Whether you are an avid explorer, or a city goer, you have probably heard of how amazing the pastime of fishing can be. With thousands of different species, fishing is one of the most diverse and popular forms of hunting. In this blog, I will be introducing you to the best way to fish for sport, and you can enjoy the exhilarating rush of having a fish on the line and knowing that they can return to their natural habitat safely afterward.
Even Though there are thousands of different species, one of the most common fish targeted by anglers in the Pacific NorthWest is the Cutthroat trout. Cutties, as most PNW anglers call them, are small trout which inhabit the coastal rivers of the Pacific Northwest. They’re called cutthroat trout because they all have a small red line right beneath the jaw. These fish like to hang out in what PNW anglers call soft water, or holes. These spots of river can be identified with a glassy, slow moving current over a deeper portion of water. These soft water patches are usually located near bends in the riverbed.
(Cutthroat Trout)
Once you have your spot figured out, the next step to finding one of these beauties is to have the right type of equipment. To start, a micro light rod would be the best way to feel for these guys in a river. A micro light rod is usually around seven feet in length and has a 2-6 LB weight limit. These rods are flexible and light, making it easy to feel a bite in a moving river. When it comes to the right reel, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as long as it has working drag, and can hold enough line (30-100ft) any reel should do the trick. The line is the star of the show for this method of fishing. To make sure your line is stealthy enough, use a 6lb monofilament to really be invisible to their eyes, you want your lure to be as natural looking as possible. Speaking of lures, the most success I have had finding cutties has been with a 1/32 oz barbless jig and a micro worm (depicted below). The last thing to make your ultimate cutthroat meeting machine would be a sliding float.
(Barbed jig and micro worm)
Now that you have your gear in order, now comes the best part! To effectively target these little guys, you start by casting upriver at a 45 degree angle from your position. Once your line is fully submerged, and only your bobber is showing you have achieved “the float.” To master float fishing, it is best to let your bobber float down the river until it is at a 45 degree angle downriver. If your bobber stays afloat and doesn’t sink, then cast again! What you’re looking for in a bite is for your float to bounce a few times then sink. Once your float has sunk you will most likely feel a wriggling sensation in your fishing rod. In order to care for these creatures, all you have to do is gently lift your rod, ensuring that the hook has sunk into their lip.
Now that you have a fish on comes the part where care and sustainability come into play. If you’re a sport fisherman like me, ensure you are using a barbless hook, this will make it so that the fish is harmed as little as possible in the greeting process. Once you have gotten the fish within five feet of the bank (and yourself) quickly dip your hands into the river before handling the fish. These small native fish are coated with a thin layer of slime that helps them glide through the water easily. If you handle them with bare hands you can potentially wipe away their slime, which can make the swimming process much more difficult when they are released back into their habitat.
On the other hand, if you are fishing to hunt, there are many ways to use the byproducts of their bodies, without being wasteful. One of my favorite ways to eat trout is blackened. Blackened trout only requires some Cajun seasoning and butter! Once you have fileted the fish, and removed as much meat as you will be enjoying, you can compost the bones in a hot compost system! Fish bones are an amazing way to add phosphorus, calcium, and nitrogen to your composted soil, giving similar effects to bonemeal.
Whichever way you like to enjoy the amazing pastime of fishing, whether it be for sport, or for food, there are many amazing ways to take care of these creatures, as well as use them as sustenance and fertilizer!
