Effective Rainbow Trout Techniques

In this post I'm going to outline a couple of very effective rainbow trout techniques. Rainbow trout are sought after by many anglers, yet for many people they can be difficult to catch. The techniques outlined in this post are very effective and have been working for me personally for more that 25 years. These techniques can be easily modified as well and used effectively for many species of fish.

The first thing to keep in mind in regards to fishing for rainbow trout is that trout are found in cold, clear water and have very keen eyesight. A big mistake that many anglers make is to use fishing line that's much too heavy when fishing for trout. Line heavier than six-pound test should be avoided. My personal preference is four-pound test, but six pound test is passable. Six-pound test is the heaviest line that should be used when fishing for rainbow trout (especially in river and stream situations). Many anglers use line that's much heavier than this and it's a big mistake.

Now for the techniques. The first effective rainbow trout technique is for use in the flowing waters of both rivers and streams. To effectively employ this technique, you will be wading in your favorite trout river. Begin by grabbing the line coming from your rod and tying on a small barrel swivel (size 10 or 12). On the other end of the barrel swivel, tie on a set of pre-tied gang hooks (match the size to the line that you're using). Split shot sinkers are now added for weight (the size and number will vary depending on water conditions). The goal is to have you offering "roll" or "bounce" along the bottom as it flows naturally with the current. A worm (either live or synthetic) is now added to the pre-tied gang hooks. This is the rig.

This baited trout rig is now cast into the current and allowed to flow naturally downstream. Once the rig is directly below you, the drift is over and it's time to reel in and re-cast. This trout technique is extremely effective and with practice you'll easily be able to distinguish between bottom and bites.

The next effective rainbow trout technique is for fishing from the shore, sometimes called still fishing. Rather than worms, you will use synthetic trout bait (the kind that comes in little jars) for bait. Begin by taking the end of your line and slipping on an egg sinker. Now tie on a barrel swivel, which will act as a "stopper" for the egg sinker. Again, a set of pre-tied gang hooksshould be tied on the opposite end of the barrel swivel. Now, trout bait is added to each of the hooks on the set of gang hooks. You want to add enough bait to completely cover each hook (so that no metal is showing). When you're done, you'll have two balls of trout bait hanging from the end of your line.

This rig is now cast into the lake and allowed to sink to the bottom (leave you bail open and watch your line to know when it hits bottom). As you can probably imagine, the trout bait will now be floating off of the bottom as your sinker holds your line on the bottom. At this point prop your rod against a stationary object and slowly reel in the slack line. You want your line to be completely taught. Now it's time to wait for a bite. Your rod tip will start bouncing when a trout bites.

Both of these rainbow trout techniques are effective and will result in trout being caught. How am I so sure of this fact? Because I've been using these techniques to catch rainbows for many years, and if they work for me they will work for anyone. Remember, the best "technique" in the world does little good for someone who isn't willing to invest the time necessary to learn the nuances of said technique.

Rainbow tout can be a very "finicky" fish, and the better you become at the little things, the more success you will have. This is especially true with larger, more experienced fish. Sure the trout that have just come from the hatchery are easy to fool, but "native" fish are a bit more of a challenge.