Trout Fishing 101 - 3 Things Anyone New to Trout Fishing Must Keep in Mind

I've been fishing for trout for more than 25 years and have learned many tips and tricks that have helped me catch many trophy trout in that time. My fishing mentor, the man who originally taught me how to trout fish, introduced me to many of these concepts and these tips have been very useful to me. In this article, trout fishing 101, I will outline these simple trout fishing concepts so that you can add them to your repertoire and become a much more successful trout angler.

Although trout can be fished for and caught in rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds these concepts are all dedicated to trout fishing in small rivers and streams. The size rivers and streams that can be fished effectively by wading. To me, wading is a big part of catching trout, but these concepts can also be easily modified for other trout fishing scenarios for those who are interested.

In school classes are designated by numbers for degree of difficulty, such as math 101, 201, 301, etc, with the classes becoming more difficult the higher the number. These 3 tips are things anyone new to trout fishing needs to keep in mind. Trout fishing 101, if you will.

1. The Weight Of Your Rod & Reel - Many anglers who are new to fishing tend to use a rod and reel that's entirely too heavy for trout fishing. Light action rods and reels are the largest that should ever be used for trout fishing, with ultra light action rods and reels being ideal for trout fishing in small rivers and streams. Whenever a rod or reel is purchased the 'action' of said rod or reel is always listed. Stick with either 'light action' or ideally 'ultra light action' when purchasing a trout fishing rod or reel. This is the first tip that anyone new to trout fishing needs to keep in mind.
2. The Size & Configuration Of Your Hooks - People who are new to fishing tend to think that a fishing hook is a fishing hook. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This is especially true when fishing for trout in small rivers or streams with bait. When fishing for trout with bait your want the focus of your offering to be the bait not the hook, which means that small hooks are in order. Size 8 to 12 hooks are in order anytime that you fish for trout with bait. Using small hooks means that your hooks need to be configured properly to rig bait effectively, which is where gang hooks come into play. Gang Hooks are simply a pair of small fishing hooks tied in tandem, which enables you to rig bait like worms in an extremely effective manner. The size and configuration of your hooks are very important, especially where bait is concerned.
3. The Weight Of Your Line - Anyone who is new to trout fishing must keep the weight of there line in mind. By 'weight' of line I'm referring specifically to the pound test of the fishing line that's being employed. Throughout the years I've met all too many trout fishermen who are using line for fishing in rivers and streams that's entirely too heavy. I personally use and suggest four pound test monofilament for this type of fishing. Six pound test is passable, but nothing heaver than six pound test should be used for fishing in this manner.

Keep these simple tips in mind and before you know it you will be a 'seasoned' trout angler, and remember there is no substitute for spending time of the water honing your skills. The more time you can spend on the water implementing tips and tricks, the more trout you will catch. There is simply no substitute for practice.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

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How to Trout Fish - The Perfect Rig For Trout Fishing
By Trevor Kugler

There are many anglers that are new to trout fishing or are considering jumping into the trout fishing arena, and simply don't have much good information. In this quick article I will answer the question of how to trout fish by outlining the perfect rig for fishing for trout. I had the good fortune of learning this rig very early on in my tout fishing "career" and it has served me well. Now this rig will do the same for you.

Although this trout fishing rig can be easily modified for trout fishing in lakes, if you want to learn how to trout fish, the rig is best implemented in running water situations like small rivers and streams while you are wading. To truly fish for trout in any meaningful way wading is a necessity in any case.

Another thing to consider about this rig is what kind of trout bait should be rigged on it. In my opinion, live worms are the trout bait that should be rigged on this particular rig. A live worm (or half of a live worm if the worm is really big) rigged on this rig and allowed to flow naturally with the current of a small river or stream is a deadly trout fishing tactic.

The perfect rig for trout fishing is called a gang hook rig and involves three pieces of terminal tackle and of course worms. The terminal tackle that you will need is gang hooks, barrel swivels, and split shot sinkers. The sizes of all three items will vary depending on water depth, current flow, and the size of trout being sought after. Barrel swivels that match the pound test of your fishing line is a good idea and size 8 or 10 gang hooks a great place to start.

