Trout fishing has become a very popular sport today, with anglers from all walks of life participating. We love trout fishing, and even though there is a lot of snobbery and elitism in the trout fishing community, we still consider angling for trout to be a form of roughfishing. The reason for this is that fishing trout in streams is a very intimate style of fishing which fosters a close connection with the natural world. In no other style of fishing has the study of our prey and their habits been so rigorously applied. That trout can be selective in what they will take is obvious; what is not obvious is that there are a great many other fish which are likewise extremely selective. The tactics for fooling trout, which involve being a quiet, patient student of nature, can and should be applied to all fishing situations. In other words, becoming a good trouter will make you a better fisherman in general. When the walleyes and carp are eating the emergent cripples of the Hexegenia mayfly, it is not the leech-dragger nor the corn-soaker who triumphs. Their tactics simply will not work. To the experienced trouter, such situations are child's play. A good fisherman, well-schooled in the art of using and imitating the natural forage, can take fish at all times, in all places, if only he has the intelligence and skill to crack the code. This is not to say that trout are smarter or more challenging than other fish - on the contrary, they are actually easier than most of the fish we pursue. But trout have been pursued by experts for so many hundreds of years that a solution to every problem already exists. All you have to do is find out what the proper pattern and presentation are, and you will have success.

The Coldwater Stream Ecosystem

Coldwater Streams, the natural habitat of trout, are characterized by their cold water. Usually fed, at least partially, by icy underground springs, they remain cool year-round and thus provide a more stable habitat for animals and plants that live there. Since cold water is able to hold more oxygen, coldwater streams also are characterized by high oxygen levels. Since quickly flowing water warms slower than a still pool, most coldwater streams have a fairly high gradient which keeps them flowing fairly fast. Good trout streams also tend to be more fertile, meaning they produce more plant and animal life than infertile streams. One contributing factor to a stream's fertility is the bedrock through which it flows. Streams that flow through limestone, dolomite, or chalk pick up calcium from the rock and become both hard and alkaline. The calcium is a necessary element for the creation of insect and crustacean exoskeletons and snail shells, so the more calcium there is in the water, the more insects are able to grow there. Plant life is also very important, since aquatic vegetation and algae provide food for many species of insects and crustaceans. Heavily shaded streams tend not to have as much plant life, although they stay cooler in general than those in the open sun. Most trout streams follow a simple pattern: the headwaters are coolest and least fertile. As you go downstream, there is a gradual transition into a warmwater stream where trout cannot survive. The lower parts of the stream show many characteristics of a warmwater stream, including sand, silt, warmer water, and a rich diversity of minnow and sucker species. These areas may support few trout, but those that are there grow large on a diet composed mainly of large items, like chubs, suckers, and crayfish. In between these two extremes is the standard trout stream: cool water, somewhat fertile, a smattering of suckers, minnows, darters, and sculpins, some crustaceans like crayfish and scuds, prolific insect populations, a fairly high gradient, and occasional dense mats of aquatic vegetation. Of course, this is the ideal scenario, and trout are highly adaptable creatures within the narrow boundaries of their temperature and oxygen requirements. Even in streams where temperature and oxygen parameters shift outside their tolerance range, trout are often able to survive by finding areas of cooler water in the stream. In the Midwest, we are fortunate to have a wealth of good trout water. Many are classic "spring creeks" which are fed almost entirely by underground springs and thus have a stable, cool temperature range. They also flow mainly through dolomite and limestone, so their fertility is high. These ecosystems are amazing places, full of an incredibly diverse host of animal and plant species. There's a little bit of ecologist in every trout fisherman, so here are some key aquatic species to look for when exploring a coldwater stream:

Darters
The darters are a large group of small, spiny-finned fishes that belong to the perch family. Darter males are often brightly colored. Females are more drab. They like to live in riffles, and when walking through a riffle, they can often be seen darting away from your feet. Darters feed mainly on tiny insect larvae, although some also feed on snails. Larger trout feed on darters whenever they are available. Some common darters to look for are the Rainbow Darter, the Fantail Darter, the Logperch, and the Johnny Darter.

Sculpins
Sculpins are a unique family of fishes characterized by their large, bumpy heads and wide mouths. In a trout stream, sculpins tend to inhabit the same kinds of areas as darters, although the two are seldom found in very close proximity. Sculpins are also prime trout food, and a number of complex fly patterns have been developed to imitate them. There are two types of sculpins in our streams (The Mottled Sculpin and the Slimy Sculpin) but they are almost indistinguishable.

Dace
Dace belong to the minnow family, and tend to be adapted for swifter and colder water than other minnows. Some dace, especially when young, tend to form schools. The longnose and blacknose dace are probably the most common, although there are dozens of species to look for. Dace feed on small insects and crustaceans, and trout feed on the dace in turn.

Suckers
Suckers are native, bottom feeding fishes. The most common, the White Sucker, is found almost everywhere. In trout streams, suckers are usually found in the lower regions of the stream where the water is warmer. Suckers grow large quickly, and are prolific. Trout gorge themselves on young suckers, so a good sucker population means large trout are probably present. Other species of suckers that may occasionally be found in coldwater streams include the river carpsucker, the black redhorse, and the northern hog sucker.

Chubs
Chubs are midwater and surface-feeding fishes. ALthough most chub species are small, some varieties may approach a foot in length. Chubs make great trout food, and eat many of the same foods.

Crustaceans
There are two main types of crustaceans found in coldwater ecosystems: the crayfishes and the scuds. Crayfish are large crustaceans with pincers. Crayfish inhabit rocky rubble, often hiding beneath rocks by day and coming out to forage by night. Trout relish crayfish, and many large night-feeding browns key in on this high-protein food source. Scuds are small, swimming crustaceans that seldom reach a centimeter long. They live mainly in aquatic vegetation, and feed on algae and detritus. In some streams, scuds are extremely abundant and form an important food source for everything in the stream.

Lampreys
Lampreys are found in many trout streams. Most of them feed on algae, but a few are parasitic. Lamprey larvae, called ammocetes, burrow in silt and feed on detritus.

Insects
Coldwater ecosystems support a vast variety of insects. They will be covered extensively in the forage section. The main groups are the caddisflies, the mayflies, the stoneflies, the midges, and the crane flies. Many of the coldwater insects live in the stream only as juveniles, then "emerge" or "hatch" into winged adults. Some adults live less than a day. Insects are undoubtedly the most important source of food for stream trout.

Plants
Plants of many sorts thrive in coldwater streams. Slow, warmer sections may support such varieties as coontail and vallisneria. Cooler and more rapid stream sections may support water cress.

Algae
Dense mats of green algae are common on trout streams. Many species of insects feed on this rich food source.

Mollusks
Snails and clams may occasionally be found in coldwater streams. While trout are known to feed on snails when little else is available, this is by no means common. Other trout foods, such as suckers, chubs, darters, and dace, may feed heavily on snails. Clams are not common in coldwater streams, and those that are found there are generally small.

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