Mouse Eaters in November

 I'd not yet fished at all on November 9th. It was a warm clear night; uncommon conditions for the time of year; and I was keen to take advantage. Typically such nighttime temps in late fall come  front passage. Rain, fog, and low clouds are typically associated. None of these things would be bad but a clear warm night is sometimes preferable when night fishing for trout. And that's what I was doing this time. I've been intent on pushing the boundaries of night fishing for salmonids, and one of those boundaries is the time of year. Last winter I caught a lot of trout after dark so it's proving a worthwhile endeavor. Unfortunately I've been mostly limited to waters close to home, which are on the whole put-and-take trout streams. Unnatural though these fish are they at least have provided me some insight before I can get to some wilder fisheries. 

I started out drifting a woolly bugger, a method proven in a lot of conditions and during different seasons. I caught a small rainbow on the second cast and another a few casts later. It then promptly stopped producing takers.

On probably the 30th cast without any sort of grab, I heard something swirl just downstream and started to wonder. I plucked a Master Splinter out of my box and tied it on in place of the bugger. 

It only took three casts.

As I released that fish I chuckled quietly to myself about how unnatural it was. I wouldn't put it past a wild brown trout or brookie to take a swipe at a mouse in mid-November under such unseasonably warm conditions, but it would take a lot more doing to find a willing one. By contrast, I hooked a dozen hatchery rainbows on a mouse this night. Unfortunately I don't think I can use that as any sort of benchmark, these fish just weren't behaving as stream born trout or char would. 

Regardless of the unnatural behavior and ecologically unsound reality of these hatchery rainbows, it was funny to catch trout on the surface late at night so far into the fall season. It is probably worth noting that it is possible. 

On a related note, anyone have have any good recipes for stocker trout? 

 Fish for the love of fish.

Fish for the love of places fish live.

Fish for you.

And stay safe and healthy.

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