How to Fish – New Fishermen Looking to Learn Fishing, will find more questions than answers. In our feature on learning fishing, we will share some links and give you a starting point. If you are new to fishing, you should avoid common pitfalls and get expert help.
Live Bait helps those new to fishing to get more action and learn way more about catching fish.
Don’t Buy Lots of Gear
Don’t wait to fish only in exotic remote locations (fish close to home)
Ask local professional guide
Hire a professional to show you how to fish
Don’t depend on store employees
Over-buying tackle will be a waste of money
Fish local ponds and target those fish
Practice your skills on local ponds
Don’t follow tv fishing – it is a huge mistake
Common Fishing Mistakes
We find that most of our fishing students have made the above mistakes when learning to fish. Buying a lot of gear is a big pitfall. Start simple and learn the basics. Try to get gear that will help you to catch fish as close to home as possible. It is a bad thing to go buy the most expensive rods and reels and to pile up tackle. Instead, simple fishing setups that you can quickly take to local ponds will teach you much more. Start slow! Inexpensive setups might even include a pole with no reel so that you can learn baiting hooks and handling fish. Once you get comfortable. We partner with LiveBaitFishingTackle.com and they offer a great setup for new fishermen and kids that is under $30. You can outfit a couple family members and learn together with this pole fishing setup.
Use Live Bait Before Trying Lures
Lures are more difficult to catch your fish. Fishing local ponds is harder than fishing a resort location or the television locations such as resorts. Fish are smaller and harder to find and often times the predator species are over-fished and much smaller than on tv. This leaves you with an assortment of fish that doesn’t respond to lures. For the new fisher, it is much easier to catch fish using live food. Live bait sold at the local bait and tackle store is your best bet for more fishing action and learning. Lures are expensive and often don’t appeal to local fish. This is reality. We suggest you learn your fishing skills on multi-species rather than trying to target one fish. All new fishermen want action. Live bait will get you 60% more action than lures constituently even at the crumby muddy pond at the end of the street. There is action waiting there for you to practice and learn your skills! More practice will mean more fish caught as you learn to cast, hook and handle fish.
Patronize Small Bait & Tackle Stores
A big box store offers you little. They are confusing, filled with equipment that will not help you and the sales associates have less experience than most small store owners. Call the store nearest you and ask when someone would be on hand to help you with a basic fishing setup to fish local ponds. The live bait at stores is of much higher quality than big box stores and gas stations (in most cases). Having quality live bait will get you more fish on the end of your line. Big box stores do not turn over their bait which often dies or is in poor shape. A small bait & tackle store will rotate and check their live bait. It sells faster and is more fresh. Other places have bait that is a month or several months old. The fish react to old bait – they won’t touch it.
Fish Local Ponds
Learning fishing skills is important to getting better results and more action. Local ponds will offer you a place to practice. Trying to improve your skills is easier if you have more reps, more chances and more casts. While the mud hole down the street might not look like an exotic Canadian water, it offers you your best chance to be a better fisherman. Angling is the art of trying to get fish on the line. Don’t make the mistake many make in the hobby. To become an angler, your practice is the key. Take the time to practice your knots at home and getting tackle (all the gear, line, hooks and setups) ready to fish. Learn a few key knots and how to tie lines. Prepare them at home and get better at this. Get to your local pond or stream and work at practicing. You will get better and this improvement in skills will help you every time you fish. Simply put, fewer mistakes will mean many more fish. A mistake takes your line out of action. Get to your local pond, and make use.
Check with your local fishing guide. Many guides will be glad to show you what gear they are using and give you specifics. What you might need to fish starting out, may not need to be guide-quality gear. The guide will give you the basics and can provide a list of specific line weights and bait setups that will work better for your local pond. Ask ahead of time when booking your guided fishing trip about expectations. That guide should be very helpful in getting you a minimal amount of gear and starting you with fishing equipment that really works. Just buying tackle will never help you. Expert help will prevent you from wasting money and save you hundreds of dollars.
Join a Local Fishing Club & Learn How to Fish
In your area there are several local fishing clubs. Tell them you are new and see if they help new anglers to get started in fishing. Some clubs might be more competitive and into travel or tournaments. Find out first and then if they tell you they can be helpful, try a meeting out. Have the club point you to one person or a local fishing guide to help you. This will jump start your fishing hobby and be the best way to learn how to fish. Multi-species fishing clubs are the best choice for new anglers like RiversideFishingClub in the Chicago Area.
The Illinois Fall Stocked Trout Fishing Guide is out. Northern Illinois maps and locations to exact trout fishing spots is available. Johnny put together a linked map where you can even save to your phone (Apple iPhone Devices) and links for driving directions (all devices).
You can find these stocked locations at our new resource which will be update both Fall & Spring for Illinois Stocked Trout Fishing. Also available soon will be hot tips for catching more stocked trout even when the fishing bite is slow! The ultimate trout fishing rig works in all ponds and reservoirs well into the season.