The rig starts by taking the end of your line and tying on a barrel swivel. On the opposite end of the swivel, tie on a set of pre-tied gang hooks (your gang hooks should always be pre-tied, because tying them as needed is a complete pain in the butt). Now add a worm to the gang hooks, and again if the worm is large simply pinch it in half. This is the perfect rig for trout fishing. Split shot sinkers are now added depending on current flow and river depth. You want enough weight to get the rig to the bottom and still allow it to flow with the current, rolling along the bottom if you will.

This then is how to trout fish, especially where rivers and streams are concerned. The key is to work the water thoroughly, casting parallel to yourself, closing your bail, and pointing your rod tip at the rig. Let your offering flow with the current until the rig is directly below you. At this point the drift is over, reel in and recast.

This truly is the perfect rig for trout fishing, especially as you learn all the little nuances that are only revealed through experience. Don't worry with experience distinguishing between the bottom and a bite becomes easy. With this information you will never again wonder how to trout fish, you will in fact know.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

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For more than twenty five years I’ve been using ultra light fishing tackle and have learned that fishing with ultralight gear is one of the most enjoyable ways to catch fish. When I use the term ‘tackle’ or ‘gear’ I’m referring specifically to the rod, reel, and line that are employed while fishing. When you downsize your rod, reel, and line, the baits and lures that you use will also become smaller, mostly out of necessity.

Ultra light fishing can be done for type of fish. In my opinion ‘ultra light’ fishing is simply matching your rod reel and line to the size of fish you intend to catch, then as your skills become better, it means catching fish larger than your gear and line would suggest. For example catching five to six pound trout or smallmouth bass while using a four foot ultra light rod and matching reel, spooled with four pound test. The same rule holds true when fishing for ten pound steelhead with a medium action rod and reel, spooled with eight pound test.

Fishing with ultra light tackle makes you become a better angler. It forces you to learn how to “play” your catch, rather than just winching your fish in. I’m not a fly fisherman, but one of the best quotes ever made came from the fly fishing movie A River Runs Through It. In this movie the reverend Mclean is said to have said, “Anyone who does not know how to catch a fish should be able to disgrace that fish by catching it.”

To me this quote sums up ultra light fishing quite nicely. This type of fishing literally forces you to become a better angler and learn “how” to catch fish, rather than relying on some sort of luck from the fishing Gods. The bottom line is that if you use quality rods, reels, and line ultra light fishing will most certainly result in catching more fish. This is one of the keys to ultra light fishing tackle. You always want to purchase quality gear and line.

When fishing with ultra light gear that gear gets put to the test. The drag on your reel, for example, is of the utmost importance. This is why purchasing quality reels such as those made by Pflueger, is so important. How about fishing line? I’ve always been a fan of Stren monofilament, although any name brand manufacturer will work fine. Skimping on the cost of line is never a good idea when it comes to ultra light fishing tackle.

The same rule applies to your fishing rod. In many instances sub par quality ultra light rods have a very “whippy” quality to them. When you hold them in you hand and shake the rod tip, it feels almost as if you’re holding some sort of whip. An ultra light rod should have some ‘backbone’ to it for quality hook sets. Although they are a bit expensive, St. Croix makes great ultra light fishing rods that last a lifetime and perform wonderfully.

The bottom line is that ultra light fishing tackle is the way to go if you want to catch more fish, have more fun, and become a better angler. Give it a try and find out for yourself just how enjoyable fishing with ultra light tackle can be.

River Fishing Tips - Techniques to Make You a Better River Angler
By Trevor Kugler

When you think of the term 'river fishing' what is it that comes to mind for you? For me 'river fishing' means fishing in a river while wading. The best rivers to fish while wading are smaller rivers, rivers that can be crossed in some places and not in others. Many times rivers of this size are considered small rivers. In any case this is the size of river that comes to my mind when I think of the term 'river fishing'.

In this article I'm going to outline a pair of river fishing techniques that will help almost anyone catch more fish while wading and fishing rivers. If you like fishing in rivers a bit larger than mentioned above (from a boat) don't worry these techniques are still effective with some simple modifications. When it comes to river fishing tips, these river fishing tips will certainly make you a more effective angler.

These techniques will work for almost any fish that swims in rivers from trout to smallmouth bass. If you wonder if either of these techniques will work for your favorite species of fish, give them a shot. More than likely, they will.

