Some of the best baits for stocked trout in urban ponds include minnows, nightcrawlers, PowerBait, woolly buggers, clouser minnows, Squiggly Worms, spinners, spoons, jerk baits, and jigs. Whether throwing live bait on a spinning rod or breaking out the fly fishing setup, catching urban trout is a test.
Depending on where you live and your available time, long trips to the river in pursuit of wild trout aren’t possible. Many states stock ponds and lakes in urban areas with trout at some point in the year. These waters are often heavily pressured, and finding a consistent bite is challenging.
Live Baits
If you’re new to trout fishing, targeting them on an urban pond with live bait is a great place to start. You’ll learn their picky tendencies and better understand their feeding habits.
I think catching stocked trout in urban ponds is often more challenging than catching wild or native trout in more remote bodies of water. Urban trout are gullible and fall for most baits when first stocked, but most trout that survive the first week without being caught don’t easily fall for the baits you’re throwing.
Minnows
Minnows are almost always the most effective bait for trout in stocked ponds. They’re the most active live bait, give off a scent, and appear as an easy meal for the trout. A trout that sees a minnow or any smaller fish in distress can’t help but make a feast.
Hook a minnow behind the dorsal and let it sit below a bobber. The minnow will swim and move long enough to attract the attention of nearby trout. The minnow’s flash and the water’s movement are exactly what they want to see.
Most trout anglers use shiner and fathead minnows for live bait in urban ponds. They’re natural and stay alive longer than most other minnows.
Worms
Like minnows, worms move and give off a scent that trout love. As long as you keep them suspended above the bottom, they’ll gain the attention of nearby trout. Sitting them below a bobber is a great way to keep them in one place.
A few-inch nightcrawler with a tag end hanging off the hook is my favorite method to rig them. I also like covering as much of the hook as possible with the worm. Any way I can stay more secretive, I will. I don’t want the trout seeing my line or my hook. The bait should remain the main focus.
Change out your worms after 10-15 casts. A lively worm is the most effective.
Flies
Fly fishing urban ponds is how I stay sharp throughout the year. If I can’t escape to the high country, I’ll spend time fishing urban ponds to keep my casting on point.
Plus, I work on my presentation and finesse retrieval skills. I know it takes a multitude of presentations and retrieves to determine exactly what the fish want.
Woolly Bugger
When in doubt, I use a woolly bugger for a search bait. I switch between black, olive, and white depending on the water clarity. A beadhead bugger dragged along the bottom is a crayfish, minnow, and leech representation.
If the trout are in an aggressive feeding mood, they almost always get a strike right away. If not, I check and see if I get any follows on the way back to the shore. I know I’m on the right track if I see anything trailing the lure.
I may switch the size or color of the bugger before I completely abandon it. A size 4 or 6 bugger is one of my favorites. Vary the retrieval speed to see what the trout want.
Clouser Minnow
If I see live bait activity near shore, I like to start with Clouser Minnows. They’re a little larger flies, but you’ll struggle to find a better minnow representation. The weighted eyes help the fly bounce naturally. The trout see the Clouser as a fleeing baitfish.
I’ll start with a size 6 and see if any trout are interested. White, silver, blue, and other flashy colors work best for trout in urban ponds. They want easy and convenient meals, and the Clouser provides them.
Squiggly Worm
Worm representations are another solid search fly. If you have no idea what the trout want, a Squiggly Worm is easy to fish with and looks exactly like the real thing. Throw it near cover or structure and up along the shore. A slow retrieve along the bottom of the lower part of the water column will get strikes.
Don’t overcomplicate things when fishing in urban ponds. Worm and minnow representations work wonders.
Mop Fly
The Mop Fly has long been considered a cheat code in the fly fishing world. It represents everything and nothing all at once. The simple design is as effective as any fly you’ll find. It’s similar to leeches or worms but can pass as a minnow or crayfish if needed.
The material absorbs water and sinks quickly. As soon as it hits the water, be ready for a strike. The trout don’t wait long to take advantage of the appetizing Mop Fly.
Griffith’s Gnat
When urban trout feed on the surface, it’s an invitation to throw dry flies. I like to find small dries that fool the picky trout. A size 18-24 Griffith’s Gnat almost always does the trick. Gnats commonly hatch near urban areas and are small enough to attract even the pickiest trout.
Attach it to size 6x tippet, and you give yourself a chance.