Find great tips and locations near you or within a short drive around Chicago and Northern Illinois.
Stocked Trout Next to Gapen Pencil Floats. Johnny’s Trout Fishing Guide will help you to catch more trout all the time!
I’ve made a guide to Northern Illinois – Chicago Area Trout Fishing. You can see all the links to trout fishing ponds, lakes and reservoirs including a few Illinois trout stream locations on my exclusive trout fishing tips map. Get set for rainbow trout! It’s here.
Stocked Trout Fishing Best Baits and tackle for catching stocked trout.
by Johnny Wilkins – Chicago Fishing School Outdoors
In my area, cold water fishing means slower fishing. This is of course, unless you have stocked rainbow trout fishing by you! Spring cold water fishing is best when the waters are packed with stocked rainbow trout. These fish are literally dumped into ponds, reservoirs, lakes and rivers to provide us with great Spring fishing opportunities.
Oh, catching stocked rainbow trout can be a fun and rewarding experience! Here are a few tips to help you out.
The author Johnny Wilkins with a 19″ trophy stocked Palamino (white-gold rainbow) trout caught on a single spike (maggot) and float on 3 lb. leader. Trout over 18″ are a great catch!
Great Stocked Trout Fishing Tips
Below are some great tips for setting up and catching more stocked trout. Improving your bait as well as your trout-fishing tackle will result in you hooking way more fish. Along with these tips you can find the most sensitive trout fishing tackle at the LiveBaitFishingTackle online store. This is all field-tested and sells many of my favorite trout fishing hooks, floats and lines. This link brings you right to the trout section. Follow the tips below and have a ton of success with trout fishing.
Order Fresh Live Bait for Stocked Trout
1. The top tip to catching more fish – fresh bait. Order fresh bait: Call your local bait store a week prior to your trout fishing trip. Give them time so that they can have freshspikes, bulk wax worms or crappie minnows in stock for you. 1,000 spikes is the ultimate trout bait, but you have to call ahead to make sure they have these ready for you!
Spikes are maggots and they are my best fishing bait for trout that I can recommend. Many bait stores do not stock these. They may be able to order them from their distributor and have them ready for you. Call on the Monday or Tuesday for Thursday or Friday pm pickup! Always carry a cooler with you so that you can keep your bait on ice. Never leave bait in the car – ever. Fresh bait catches the most fish. This is why I have a couple thousand fresh maggots ready to fish – chilled and fresh.
SUPREME BAIT the SPIKE
The ultimate bait that fish can’t turn down. This bait lives underwater, takes fish from passive to active feeding and stores for long periods of time on ice. Keep chilled and enjoy a month’s storage! This bait lives undewater for :15 minutes of ultimate fish-catching action. Important to use light leader line and small, sharp, premium hook for better fish-catching! Fish go crazy over this ultimate bait. This is my go-to bait for stocked trout fishing and panfish in all US Waters. I have used this bait in competitions and even in my world record for shore fishing.
Order Live Bait Online – Shipped to You
A great option for ordering your stocked trout bait is Vados Bait Express. I order 2,000 spikes, 250 wax worms and 2 tubs of leaf worms from them and they ship it right to my door. This is the most fresh bait you can get and the highest quality. This is because it is shipped direct and skips a step. Also, Vados has been selling live bait for over 60 years. Note- they ship Monday – Wednesday for the weekend. Bait stores- you can also order bulk bait to stock for your customers through Vados Bait.
The Right Baits for Catching Stocked Trout
2. Choose the right bait: Stocked trout are often accustomed to eating natural foods, so using live grubs (spikes, maggots), insects and small worms can be more effective than artificial baits. These live baits work better because movement on the hook will trigger more strikes from trout. Trout have fantastic eye sight so fresh bait really gets them eating. Make sure to use colors that resemble natural trout foods and fresh bait matters. These fish eat hundreds of insects every day. Trout can see the difference between fake bait and fresh, live bait. Better fresh bait such as spikes, wax worms, leaf worms, small leeches and crickets are superior trout-catching baits. Small crappie minnows are also another excellent choice for rainbow trout fishing.
Stocked Trout Can Stack up in Balls or Schools
3. Location is key: Find out exactly where the trout are stocked in your area. You can find a list of stocked trout fishing lakes in your area. In some states this is very seasonal such as early spring and fall. Look for lakes, ponds, or rivers that have recently been stocked. Trout tend to stay close to where they were released initially. After that initial period, they will patrol the shores looking for food. If you are not catching during the first few days of fishing, the stocked trout could be balled up in one corner of the lake or pond. You might see people packed in tight – this is how you instantly know the trout are in the ball.
