re: Non-fly fishing, best bait and tackle for trout

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Another note about this term. I've never seen the language "fly fishing only" but it's usual worded as "single hook artificial". Although it is intended to mean fly fishing only, you could legally use a spinning reel with any single hook artificial lure. However, you will get many dirty looks, calls will be made to the warden, the warden will find you, search your tackle box, lunch box, pockets, rectum, and walk you back to your vehicle to search that too. No, they don't need warrants. If you go to a "single hook artificial" section with a spinning reel, be prepared to be treated like a murder suspect.

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This is SOLID information. Especially in western trout waters. There are areas which are specifically fly fishing only. If it is an artificial only area it is open to any artificial lure....stuff like power bait is not considered artificial.

Just because its legal does not mean folks appreciate you doing it...in fact, the more "famous" the area is the more they will not appreciate it. The guides will flat out lie and get belligerent about it and for good reason...it allows people from out of the area to fish and catch fish that the guide considers their own. I have had them tell me I was breaking the law and when I pointed to the sign clearly stating I was not they would claim the sign was old or simply wrong. It doesn't pay to argue with these people...they will drift downstream directly and you can proceed as you please. The game warden is going to show up directly but I have never had them be overly aggressive, in fact that they usually think its pretty funny that people think its fly fishing only and will usually tell you of other places that are also open to spinner fishing.

Colorado, in my experience, and especially 2 hours any distance from Denver...is the worst. Even the game wardens will claim that the sign is outdated or simply wrong. In that case obviously the man on the scene is the final authority. They may be wrong but that's a debate for a later time. I try to avoid all things Colorado in general and Denver in particular anyway so its no big deal. And the fishing ain't all that no how....New Mexico is the best because the locals bait fish a LOT in New Mexico and even the purist of the pure are accustomed to such degenerate behavior. The rest of the area fall somewhere between grudging acceptance and militant resistance to the idea of using a spinning rod to catch trout. To me it is part of the "mystic" of trout fishing.....