I think I'm very lucky got it on my first try no bait needed.
To be I had to give it to my museum

I must just be very unlucky. I have tried for a year. Literally the only fish I can’t catch. Innumerable fishing rods and shovels, I’m at 52M bells from selling fish just trying to catch this thing.

I caught mine 1 minute after 5pm so idk if the time is wrong or I just have bad luck

Got one Golden Trout, with bait, on 2nd level cliff river, at ~8:45 PM, while it was raining.

have farmed for 1 hour and caught 2 chars but not one golden trout.

Had a friend fish on my island for 3 hours trying to get the trout. Either this is coincidence or it doesn't spawn on the second level, but the moment I give him some bait and have him fish on the third floor he not only catches one but two in a row.

caught one on nook island, high cliff river, caught way before 4pm so these times are wrong

Literally just got one on a waterfall island Northern hemisphere, no bait. Wasn't even looking for it.

And first try on a high mountain waterfall. What are the odds.

Literally just got one on a waterfall island Northern hemisphere, no bait. Wasn't even looking for it.

I have used over 100 bait. Got 2 stringfish and many cherry salmon in the pond on my island's 2nd cliff...still no golden trout my game hates me or I'm doing something wrong? What's the shadow size? Same as cherry or as big as black b***?

Can confirm on nothern hemisphere - just caught one from the upper tier lake area on bait. March 24th.

yes you can catch it in the northern hemisphere

caught mine 24th march at 5:55pm

can someone else confirm its Northern Hemisphere availability, this has been the hardest fish for me so far and im having doubts