Attract Trout With Trout Pellets or Attractant Mix
This can be a frustrating experience with the crowd, but get on the edge of the crowd as the ball will move around. Wait it out – or use trout-calling attractantto draw the ball to you. I developed Fish in a Barrel attractant for stocked trout. This pellet is designed to be tossed in very small amounts to draw in and hold the stocked trout in front of you. The pellet’s properties have scent, sight and sound that increases your trout catch. Another formula mix I use is BOOM Attractant Mix. While my primary attractant is the pellet over the top of my float setup attack, BOOM also works to draw and hold stocked trout. The Panfish mix I developed from competitions and is made with mix and one can of bread crumb. Mix BOOM up with 1/2 can of water and create dime-sized coins. Toss these small coins over the top of your float and turn on the fish! This is great for when the fishing is slow and is designed to literally – turn the bite on.
When using mix – stay STILL. Don’t drift, don’t walk around. Fish one spot hard and feed “little and often”. Small amounts often are the key to turning on fish – especially stocked trout. When you fish the above attractants, you will find the trout are there the NEXT DAY. They hold over the area when they smell this. Several times I fished for 4 hours before the trout showed up. Once they showed up, I caught my limit of trout. In both cases, I also attracted dozens of fishermen on the tough-bite days. When they saw I was catching, they all walked over and crowded my spot. (Check your state regulations and also local water regulations to make certain this is legal). Some states do not allow this such as California and Minnesota.
Timing for Stocked Trout Fishing
4. Timing matters: Trout tend to be most active during lower light times of the day, such as early morning or late afternoon. Plan your fishing trip accordingly to increase your chances of success. Light impacts trout activity. Their superior vision works in low-light situations when they have a great view of the natural foods such as hatching insects and small minnows. The fishing might be dead say early morning as well as early afternoon. The fish might just turn on an hour before dark. They seemed to be on a timer and they are! Stocked trout are fed two times a day. The fish’s clocks are all tuned to two daily bursts in feeding. Early morning and late afternoon are logical choices for you to cash in on the best fishing. There have been times where twilight fishing scored my most and biggest trout. You can change this timing by using some of the feeding attractants. It is possible to take the fish from non-feeding to active feeding (almost a super-power).
Depth and Location is Critical
5. Cast strategically: Trout often gather outside structures like fallen trees, rocks, or deep pools. Cast your line near these areas, as they provide hiding spots and natural feeding grounds for the fish. Stocked trout do patrol and move around. Finding the correct depth is also critical. If fishing with a friend, have one friend set bait depth at 4 foot deep and another person set depth at 8 feet deep on a slip bobber (if your water is that deep). Altering your depths on separate lines will unlock a pattern. Once you catch at one depth – odds are you will find this depth is that of the active fish. If I had to error, I would error up in the water column. Trout are top-column feeders many of the time with hatching insects. The eyes of the trout are up for a reason. When in doubt, fish up. That said, this fish also will patrol the bottom for insects. There are times when that deep rig will also reward you. Float fishing is best, but a bottom weighted rig will score.
Stealth While Fishing & Patience
6. Patience and stealth: Approach the water quietly and avoid making sudden movements. Trout have keen senses and can easily be spooked. Take your time and wait for the fish to bite. Green and brown clothing will aid in hiding your movements. Stay low and still for more fish. Stocked fish are not as shy, but will avoid big movements and bright colors will turn them away. Let the fish focus on just the delicious live bait and put more rainbow trout on your line. My teacher, Mick Thill, would always wear browns and dark green when fishing. Camouflage shirts and natural-colored pants will keep you hidden and were Mick’s favorite. White shirts, bright orange or yellow would really set off Thill and catching fish. Trade your bright clothing in for more natural clothing.
Mick Thill was a float fishing and live bait guru. My teacher and USA Fishing Coach, Mick often wore colors such as this brown shirt and camouflage clothes during competitions. This hat was for post-fishing pictures and would be too bright for him to fish. Brown, green and grey (for rock shores) were Mick’s go-to clothing to hide.
Float Pop to Attract the Trout
7. Vary your retrieve: Experiment with different retrieval techniques to see what works best. Sometimes a slow and steady retrieve is effective, while other times short and quick jerks can entice a strike. With a float, you can present the bait at depth. This is very important for trout. Keeping the bait in their sight path will score. With a float you can do a trout-attracting retrieve. You can float pop a live bait with rod twitches to attract attention. After twitching your rod tip – do let your offering drop in the water column and lie still. Falling bait is the most attractive motion for trout next to rising bait. Literally all of the trout’s food rises from the bottom or falls from the top of the water. They will respond to your float pop twitch and wait fishing.
Leader Line & Sharp Hooks
8. Gear up: Get ready the week prior by tying fresh hook lengths, making sure you have supplies such as small, sharp hooks, quality leader lines in stock. These sharp, small hooks will make your live bait perform better (again fresh, moving bait is important). During the days before I am going stocked trout fishing, I will tie up spare premium hook lengths. I tie on steel hooks which keep my bait moving longer. My favorite fishing hook is the Owner Mosquito Fishing Hook for trout. This hook is chemically sharpened and this results in livelier bait and more hook-ups. The sharp point lands home and hooks up more light-biting fish.
Stocked Trout Fishing is more productive if you use tiny, steel hooks with live bait. Pictured is an average trout caught on a size 14 Owner Mosquito Hook – link is down below.
