Will Trout Eat Hot Dogs? A Guide to Trout Fishing with Hot Dogs

Trout have a very diverse diet. They will eat almost everything from small baitfish like minnows and shads to insects and crustaceans.

That’s why anglers can use various kinds of bait to trigger them to bite, including food such as cheese, garlic, corn, and even hot dogs.

So, will trout eat hot dogs? Trout will eat hot dogs. Although they usually prefer live bait, they will eat alternatives such as hot dogs if they’re hungry enough. That’s because trout rely on their sense of smell when they feed and hot dogs can disperse a strong scent that makes them highly attractive.

Continue reading to learn more about what makes hot dogs good as trout bait and how to use hot dogs to catch trout.

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Are Hot Dogs Good Trout Bait?

hot dog on hook to show why will trout eat hot dogs

Hot dogs are good trout bait for various reasons. Let’s take a look at some of those reasons:

They’re cheap and easy to acquire as they can be found in any supermarket.
They’re very easy to rig on a hook if you’re a beginner.
They’re meaty so it will be easy for trout to bite on them and they can be cut to fit into the trout’s mouth with no trouble
They come in a variety of flavors and sizes, so you can experiment with different kinds and use the one that’s most suitable for your fishing technique.

Trout is usually difficult to catch, so testing out Hot dogs could be your gate to making it much easier. Let’s see how you can effectively use Hot Dogs for Trout Fishing.

By the way, I also have a guide on using Hot Dogs for Bass fishing here, make sure to check this one out as well.

How to Use Hot Dogs for Trout Fishing?

To effectively use hot dogs for trout fishing, you need to learn how to properly rig them on a hook.

It’s very important to make sure the hot dog piece will not fall off the hook when you cast it as this will lower your chances of landing trout.

How you rig your bait mainly depends on the depth you’ll be targeting trout at.

You can rig the hot dog bait with a split shot weight so it will sink deeper to catch trout at the bottom or you can rig it with a bobber so it will float to catch trout closer to the surface.

Here are the steps you need to follow to properly rig hot dog bait:

Cut the hot dog into pieces. The pieces need to be big enough to fit on the hook but small enough to fit into the trout’s mouth.
Run a needle through the middle of the cut hot dog piece length wise.
Attach the end of your hook to the bait needle and pass it through the hot dog. It’s recommended to use hook sizes between 10 and 14.
Push your hook carefully into the hot dog piece all the way up to the bend of the hook.
You can attach your bobber at about 1 foot from the baited hook if you’re targeting trout on the surface. You can also attach your split shot weight at about 18 inches to sink the bait if you’re targeting trout at the bottom.

Pro Tips for Catching Fish with Hot Dogs

Here are some tips you can follow to catch more fish when using hot dogs as bait:

Use cheaper hot dogs

You don’t need to pick up high-quality brand hot dogs for the purpose of using them as fish bait.

Cheaper brands of hot dogs tend to have a stronger scent and flavor which will be more effective in attracting more fish.

Cut the hot dogs into pieces

It’s highly inconvenient to use a whole dog as bait to catch one fish even if you’re targeting larger fish species like pike or carp.

So, you need to cut the hot dogs into chunks the size of the first knuckle on your thumb. This way you’ll be able to fit the hot dog bait on your hook and the fish will have no trouble biting on it.

Add more flavor

Adding flavor such as garlic powder will enhance the scent of plain hot dogs which will effectively grab the fish’s attention.

You can easily add flavor by mixing the hot dogs with powdered garlic in a plastic container then leave them to marinate overnight.

Avoid fishing in strong currents

Hot dogs are not as sturdy as other kinds of bait so they might not hold up well against strong currents. So, it’s best to use hot dog baits in slower currents or you’ll risk losing your catch.

Cast your bait more gently

Even if you’re fishing in slow current, you need to make sure you’re not casting your bait too forcefully or it might come off the hook.

What Is the Best Trout Fishing Gear?

The best trout fishing gear includes light fishing rods with medium-heavy power and fast action. The recommended length is 6 to 7 feet.

For the fishing reel, it’s recommended to use a spinning reel and as for the fishing line, you can either use a monofilament line with a 6 to 10-pound line test or a heavier braid line with a 4 to 6-pound line test to withstand the trout’s heavy attacks.

It’s also highly recommended to attach a fluorocarbon leader to prevent the trout bite through your mainline.

For a complete list of the best trout fishing gear, make sure to check out the recommendations section at the end of the article.