1. The Jig Technique - The jig technique involves the use of small twister tail or marabou jigs. When I say small, I'm talking about jig heads from 3/16 to 1/4 ounce. If you opt for a twister tail (which is probably the most effective of the 2 jig styles) I suggest Berkley's Gulp Grubs. These grub bodies (twister tails) are impregnated with fish attracting scents and are more effective than traditional soft plastics. The goal is to work your jig with the current, bouncing it along the bottom as it flows naturally with the current. The weight of your jig head will need to be adjusted depending on depth and current flow. Most river anglers think of this technique for smallmouth bass and walleye, but the jig technique works very well for almost all species of trout as well.
2. The Worm Technique - river fishing technique can be used with either live or synthetic worms (such as Berkley Power or Gulp worms). As with the jig technique, the goal is to bounce your offering along the bottom, as it flows naturally with the current of the river. Of these river fishing tips, this is my personal favorite. To rig up for this technique begin by tying a small barrel swivel onto the end of your line. Then tie on a set of gang hooks. Gang hooks are the most effective way to present a worm while fishing. At this point split shot sinkers are added above the barrel swivel for weight. The number and size of split shot will vary depending on water depth and current flow. Again, the goal is to have your worm "roll" along the bottom as it flows with the current of the river.

Both of these river fishing techniques will make you a more successful river angler. The key to both of these river fishing tips is practice. Don't expect to catch a trophy on your first outing, but once the nuances are learned both of these techniques are very effective.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

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How to Fish Rivers - An Effective River Fishing Technique
By Trevor Kugler

In this article I'm going to outline an extremely effective river fishing technique. If you want to know how to fish rivers, or fish rivers more effectively, this article will serve you well. Before I get down to the actual technique, let's discuss the kind of rivers where this technique is most effective.

Although this river fishing technique can be modified for various fishing situations it is best used in small to medium sized rivers. The kind of rivers and streams that you can wade and fish effectively without the help of a drift boat. I like a river that I can work my way up or down, crossing as needed, and fishing where it looks best. Sometimes this sized river can be difficult to find, but nonetheless this is the size river that I'm referring to.

The first thing to consider in regards to this effective river fishing technique is the size of the fishing line that's employed. You always want to use fishing line that's as light as possible. A great tip is to match your line to the size of the fish that could be caught (on the high end of the spectrum). In other words if a 5 pound trout or smallmouth bass is the biggest fish you could expect to hook, 4-6 pound test will suffice. Just for a point of reference I personally use four pound test in 95% of the cases when using this technique.

When it comes to the question of how to fish rivers, this technique will become one of your favorite fishing techniques. You are going to need only 4 other items for this river fishing technique: split shot sinkers, small barrel swivels, gang hooks, and your favorite live bait. Having various sizes of split shot, gang hooks, and barrel swivels is a great idea, but these are the only items that are needed.

Having an effective way to carry your bait while wading is a great idea when river fishing. Being able to have your bait "at your fingertips" at all times is a huge time saver. My favorite live bait is live worms, which I consider integral to this river fishing technique, and the most effective way to carry live worms is a bait bag. This is simply a small pouch that hangs from your fishing vest and carries your bait while river fishing. This way your bait is always "at your fingertips".

To rig up for this technique and begin learning how to truly fish rivers start by taking the end of your line and tying on a small barrel swivel. On the opposite end of the swivel tie on a set of gang hooks. The barrel swivel will prevent line twist as your bait bounces along the bottom. Now add whatever live bait you choose to use (in my case obviously a live worm). Split shot sinkers are now added above the barrel swivel for weight.

The number and size of the split shot will vary depending on current flow and river depth. As I said the goal is to bounce your offering along the bottom as it flows naturally with the current. Getting the right amount of weight will require some trial and error, so don't get discouraged if you get snagged a few times. As my mentor used to say, "If you're not getting snagged you're not fishing in the right place", getting snagged is just part of this very effective river fishing technique.

You now want to cast your line parallel to where you are standing, close your bail, and let your offering drift. The drift is over when your bait is below you, downstream. You'll be able to feel the bottom as your bait bounces along the rocks, and soon will be able to easily distinguish the difference between bottom and a bite. With practice you will start to see the true value of this river fishing technique and you will never again have to wonder how to fish rivers.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

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