August 16, 2019 at 9:38 am
By Fisheries Biologist Jacob Scoville
Splash... you are on your favorite trout pond and the fish are rising everywhere, but they won’t bite any lure you have, and you’ve tried them all. What are those fish eating?! When I was a young, I’m not sure I even knew trout ate anything other than the worm that was beneath my bobber, but little did I know the diets of trout and salmon can vary drastically between different bodies of water. The work of a fisheries biologist can provide valuable insight on the diets of coldwater fish species that hopefully may help you on your next fishing adventure.
During the summer months, fisheries biologists in the “Downeast” region do netting surveys on Brook Trout and Landlocked Salmon waters. During these surveys, stomach analyses are completed to get a look at what these fish are feeding on. Not surprisingly, most fish stomachs are comprised of aquatic insects (adults and nymphs) and fish remains. In small ponds brook trout often feed on a wide variety of insects that include: caddisflies, mayflies, stoneflies, dragonflies, damselflies, beetles, and midges. Depending on what baitfish species are available to trout and salmon you are likely to see fish feeding on smelts, sticklebacks, shiners, killifish, dace, and small sunfish. Other common food items include: leaches, freshwater snails, amphipods(scuds), worms, and grass hoppers. Something that is very important to know is that Brook Trout are opportunistic feeders and often will feed on the most abundant prey available. You never know what a Brook Trout may eat, and if given the opportunity they will feed on salamanders, frogs, mice, eels, and even small snakes! Some anglers even target brookies with mice and frog patterns in hopes of landing a “wall hanger”.
Every pond, lake, and stream contain different abundances of insect and fish species so knowing exactly what you may want to try and use for bait will change from water to water. Before you start fishing, try and see what the fish may be feeding on, whether that’s looking for baitfish on shore or picking up rocks to see what insects may be most plentiful in the stream. Remember trout and salmon are opportunistic feeders, so fishing something that looks flashy and tasty may get them to strike even if it doesn’t necessarily look like what they are feeding on. Keep trying different lures, bait or flies, you never know what they might eat.
Always consult the Maine Fishing Laws to check and see what regulations are in place at the water body you plan on fishing. It’s also important to know that some of Maines best trout ponds have little to no baitfish present. Without the presence of baitfish, trout are the only predators on insects, leaches, etc. and if baitfish are illegally introduced, the size of the trout may be negatively impacted because of competition for food and space. Remember, never dump your bait back into the water at the end of the day. And illegally stocking any fish (baitfish included) into any body of water is a big deal.
As for those pesky fish that won’t bite, well, I wish I could say it’s never happened to me before, but sometimes the simpler, the better. A good angler is always thinking like a fish and willing to adapt. If you keep a trout for a meal, when cleaning it, don’t be afraid to see what its been eating, it may give you an advantage next time, and you just might be surprised!