When it comes to catching stocked trout in rivers and lakes, the best bait to use is whole kernel sweetcorn from the can.
Since trout cannot fully digest the corn, it is always recommended to cook the canned corn prior to using it as bait, as this will soften up the kernels, making them easier to digest.
Stocked trout simply love corn as bait because they were raised on pellets that are very similar in size and shape to the average kernel of corn.
Do Trout Eat Corn?
With so many different baits to choose from, it’s a mystery why more anglers don’t use corn on a regular basis. Trout love the taste of whole kernel sweetcorn, especially those who were raised in hatcheries.
While just about any type of corn will do, sweetcorn offers the best chances of a strike. Not only are the kernels a bright yellow color that attracts the trout, but the flavor and aroma of sweetcorn disburse well within the water.
Corn is a very versatile bait for catching trout and is also extremely affordable as it can be found at any local supermarket.
Do Trout Like Corn?
Wild trout are accustomed to eating insects and smaller fish. Therefore are not particularly attracted to corn.
Stocked trout, on the other hand, was raised in hatcheries and fed pellets that are very similar in size and shape to canned sweetcorn. To the fish, the sweetcorn even tastes very similar to the pellets.
When you use whole kernel sweetcorn from the can as bait, the flavor quickly disburses in the water and begins to attract stocked trout in no time.
Although it is possible for a wild trout to mistake corn for fish eggs, anglers are more likely to catch stocked trout.
Why Do Trout Like Corn?
The vast majority of trout in the lakes and rivers around the country come from hatcheries. Those who were born and raised in hatcheries were fed a steady supply of pellets that were made from a wide variety of grains, which mostly consisted of corn.
To a stock trout, whole kernel corn looks almost identical to pellets, which makes it a popular choice for baiting.
Not only is whole kernel corn readily available in every supermarket, but it is very cheap and versatile.
Does Corn Kill Trout?
Many anglers wonder whether corn will actually kill a trout and are often surprised to find out that there has been very little evidence to show that whole kernel corn can increase the mortality rate of fish.
Over the years, several studies have been conducted with trout and corn, and it was found that, like humans, the corn was not fully digested, but it did not cause any noticeable effects.
It was determined that there are no short-term health-related hazards for trout who are caught and released using whole kernel corn.
Can Trout Digest Corn?
Just like humans, trout are not able to fully digest whole kernel corn.
While the internal fruit of the corner kernel is generally digested as it passes through the digestive system, the kernels themselves are not. As a result, when trout consume corn, it will pass through their digestive system without any known harmful consequences.
In order to make it much easier for a trout to swallow, it is often suggested to cook the corn first in order to make it softer.
Can You Catch Trout on Sweet Corn?
Although there are a number of different types of corn that can be used to catch trout, nothing is better as bait than canned sweet corn.
You can find canned sweet corn at just about any local market or store, and it is some of the most affordable bait available on the market today. While regular corn can be used, the scent of the sweet corn disburses well throughout the water and is better at attracting stocked trout than other forms.
If you are planning on going fishing for trout this summer, then take some time to stock up with a few extra cans of sweetcorn the next time you are at the grocery store.
Will Wild Trout Eat Corn?
Although stocked trout will happily snag up corn that it finds floating in the water simply because it resembles the pellets they were raised on, wild trout do not.
Although occasionally it is possible to catch wild trout using corn, this is usually a result of mistaken identity, wild trout may have mistaken the kernel for a small invertebrate or even another fish egg. As a result, it can be extremely difficult to catch wild trout when using corn as a bait, as wild trout very rarely feed on pellets.
Wild trout prefer eating live insects and small fish.
Can You Chum Water with Corn?
There are a few states which allow anglers to chum using corn, but the vast majority of states do not allow this fishing technique.
In the states that do allow you to chum with corn, it is still frowned upon simply because it litters the water with kernels that can take months to decompose fully.
Except for the state of Rhode Island, most states allow the use of corn as long as it is baited on a hook, but states like California and Colorado explicitly prohibit anglers from chumming with corn.
Is Fishing with Corn Illegal?
In most states, fishing with corn is completely legal, so long as the corn is properly baited on a hook. While most states have no qualms about fishing with corn, the vast majority of states explicitly prohibit the use of corn to chum.
It is important to remember that each state has its own different laws which regulate the type of bait that is allowed to be used when fishing for trout. It is therefore the responsibility of every angler to read and understand these rules and to follow them whenever they are out on the river.
When in doubt, it is always best to reach out to the local Department of Natural Resources field office.