I use these hooks on premium leader line that is 16″ long. This length keeps the fish from focusing on knots or swivels in the rig and also gives me a longer, slower drop with the hook bait. I also use a premium fluorocarbon fishing line. This line is more clear than water. With trout’s vision, you do not want them to spot your line. If they spot your line, they will swim right around it. All of my big trout are hooked on fluorocarbon leader line with a tiny hook. My absolute favorite hook is the size 14 Mosquito hook by Owner. For panfish, there is no other hook I would fish.
Last But Not Least – Trout Bobbers
I say bobbers, but really a proper bite indicator. Bobbers are just big chunks of material that don’t move. What you want is smaller, delicate floats (these are lighter and more stealth). Floats are only made of balsa wood. No plastic, foam and definitely never have a plastic tube in them. Floats move quickly and RESPOND to any touch by a fish. A properly balanced float will show you the instant the fish takes the hook bait. A float will also not be detected by the fish. This allows the fishermen (you) more time to set the hook.
The bobber people will have to depend on a fish hooking itself. Many fish will take the bait and few will hook themselves. If you use a produce like a plastic slip bobber, a rocket bobber, plastic bobber with air in the middle – these are all too slow and heavy. They will NOT react and you will be losing many fish that eject the bait. These all offer resistance. In nature, there is zero resistance on food fish eat.
The balsa float (especially small for trout), moves when the hook is touched when under a size. Even with the small float size and thin shape, the smallest balsa float will be occasionally ejected on light bite days with trout. The difference is that you SEE IT. On other bobber sizes you see nothing. When I see the float come back up after waiting and trying to count to three, this means a light bite. Trout will often circle back around and go at the bait again. The giant white trout above was caught when I saw my float go under two times and then come back up. This trout released my hook and ejected it twice before finally taking the bait. I could see every hit and release from up above.
Examples of great floats for catching trout are any of these pictured.
BAD – This is often viewed INCORRECTLY as a sensitive bobber. The plastic tube makes this bobber too stable and not a good choice for sensitive bite, light bite situations.
These pencil floats are far superior for bite detection on light bites. Both floats by Gapen Fishing are 10x more sensitive than center tube floats at showing light takes. These are two of my favorite for fishing stocked trout.
Weather Important – Know Your Wind
9. Check the weather: When stocked trout fishing, and any time, check your weather. The app I like is called Fish Weather. You can also use the fish weather site instead of an app. If you have a smart phone, this is a killer outdoors tool for. It is free and will tell you the direction of the wind and the intensity. By viewing this and looking at the lake you are going to fish, you may decide to fish face into the wind. While it may be easier to cast with the wind at your back, the activity at the side of the pond with the wind is often greater. If the wind is intense, you may prepare by bringing longer rods and slightly larger floats. I have caught fish in white caps on a pond only several feet from shore. Conditions might be bad, but at least you will be prepared.
Ok – my favorite baits in order:
1. Spikes (hands down, fresh maggots are #1) ask the trout
2. Wax Worms
3. Red Worms
4. Nightcrawler Chunks
5. Crappie Minnows
6. Small Spinner (first lure)
7. Crickets
8. Jarred Fish Eggs
9. Gapen Redball (artificial egg)
10. Butter Worms
11. Meal Worms
Worst Bait: (only in case none of the above available) Powerbait
Remember, fishing is all about enjoying the experience and being in nature. Even if you don’t catch anything right away, don’t get discouraged. Keep trying, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time catching those stocked trout!
This article was written by a human. Use of content, pictures or text using AI or any other collection method or publication method is strictly prohibited and will result in a fine, compensation up to $2,500 per instance. Use without permission of Johnny Wilkins, Chicago Fishing School or LiveBaitFishingTackle is prohibited. •
Oh no, a fishing gift? It’s that time of year where we are in-between a dock and a hard place. Many are anxious to get ice or are packing their gear up for the cold weather period in the Midwest and Upper sections of the US.
This seems to be shopping season for many as we pack up the gear or dust it off waiting for the hard water season. Those who enjoy ice fishing call it hard water because we can walk on it, pull a sled on it and most importantly find fish on the ice.
If you are shopping for gifts, one fishing gift I find as very useful in all seasons is the portable sonar. The new units by Deeper work so well and are so compact, anyone can add them to their tackle box, backpack or ice fishing gear!
Great Fishing Gift – the Deeper Pro casting sonar (and ice fishing unit) is compact, affordable and 15x less expensive than touted sonar units. Get one for your fishermen!
You can find these on sale this time of year, which is great for ice fishing, Deeper Pro Sonar Unit is one of my favorite fishing gifts. EVERYONE can use this fishing their local pond, fishing on a rental boat or on a fishing vacation from shore! These use your cell phone or a tablet for connection and do a great job of helping us understand what level the fish are on.
Many are posting the advantages of advanced sonar units, but those cost nearly 15 times the cost of these portable units. Most of us fishing are not wealthy enough to drop $2,400 on sonar, but we want the benefits of knowing what the depth the fish are at.
