Still Time FOR A Trophy Trout

fish the way I prefer. At times in winter, we must slow down our presentation and this can become a little monotonous; however, targeting big trout in the warmth of May allows us to work the lure more aggressively. There is not much more exciting than a topwater explosion, and spring is one of my favorite times to utilize this tactic for trophy trout. May is also a great time to throw other lures. Traditional slow-sinking and suspending lures also work wonders this time of year.

As most of you know, I am a paddletail fanatic! This month, I’ll give several sizes a shot at getting inhaled by a huge yellow mouth. These large predators will take 3-, 4and 5-inch lures this time of year. As their bodies warm with the water, they become as aggressive as they will be all year, so adding some rattling sound to your tails can really get the fish active.

I seek out areas of grass flats in knee- to waistdeep water. Finding a flat with a drain from a small lake or creek will work wonders for concentrating fish over adjacent shallow grass. A depression along such a flat is another area you should target. When choosing a flat with these criteria, areas of potholes are a plus over a solid grass-filled flat.

I hope these tips help you get your PB trout on your last chance of the year to find one filled with eggs. Take a kid fishing. They like big trout too. And be safe. May is the unofficial start of summer, and inexperienced boaters will be on the water.