Puddingstone Lake felt just right for trout fishing today, with cool air and partly cloudy skies keeping the trout active and near the surface. I got there early, hoping to grab a quiet spot along the shore before the lake got busy. The calm morning and steady breeze hinted it would be a decent day for some trout action.
Starting with a light spinner, I cast out near a patch of submerged rocks where trout like to hide. Within a few minutes, I felt the first tug—a small rainbow, around 9 inches, giving a quick fight. Not a big one, but a great way to start the day. I sent it back, hoping for a few more bites.
As the morning moved on, I switched over to a basic worm setup, casting into a shadier area under some trees. Puddingstone Lake has a few deeper pockets where the water stays cooler, and I figured the trout would be lurking there. Sure enough, after a few casts, I hooked another one. This rainbow was around 11 inches and put up a good fight. Puddingstone’s trout aren’t known for size, but they’ve got plenty of energy.
The morning bites kept coming but slowed down a bit as the sun started breaking through the clouds. I moved to a different area where the lake gets a bit shallower and tried a small spoon lure in a bright color. This worked well, and I managed to pull in another trout, just over 10 inches. The fish weren’t big, but steady action kept things interesting, and I was hopeful for one of those bigger ones I’d heard about.
Then came the highlight of the day. Near a little cove, I cast my line with a slight jig, hoping to change things up. A few seconds in, I felt a strong pull. This one was heavier, putting up a solid fight that had me adjusting my reel tension to keep it steady. After a careful reel-in, I pulled in a beautiful 14-incher. That’s about as big as they get around here, so it was a great catch and a lucky one for sure. After a quick look and a picture, I let it go back.
The afternoon arrived, and the bites started to fade. That’s usually the case as the sun gets higher. I stuck around a little longer, trying different lures and techniques but only managed one more trout, around 9 inches. Other anglers around were packing up too, as it seemed like the trout were done for the day.
All in all, I landed five trout, hitting the daily limit. They ranged from small to a decent 14 inches, giving a good variety to the day. Puddingstone Lake proved to be a solid spot with enough action to keep it interesting, even if you don’t get a big haul every time. It’s a reliable lake with scenic views, and if you’re patient, there’s a chance to pull in something special.