The reason this makes at the best fishing gift is that everyone fishing a Deeper Pro Sonar will have more success. All users will find it easy to use and the information about the water they are fishing to be most helpful. Using this unit, I see on my cell phone the depths the fish are suspended. This information has helped me to get baits right in front of the fish and enabled me to have a ton more success even on very difficult fishing waters and conditions.
For hard water ice fishing, this unit is very cool. It is almost better than some units 4x the price! The transducer doesn’t hang down with a cable! Because the unit is smooth and small, you can fish your line right next to it without tangling. The Deeper Pro simply drops in the hole and once connected to your phone, tells you what depth the fish are at and has an ice fishing flasher unit. This flasher unit is super helpful as it will show you when the fish are coming and show you your tiny lure on the screen.
Deeper Pro has a flasher unit showing your lure on the left and active fish marks on the right (pictured on your phone screen) –
I have fished this side by side and it works great for fishing excursions. The only downside would be all-day fishing where batteries in the cold may be taxed. If you carry a battery pack with you- a quick lunch break plugged in will recharge your Deeper Pro.
In this picture is a side-by-side showing the lake map (where you have been) along with the fish activity (curved shapes) and the lure (zig-zag lines). All of this is saved to help you on your next trip!
Without electronics on ice, you will struggle. Also, ice is not safe for new fishers. You will find hiring a fishing guide in your area will keep you very safe and also will show you ultimate short-cuts to catching fish. Ice fishing can be like a fishing desert. Electronics will save you from some long days.
To hire an ice fishing guide and teacher in Northern Illinois- contact Johnny Wilkins – text 630.235.2162 and secure your bookings early. Ice will soon be safe in Northern Illinois and ready for trips.
Remove Abandoned Fishing Line and easily, quickly dispose of this hazard to wildlife. All you need is a pocket knife.
Use this guide with instructions on disposing of abandoned fishing line. Take action. It only takes half a minute to take this death trap out of the environment. Super, easy and fast solution for anyone.
Remove Abandoned Line – share this guide with anyone who walks, exercises near water, fishes or hikes. Nature lovers, remote control boat clubs all can pitch in and prevent injuries to wildlife.
Watch this video and about the impacts of abandoned fishing line.
imply use a sharp pocket knife to cut the line at your hand opening. If you want to be very thorough, cut this pile of line one more time into tiny 6” segments.
This cut line is now harmless and in fact will be used by birds to make their nests without threat to wildlife. You can scatter the line cuttings, minus any rusty hooks or lures underneath the nearest bush or tree. You can also take this line and put it in the trash. Either way, this will probably find its way into nests.
Long sections of line can become tangled on songbirds. They attempt to use the line and are very attracted to piece of stray, line and twigs of this size for nest building. The long lines are a deathtrap to these birds especially, because the birds become stuck and tangled in the lines. I have seen a bird dangling from the tree by fishing line.
Aquatic birds and reptiles can become tangled also. Removing abandoned fishing line will save your local environment and make our world that much better. If you are a fishermen, keep track of your line, dispose of line immediately in this fashion and be better to the waters you fish!
If we work together to remove abandoned fishing line from local ponds, lakes and rivers, we can literally save lives.
One of the best ways to learn how to catch a fish is by hiring a fishing guide. Catching a fish can be a fun and rewarding activity! You can also learn a lot on our YouTube Fishing Channel Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to catch a fish:
Choose the right fishing spot: Look for a location with good fishing potential, such as rivers, lakes, or ponds. Research the area to see what types of fish are commonly found there.
Get the right fishing equipment: You’ll need a fishing rod, fishing line, hooks, sinkers, and bait. Make sure to choose the appropriate size and strength of the fishing gear based on the type of fish you want to catch.
Learn different fishing techniques: There are various fishing techniques depending on the type of fish and fishing spot. Some common techniques include pole fishing, spin casting, bait casting, trolling, and fly fishing. Research and practice the technique that suits your fishing situation.
Bait your hook: Attach the bait to your hook. Different fish are attracted to different types of bait, so research the preferences of the fish you’re targeting. Common baits include worms, minnows, or artificial lures. Live bait catches the most fish.
Cast your line: Stand at the water’s edge or in a boat and cast your line out into the water. Practice your casting technique to get the distance and accuracy you desire.
Be patient and observant: Fishing requires patience and paying attention to your surroundings. Observation is key in how to catch fish. Watch for signs of fish, such as ripples in the water, birds diving, or fish jumping. Stay quiet and still to avoid scaring away the fish.
Set the hook: When you feel a tug or see your fishing line move, it’s time to set the hook. Quickly jerk your rod upward to embed the hook into the fish’s mouth. Hook set timing is a key in how to catch fish.
Play the fish: Once the fish is hooked, play the fish with the rod -start reeling it in. Keep a steady tension on the line and use the rod to guide the fish towards you. The rod is the best tool in playing the fish. Be careful not to reel too fast or give the fish too much slack. Keeping tension using the rod (not the reel so much) is important in your how to catch fish mission.