Chubby Chernobyl
Chubby Chernobyls prove their worth if I fish for trout in urban ponds in the late summer. Terrestrials hit the water in the warmest part of the summer, and trout wait for this day.
If the pond has weeds or grasses along the bank, cast the Chubby near them and wait for the fish to strike. They represent grasshoppers, beetles, and ants.
A few twitches on the water’s surface are often all you need. Fishing the Chubbies in the late morning and early evening seems to be the best option.
Prince Nymph
Buggy-looking nymphs work well in urban ponds. A size 10-16 Prince Nymph dragged along the bottom is sometimes what a more hesitant trout wants. They may not want a minnow representation; a giant insect is sometimes more appetizing.
Use a lighter tippet when throwing the Prince Nymph if the trout want to examine it closely.
RS2
RS2s are tiny nymphs that usually sit at the end of a nymph rig. However, in urban ponds, attaching an RS2 to a light tippet and sitting it below an indicator is an excellent setup. Suspend the RS2 a few inches from the bottom and slowly retrieve it.
A size 18-22 RS2 may not seem enough to attract the urban trout, but you’d be surprised at its effectiveness.
Lures
Wherever you’re fishing for trout, lures catch fish. Spinners, spoons, jerk baits, and jigs are the primary four lures you might need. As long as you understand the importance of changing retrieval speed, you can land urban trout.
Spinners
Mepps and Panther Martin work perfectly in urban ponds. The blades spin quickly, and the flash makes the trout go wild. You can retrieve them at various speeds, so test multiple speeds before you commit to one.
Cast near cover and structure, let it sit for a few seconds, and start retrieving. Choose various colors to give yourself a better shot at attracting some of the pickier trout.
Spoons
The trout Kastmaster and smaller Daredevles are the favorites for trout anglers. Other spoons, like the Phoebe, also catch fish. Trout hit spoons as they fall in the water column. As soon as your lure hits the water, wait for a strike.
Like spinners, you’ll want to vary the retrieval speed to better understand what the trout want.
Jerk Baits
I like to use diving jerk baits when fishing in urban ponds. I can throw them in tight areas, let them fall, and use various retrieval methods. Small twitches on these lures get the attention of all the nearby fish.
Small jerk baits like the Rapala X-Rap should be your top choice. They’re only two inches long and don’t feel overwhelming for the resident urban trout. Twitch it in areas or cover and structure.
Jigs
Soft plastics are a final lure you should consider when fishing for trout in urban ponds. Attach them to a jig-head and let them bounce along the bottom as you retrieve them. Trout Magnet and May Bugs from LunkerHunt are my favorite options for urban ponds.
The tails of these move water, and a slow retrieve is easy to maintain.
Other Baits
On top of lures, live bait, and flies, you should consider a few other bait options when fishing for trout in urban ponds. The more options you have, the better.
PowerBait
PowerBait are small nuggets or dough packed into a plastic container. Push a dime-sized section of dough onto the hook, and expose your hook tip.
The scent and color of the PowerBait attract fish from all pond sections. If the right amount of PowerBait is on your hook, you’ll see that it floats just above the bottom. You can fish the PowerBait below a bobber or let it float freely in the pond.
Bread and Corn
Even simple baits like bread and corn attached to hooks catch trout in urban ponds. Cover the hook with either, tie on a bobber, and you’re in for a relaxing day on the water. Both these baits work well and keep everything simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do Trout Eat in Ponds?
Trout eat insects, minnows, crayfish, leeches, and anything that looks appetizing. Most ponds have large populations of insects, so trout feast on those throughout the day.
What is the Number One Trout Bait?
You can’t be natural and live bait for trout. Minnows, worms, and leeches always remain at the top of the list for the best trout baits.
What is the Best Trout Bait for Stocked Trout?
Stocked trout love minnows, worms, and PowerBait. The PowerBait isn’t too different from the pellets they’re used to eating in their hatcheries.
What is the Best Time of Day to Fish for Stocked Trout?
Fish for stocked trout in the early mornings and late evenings. They want to stay hidden for as long as possible.
Conclusion
Stocked urban trout ponds get a bad wrap. Even though they may be overfished and challenging, they put your skills to the test. Plus, they’re great places to learn. Stay equipped with live bait, plenty of flies, and alternate baits like PowerBait and corn when fishing in urban ponds. The more options you have, the more fish you’ll catch.
