This is more of an aside article rather than some trout fishing tips, but I find it interesting to know about all the different trout species there are.
The two species most people are familiar with are the rainbow trout and brown trout. In Britain the native trout that occur naturally in rivers and lakes. Their colour ranges depending on the environment they live in and can range in colour from brown to almost black.
Usually brown trout in rivers will be small in size due to the large amount of energy they use just to swim against the current. Brown trout holding in rivers will usually occupy certain areas where the food occurs naturally in the water for example under trees and clumps of weeds. However in lakes there are fewer areas where food accumulates naturally and so the trout will have to travel more widely.
Sea trout are brown trout that have chosen to leave their river and have gone out to sea. They will be bright silver in colour and return to the river to breed. At sea the trout can have a very rich diet, feeding off small fish, herring and eels. Due to this rich diet the trout can gain size rapidly and can reach quite big sizes. One interesting fact is that the sea trout commonly returns to the same river it was born in.
Finally there is the rainbow trout which is the most common trout to be stocked at commercial fisheries. These fish have been raised in artificial conditions being feed pellets. They will be held until they are of suitable size to be sold to the fisheries for fisherman to catch. Usually this size is between 1.5 and 5 lbs. Rainbow trout are unlike others in the fact that they will not stay in the one place for food. They will travel long distances searching for food.
Congratulations, you’ve managed to cast out your fly and have tricked a trout into taking your fly. One of my top trout fishing tips: You should be watching the water at all times for sudden swirls or a flash of silver. You should particularly watch your line since if you can see it suddenly going straight you’ve got a bite. If you wait until this movement reaches your rod tip, that short span of time could be the difference that is needed for that fish to escape.
I remember my first bite when I just a beginner. I was shocked by how violently the fish took the line and started to pull at my rod. The most important step is to quickly and strongly lift the rod up so the rod is at about 11 o’clock on a clock face. This will set the hook in the fish’s mouth. So your fish is hooked now what? You should try to keep the rod up throughout the whole fight since this will keep tension in the line and so tension on the hook.
If the fish is on a ‘run’ where it is constantly taking line just let it do so! If you try to stop it there is a good chance you will snap your line. The clutch on your reel should be exerting some pressure on the fish to slow it down and tire it out.
When the fish has stopped running draw some of the line back to keep the pressure up. If the fish starts to dart of in one direction you can control it by moving the rod in the opposite direction. Place your net in the water with the handle near to you. As you guide the fish to the net crouch down so it cannot see and so the fish doesn’t panic. When unhooking the fish wet your hands since your dry fingers can take the protective layer of mucus off the fish’s skin. If you are going to kill the fish do it quickly. You should have an item called a ‘priest’ to dispatch the fish. Hit it hard and quickly over head in between its eyes. You can check that the fish is dispatched since its gills should not be moving.
Here are some interesting links to other trout fishing articles:
Although clothing may seem relatively trivial it is something you need to bear in mind when you fishing! In this article some of my trout fishing tips will concern your safety when fishing while others will make your fishing much more enjoyable.
When fly fishing I find it is very helpful to travel light. Therefore I only carry my fishing bag, rod and net. In my fishing bag I will have a box of flies, sinkant, fly lines and fluorocarbon line. Sometimes I take a camera for records some of good catches.
This relatively light (compared to some coarse fisherman!) setup allows to me cover the whole lake quickly and allows to me change the location I’m fishing quickly as well.
In terms of clothing the two most important pieces of clothing for a fly fisherman are a hat and glasses. The hat should have a rim on it – this is very important to protect your face from casting, especially on windy days. Similarly glasses also play a role in protecting your eyes, but if you have polarised glasses they can also help you to spot the fish. Polarised glasses reduce the glare from the water allowing you to see into it more easily.
Furthermore foot ware is also important when fishing. You want it to be reasonably comfortable since you will be on your feet for long periods of time. However it should also be waterproof for obvious reasons! If you local fishery is quite muddy you may wear wellingtons. I recommend wearing some thick socks which make them much more comfortable.
The key to keeping warm outside is wearing layers of clothes. The combination of a thicker coverage of clothing and the insulation quality of the air in between the clothes will allow you to stay warm. In the winter I recommend wearing at least 3 layers on your torso. You can buy special ‘thermal underwear’ which will cover your legs.
Finally I would like to cover the topic of camouflage clothing. While I think it will make a difference if you wear a bright red jacket and green one, the difference between a green jacket and a camouflage one will be very very minimal. Also the added expensive of buying camouflage clothing I do not recommend it.
If you’re a beginner to trout fishing it can be daunting task learning the hundreds of elements of fishing. In this article I will guide you through the basic trout fishing tips you need to land your first trout.
Firstly identify a stocked lake nearby where you live preferably small in size. When you go for our first visit it is always a good idea to talk to the manager/bailiff of the fishery to ask how it is fishing. Remember they will know their fishery the best and will point in you the right direction on what flies/bait have been successful in the past few weeks and well as what location of the lake to fish.
Before you even start fishing take a minute to look at the water. Is it of good clarity? If not perhaps you should try a brightly coloured fly if you are fly fishing. Are there any fish moving on the surface? Then use a floating line! All of these hints can help you decide which tactics you are going to try on your fishing out.
Another trout fishing tip I recommend is that when getting set up for fishing it is always a good idea to do this well away from the water. If you drop something or are chatting with friends this will not spook the fish. Remember to wet your knots before you tighten them. This will reduce the friction when it is tightened and so reduce the damage to the line making it stronger.
So you’re finally ready to start fishing! If you are fly fishing do not worry about casting too far. Surprisingly the fish do come quite near the side where small fish and insects can hind in the bushes.
If you have no success with a specific technique after about 30 minutes I would move on to another approach. This could be changing the fly colour, or to another fly all together. Looking at the water there may be some surface activity in which case you could try a floating line.
I wish you all the best in your trout fishing, and tight lines!
