Any tips on cutthroat fishing?

[moocher97]

I haven't done a little late cutthroat fishery in  a while and was wondering what to use. I know that just little brass spinners work. and also bobber and just a plain worm workout also in the early season does it change at all depth wise like the fish go deeper or shallower. just curious any tips will help. thanks-

[Screaminreelz]

River?

[KFhunter]

size 2 - use flourocarbon line no more than 6 lb

You're welcome

[Phobic]

We did well this summer with black ant dry flies.

[coachcw]

fourty to fifty feet deep , croc spoons bigums

[Bullkllr]

Deep with spoons, ant dry flies, small spinners, bobber and worm...

... that's quite a variety of recommendations. Might be helpful to know where you're fishing...

[Mtn.Ghost]

Lake with tributaries try to fish near the trib this time of year and plunk a chunk of crawler and pink marshmallow to float it a little or mallow and pautzkee red balls of fire eggs. I knock um dead with those combos, I call it bacon and eggs    

[Mtn.Ghost]

Another good one the red or green carey special fly river or lake. If your on a lake and have a boat put on some split shot and troll it slow stop and go style

[mossback91]

All the cut fishing I have done was with BIG spoons

[Da stump]

I have fished sea runs by the north east side of the hood canal bridge by the park and caught a few and also down at Tahuya, up and down the inlet there, like using a fly rod, or troll a triple teaser.

[broadhead]

Lakes:

There are volumes of material regarding the subject of trout fishing to get free on the internet. In the lakes I have great luck on needlefish (fire tiger/perch, brass bikini, rainbow trout), krokodile spoons (2-2.5 inches, same colors as Needlefish), Rapala X-Rap (White or green work well) and inline spinners for the local cutthroat. Since October my friends and I have been doing well into this winter on several local lakes. We're consistently picking them up using lead core line and 2-3 colors out. Which is roughly 15 feet down. The fish get spooky with the eagles and other birds. All winter long hatches are happening on the lakes. One thing I do is look for congregations of birds feeding on the bugs. That's where I fish if I can.

Rivers:

These fish tend to be smaller but more aggressive. I enjoy using a pink "steelhead worm" with a 1/4 jig head in order to get down in the current and target eddies and seams.

[broadhead]

Oh and I always troll at speeds of 1.5-2.5 mph. The lure sometimes dictates the speed.

[Smossy]

taG

[snowpack]

There are some good rivers for cuts not all that far from you.  In October when the river is low and the caddis flies go crazy, you can get tons of trout around dawn and dusk.  A clear plastic bubble float with a fly works good.  Kind of funny to watch the fish fight each other to grab it.

[broadhead]

Definitely. The cutts are in the rivers year round. We released a few down on the Nisqually last month (which is probably closer to you than me). Both were caught on the steelhead worm in an eddie. A bug fly will work for sure and maybe even a streamer.

[_TONY_]

In the fall, we like to drift fish smaller flesh flies for cutthroat...

[jeepster]

I like skating tiny dry flies at the end of summer in eastern wa rivers or fishing ants, hopper/cricket, and terrestrial patterns on the lakes

Or, small minnow or smolt patterns in the spring in the salt

I've also done well with a tiny kwikfish tipped with a smidgen of worm doing the stop n go troll style

[moocher97]

Thanks for the tips guys. I was talking about lakes but Im planning on doing a river float soon on bear creek for steelhead. so I guess all tips help. I mostly go to local lakes up here in the hood canal for lake cutthroat area but I've also caught a ton of sea runs over in Tahuya off the shore using buzz bombs. My question is. In a lake for trolling or bait fishing what depth would you fish? I know the thermocline on most lakes is the best spot sometimes (if deep enough) But I don't know exactly that's why Im asking. I probably should have clarified specifics but anyway any further information is well appreciated