Trout Fishing Tips - Bottom Bouncing Rivers

Anyone who is interested in catching trout consistently needs to know about a trout fishing technique that is known as "bottom bouncing rivers" and in this article I will outline how this technique works and how it can help you catch more trout. More than twenty years ago I was taught this technique in Central Pennsylvania by a man who was renowned throughout the area for catching trophy sized trout out of heavily fished rivers using a technique he liked to call "bottom bouncing".

I have been using the technique ever since, honing my skills as the years have passed, and catching trout all throughout the United States. Bottom bouncing rivers has become my "go to" trout fishing technique and I have no doubt that the trout fishing tips contained in this article will help you to become a much more effective trout fisherman.

Let's begin with the type of rivers that are best for this particular trout fishing technique. Small to medium sized rivers are the perfect size for bottom bouncing, the kind of rivers that can be wade fished effectively. Rivers that contain runs, deep pools, many bends and riffles that are shallow enough to wade across safely are normally the type of rivers that I look for when I want to do some bottom bouncing.

The idea behind "bottom bouncing" is to have your bait bounce (or roll) along the bottom of the river as it is carried naturally with the current of said river. In almost all cases the bail on your spinning reel is closed to ensure that your line is completely taught as it flows. This way a when a trout bites your bait it can be easily detected. When you first start using the "bottom bouncing" technique the bottom of the river may feel like a bite, but with practice you quickly learn to distinguish between the bottom and a bite from a hungry trout.

I have always found live bait to be the most effective bait to use when you are bottom bouncing rivers and the most readily available and easy to carry live bait is the live worm. Live worms have long been known as an effective fishing bait and this fact is certainly true when it comes to trout fishing. Rigging a live worm onto a set of gang hooks so that the worm is presented in an outstretched and natural manner, and then "bottom bouncing" that worm along the bottom of a river is one of the best trout fishing tips that you will ever receive.

A key to bottom bouncing rivers is to have patience. Since you are literally letting your bait bounce along the bottom of the river, getting snagged in inevitable. As a matter of fact on some days getting snagged is as common as getting a bite so you have to be prepared for this fact. Once you get the weight right for the current flow and depth of the river that you are fishing, getting "hung up" isn't nearly as common, but getting the perfect amount of weight can only be determined through trial and error. In other words, if getting "snagged" is something that you hate dealing with, this particular trout fishing technique may not be for you.

The bottom line is that when it comes to trout fishing tips, bottom bouncing rivers is a technique that should be added to every serious trout fisherman's repertoire. The technique has helped me catch a ton of trout over the years and I know it will do the same for you.