Diet of a trout
It will surprise many anglers to read about the wide variety of foods that trout eat. Small stillwaters carry the widest range of aquatic life. There are ten main types of life:
1) Alder Flies
Alder flies are very important all through the season. The large majority of Alder flies are consumed by trout during April.
2) Corixa
The corixa is a small beetle which are generally found around weedy areas.
3)Chironomids
Chironomids or buzzers are probably the most important fly to the fly fisherman. There are over 400 species. The three stages in the lifecycle are:
a) bloodworm
b) pupa
c) buzzer
4) Daphnia - in some waters Daphnia appear in great dense clouds. They are very small and hard to imitate.
5) Mayfly
The Mayfly hatches from mid May through to June. For the first few weeks it is very easy to take numerous trout on Mayfly imitations.
6) Sedge flies
During late Summer, Sedge flies are the trouts favourite food. Large Sedge flies can grow in excess of 2.5 cm.
7) Shrimps
Shrimps are very popular in the trouts diet. They grow to about about 15mm - 18mm in length. Shrimps can be fished all year round.
8) Snails
Trout try to swallow snails whole. A Black and Peacock Spider is a good imitation.
9) Tadpoles
Tadpoles are the early stages of frogs or toads. A black tadpole or wooly bugger works well.
10) Terrestrials
Daddy Long Legs are probably the best known of the terrestrial group.