Land the fish: Once the fish is close to shore or the boat, carefully lift it out of the water using a net or your hands if it’s safe to do so. Be mindful of any sharp fins or teeth the fish may have.
Release or prepare the fish: If you’re fishing for fun or conservation purposes, gently remove the hook and release the fish back into the water. If you’re fishing for food, prepare the fish for cooking and enjoy a tasty meal!
Remember, the more you practice, the better you’ll become at catching fish. A fishing guide like Johnny will help you have a lot more success with fish. Enjoy the process, stay safe, and have a wonderful time fishing!
Win a Guided TripBOOM Selection of BaitsGapen IM6 Carbon 9′ or 5’5″ Rod ComboGapen Educational BooksGuided Trip for 4 (Northern Illinois – Chicago)
WIN BIG FISHING PRIZES – Like, Share, Follow and Win.
Many ways to get entry points – as seen above. Over $750 in prizes available from www.Gapen.com – www.livebaitfishingtackle.com & www.ChicagoFishingSchool.com – see rules for details. Winner must use the Guided Fishing lesson within 50 miles of Chicago. Winner of rod Combo must either pick this prize up or pay the shipping charge (approximately $18 – via PayPal, Venmo or Square – or cash pickup). Winner of the rod combo may elect for 3rd, 4th, 5th place prizes instead of paying for the shipping of the rod. Prizes after the rod & reel combo will be selected once combo winner makes decision and arranges pickup or shipping (their choice).
Ok – the winners have been selected and drawing video is up next – these are the finalists: These are the 7 finalists: 7 winners have been selected for the prize drawing and several from the YouTube channel are WINNERS. Here are the finalists by random draw: Elain Smith, Arami, Bear_ZR, AJ_S, @MashaLiokumovichRykova & Banana squad – I am going to set the prize up on a wheel and video the spins to see who wins the prizes from 7 to 1 for the grand prize. Drawing winner video will be posted here: Chicago Fishing on YouTube – as always, it pays to subscribe, share, like our fishing content to win some big prizes. Stay TUNED.
Fall Illinois Trout Fishing is coming soon. It’s Time for trout! Go Fish. Thus, it’s time to prepare. Ready your trout fishing tackle. And, get bait. Because it is time for Our 2021 Fall Illinois Trout Fishing Season which opens Saturday, October 16th at more than 50 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state. Which means trout, trout, trout. Catch Rainbow trout.
For those looking to learn to fish – grab a fishing lesson or guided fishing session. I can teach you how to catch a lot of rainbow trout on these Illinois ponds.
Grab a lesson and learn how to attract, detect trout bites and land more rainbow trout with a guided fishing lesson.
Careful. No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from October 1st until the fall trout season opens October 16. Don’t get busted.
Anyone attempting to take trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations. Because, that would be a $125 fine. Per fish, your gear confiscated, so fish safe.
The Illinois catchable trout program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps and the Illinois Fish Management Fund.
Don’t be that guy. All anglers — including those who intend to release fish caught before October 16. Make sure to have a valid fishing license and an Inland Trout Stamp, unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces. The daily catch limit for each angler is five (5) trout – after October 16.
Catch More Trout w/Trout Pellets or Trout Attractant Mix:
There are two products that have been tested on Illinois stocked trout and proven to attract them and get them feeding. Trout Pellets and Trout Attractant Mix – BOOM. The pellets work very well and the BOOM mix will also work. We recommend fishing wax worm or spikes on a #14 Owner Mosquito Hook.
Trout Fishing Tackle Tips
Use 3 lb. Flourocarbon leader and a 4 lb. main line unless you are fishing weedy waters. Use 4 lb. in weeds for your leader. For spinning shore gear and float fishing (our preferred trout fishing method) – use a longer rod like the Gapen 10 10′ Shore and Float Fishing Rod with a large spinning reel like the 4K 4000 series reel. For fishing floats GO SMALL! The Gapen Pencil Float is our favorite and the Bobber Anne a close second. These detect smallest of trout bites and will catch you more fish.
Get a Fishing Stamp and Have a License
You will need an Illinois fishing license. Fishing licenses and Inland Trout Stamps are available at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. Check the IDNR website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx
Grab your trout stamp or fishing license online. Also can be purchased by using a credit card through DNR Direct online via the IDNR website at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr
Not all of the fall trout sites listed below open at 5:00 a.m. on opening day. Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location prior to the season. For more information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout.
Participants in Fall Illinois Trout Fishing Season are reminded to follow current public health directives, including maintaining social distancing guidelines, bringing with them masks in case social distancing cannot be maintained and hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol.
The Forest Preserves of Cook County can stock a bit differently with the Cook County Trout Stocking. Please check the FPCC website for updates closer to October 16, 2021. This is a fluid situation.
If you need great tackle for catching light-biting Fall Illinois Trout – visit LiveBaitFishingTackle.com to pick from their trout fishing floats.
