

@@FishingwithRod I thought I recognized the name. I use run the Tuesday Nighters.

[@FishingwithRod]

@@shmish It has been 20 years since I stopped, definitely miss that community and the old days when we'd all gather every Tuesday evening! ☺

[@2-old-Forthischet]

I'm so desperate at this point, I'd settle for a brookie!

[@FishingwithRod]

Hey nothing wrong with brookies! I love them too.

[@kimag3324]

I have a guess as to what lake this might be

[@andrewgoddard1789]

Hop on a plane to New zealand when the borders open again for some big trout rod👍

[@FishingwithRod]

I will! Numerous NZ anglers have said this and I think it will happen eventually, I just have to work out the logistics and find the sponsors to make it happen. 🙂

[@andrewgoddard1789]

Be happy to take you out anytime. Lake taupo and surrounding rivers home to many fine trout👍

[@FishingwithRod]

Sounds good! 🙂

[@trumanjohnson8179]

rod is yet to upload a video that doesn't make me smile.

[@FishingwithRod]

😃

[@ryanbarton6739]

👍👍

[@FishingwithRod]

👍👍👍👍

[@ryanbarton6739]

@@FishingwithRod can you do some lower mainland lake reports?

[@FishingwithRod]

Hi Ryan, I'll do my best to get another Lower Mainland report updated before July begins.

[@ryanbarton6739]

@@FishingwithRod thanks I wish I could do some of half of what you do. I fish at least once a week in lakes within a couple hours from home. Any suggestions for new lakes to try? my new favorite is jones lake

[@FishingwithRod]

Hicks is also another good one to try out.

[@tylerrakes82]

She might catch bigger one's, but you drive the boat to the spot to get her on the big fish! That's half credit at least.

[@FishingwithRod]

Thanks Tyler. ;)

[@drumznfishes]

If you had to guess a weight on that biggest fish…what do think? Six pounds?

[@FishingwithRod]

It was probably around 5. :)

[@RHN365]

Fish are so much bigger in region 3 compared to region 8

[@FishingwithRod]

I’ve done very little trout fishing in Region 8 so can’t really compare, but region 3 definitely has a lot of quality trout fisheries. Can’t wait to go in the next couple of months!

[@RHN365]

@@FishingwithRod I'm itching to get out also

[@j-rad2613]

Stop showing all the city yuppies these lakes. It's busy enough, we don't want all of Vancouver showing up.

[@FishingwithRod]