2021 Illinois Fall Trout Locations
(* Denotes Sites Open for Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing Early Season)
North Illinois Trout Fishing Locations
Bureau County: Hennepin Canal Parkway
Cook County: Wolf Lake, William W. Powers State Recreation Area, Chicago
Jo Daviess County: Apple River, Apple River State Park *
Kankakee County: Bird Park Quarry in Kankakee
Kankakee County: Rock Creek at Kankakee River State Park *
Kendall County: Big Lake at Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area
Lake County: Sand Lake at Illinois Beach State Park
LaSalle County: Illinois and Michigan Canal at Lock 14 Pool, LaSalle-Peru
McHenry County: Spring Grove Hatchery Pond
Ogle County: Pine Creek, White Pines Forest State Park *
Rock Island County: Prospect Park, Moline
Warren County: Citizen’s Lake, Monmouth
Whiteside County: Centennial Park Pond, Rock Falls
Will County: Lake Strini, Romeoville
Will County: Van Horn Woods, Plainfield
Winnebago County: Bauman Lake, Cherry Valley
Central Illinois Fishing Locations
Adams County: Siloam Springs State Park Lake *
Cass County: Gridley Lake at Jim Edgar Panther Creek SFWA *
Champaign County: Kaufman Lake, Champaign Park District
Christian County: Manners Park Pond, Taylorville Park District
Clark County: Casey Park Pond, Casey Park District
Coles County: Eastern Illinois University Campus Pond, Charleston
DeWitt County: Weldon Springs State Park Lake
Douglas County: Villa Grove West Lake
Hancock County: Horton Lake, Nauvoo State Park *
Macon County: Rock Springs Pond, Macon County Conservation District
Macoupin County: Beaver Dam Lake, Beaver Dam State Park
McDonough County: Argyle Lake, Argyle Lake State Park
Morgan County: Morgan Lake at Nichols Park, Jacksonville *
Sangamon County: IDOT Lake, Springfield *
Sangamon County: Southwind Park Pond, Springfield
Sangamon County: Washington Park Pond, Springfield
Shelby County: Forest Park Lagoon, Shelbyville
Tazewell County: Mineral Springs Park Lagoon
Vermilion County: Clear Lake, Kickapoo State Recreation Area
South Illinois Trout Fishing Locations
Bond County: Greenville Old City Lake
Crawford County: Crawford County Conservation Area Pond #6
Jefferson County: Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond
Johnson County: Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake
Madison County: Belk Park Pond, Wood River, Edwardsville Park District
Madison County: Highland Old City Lake
Marion County: Boston Pond, Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area
Massac County: Fairgrounds Pond, Fort Massac State Park, Metropolis
Randolph County: Derby Lake, World Shooting and Recreational Complex, Sparta
Randolph County: Randolph County Lake
Saline County: Jones State Lake Pond
St. Clair County: Frank Holten State Recreation Area Main Lake
St. Clair County: Jones Park Lake, East St. Louis
St. Clair County: Willow Lake, Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area* (NOTE: Due to water temperature, stocking will be delayed)
Wabash County: Beall Woods Lake, Beall Woods State Park
Wayne County: Sam Dale State Fish and Wildlife Area Trout Pond
Williamson County: Devil’s Kitchen Lake
Please Make Note: If your favorite spot in Lake, or Cook County is not on this list, please refer to their websites for information. Also note: DuPage County has Cancelled it’s Fall Trout Stocking Program. While their regular fishing is still open – they decided not to stock trout because of larger crowds – who will now crowd together at other sites.
An early opportunity at select trout sites — the Fall Catch-and-Release Fishing Season — will open October 3 at locations marked with an asterisk (*) in the list below.
No trout can be kept during the catch-and-release fishing period, but anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning October 16th. Fall Illinois Trout Fishing Season Begins with Early Catch-and-Release Opportunity Opens October 3 at select sites*
We have the Best Fishing Bait Chicago. Our top 5 list of the best bait and tackle shops will help you get fishing. We have sampled bait from around the area and there are a few stand-out fishing bait stores in the Chicagoland area. Their bait is superior than other outlets for picking up bait and are worth the trip to catch more fish. Healthy, moving bait literally catches more fish. We have done experiments which show the best live baits out-catch artificial baits at 3:1 or greater! We believe your can catch four times the fish using better live bait! It proves out. Changing your hook bait from sad and old to brand new catches fish!
Best Fishing Bait Chicago Number 1: Lee’s Bait & Tackle
The top bait store in the Chicago area is a 2-store chain located in Elk Grove Village and Carol Stream. Also, Lee’s Bait & Tackle takes care of its bait better than any bait shop I have seen. I have been behind the scenes and their bait care & minnow tanks are top notch. Because of this, anglers travel to pick up bags of their minnows and flats of their crawlers because they catch more fish.
Lee’s consistently stocks all varieties of bait that are in season. They are one of the only retailers to carry Spikes (top panfish and trout bait) all season long. Henry’s staff feeds their nightcrawlers until the nigh crawlers are fat like snakes and strong!
You will not have a more lively bait than a Lee’s Nightcrawler! Their store smells the best of any bait store – because it doesn’t smell. Both stores are kept so clean because of the care and work that goes into keeping the minnow tanks clean-filtered and the bait fresh!
Bait for Trips Specialist
Call ahead for speciality baits or for packing baits for a long fishing trip – the owners will have your bait order packed and ready for the trip! Their prices are great also. Line spooling is a key service that they provide. Take advantage, save money on new line (which you should replace every other year). Looking for fishing line? Their stores carry bulk line prices will save you money and your reels will be spooled correctly!
Lee’s Bait & Tackle covers the West and Northwest Chicago Suburbs at two locations! Their store has very nice hours for those that fish (the owners work their tails off and are there most every day early and late)! This is one of the home stores for our fishing guiding. If you wish us to take you out, book a guided fishing session online and we can meet you at the shop! We take customers out, to use the fishing tackle and then help you pick out the perfect gear at the shop.
Best Fishing Tackle – Number 2: LiveBaitFishingTackle.com
First off, we are totally biased. We have the best fish-catching tackle in the USA. The reason, we stock a ton of the best pond and lake fishing tackle, we had to put Live Bait Fishing Tackle at number 2. Secondly, we don’t carry live bait. We have the ultimate selection of live bait fishing hooks, floats, rods and reels based on catching all species of fish. Our shop carries the Gapen float fishing rod, the best shore and float fishing rod available in the US.
In addition, we carry the most sensitive jigging rods available anywhere. The Gapen 6′ jigging rods are the top bite-detecting rod available to sense the structure, feel light bites and catch more fish.
The tackle is mostly based on competition-level fishing and is all field-tested by a 3-time USA Fishing Team World Championships qualifier! With few exceptions, all of the equipment listed is used in guiding and in competitions, fishing at a high level. This gear is hand-selected and even manufactured by the company to help you catch more fish.
Live Bait Tackle Specialists
The best hooks available are in stock along with the largest selection of floats and bobbers in the USA. Add the best live bait fishing tools and terminal tackle and you can’t go wrong shopping at this online store. Added bonus, locals can have their tackle delivered to their door also or pick them up at events.
Lastly, an added bonus is that all this tackle can be shipped to your door. We pick and pack your order saving you a ton of time shopping and driving. The store offers items not found in any retail store around. Shop 24-7 at LiveBaitFishingTackle.com
Number 3 : Fishing Connection
The owner Greg works very hard at keeping an excellent selection of tackle and baits. This is why Fishing Connection is one of the Best Fishing Bait Chicago options. The only weakness is that he doesn’t carry minnows for various reasons including size of shop and neatness.
Steelhead & Muskie Specialist
He has a great selection of Musky baits and Steelhead Salmon flies as he is an avid fishermen with a lot of Steelhead experience.
For bait he carries a lot of live baits and in season can get you most anything. Call ahead for special orders and he will have them ready. Fishing Connection offers reel services and rod repairs, a huge help to fishermen. I like his bulk wax worms. Spikes, you will need to ask him to order a couple weeks in advance. Visiting their stores, you will find them really clean . Both stores have great inventory. We live Fishing Connection best for the South Side angler.
Firstly, Note their hours. Mondays the store closes. Secondly, plan accordingly and visit Greg for your South Side bait and tackle needs. This is one of the home stores for our fishing guiding. If you wish us to take you out, book a guided fishing session online and we can meet you at the shop! We can even help you pick out fishing tackle at these store.
Number 4: Henry’s Chicago – Best Fishing Bait Chicago
Henry’s is located right down the street from Old Comiskey Park in the heart of Sox Country. Easy access off of the highway, it is 3 blocks from the exit and offers long hours early and late for your live bait needs. They are one of the other retailers that carries the widest selection of live bait including spikes. Henry’s is our number 4 Best Fishing Bait Chicago stores.
Call ahead for bait availability. They usually have what you need in stock. Firstly, as for fishing tackle, they stock some of the basics. Henry’s has some rods and reels but are generally in the lower-end for their fishing tackle. Budget tackle is made available because that is mostly what fishermen grab.
Secondly, you won’t find a lot of specialty gear. Henry’s has enough fishing tackle, hooks, terminal tackle and replacement rods and reels for any emergency or last-minute trip. They do a great volume in the bait department and will have very fresh, well-kept live bait including a large assortment of minnows.
Lake Front Specialists
Lake-front and river fishing are their bread-and-butter so the baits you need to fish the lake are all there. Their hours are amazing, and you can call the store if you need anything special. Henry’s offers Line-winding services. Lastly, the owners are great and do a lot for the community. Because they are awesome, do support them if you are looking for fishing bait in Chicago proper! They are the downtown bait shop.
Join us for a Spring Seminar to jumpstart your catching this season. Space is limited. Great opportunity to focus in on catching in Chicago area ponds, forest preserves, lakes and waters.
