How to Rig a Trout Line: 3 Rules That Must Be Adhered to When Rigging a Trout Line

For anyone interested in how to rig a trout line, this post is for you. I have been fishing for trout for more than twenty years and have literally rigged thousands of trout lines in that time. In the process of doing this I have learned that there are things that you should do and things that you shouldn't do when you rig a trout line for trout fishing. In this article I will outline the 3 rules that must be adhered to when rigging a trout line.

Now, rigging a line to catch trout certainly couldn't be compared to rocket science or quantum physics, but there steps that can be taken that will not only make your day fishing much less stressful, it will enable you to catch more fish as well. It's important to point out that no matter how you choose rig your line for trout, one thing needs to be true and that one thing is that you need to be utilizing lightweight fishing line. Many anglers who head out in search of trout tend to use fishing line that's entirely too heavy, and this is a big mistake. When fishing for trout you should always utilize fishing line that is from two-six pound test and no heavier.

With that being said, lets get down to the 3 rules that must be adhered to when rigging a trout line, what do you say?

1. Small Hooks Must Be Utilized - When fishing for trout, even if you are in search of large trout, small fishing hooks need to be utilized. Much of the food that trout eat in the wild is very small and they have to eat a lot of it, which means that in many cases whatever bait you choose to use when trout fishing needs to be small as well. In order for the hook or hooks on your trout line to be as "invisible" as possible those hooks need to be as small as possible. This is very important anytime you want to rig a trout line
2. Lubricate Your Knots - When rigging a trout line it is necessary to tie from one to four knots in your line and when using light fishing line, the line has a tenancy to break when a knot is tied the slightest bit improperly. An easy remedy to this "breakage" problem is to tie your knot and before tightening it, lubricate the knot by placing it into you mouth for a second. This will lubricate the knot and as you tighten it will make the knot "hold" much better and eliminate "breakage".
3. Match Your Bait To Natural Forage - On whatever waterway you are fishing, you want to match your baits to the natural forage in that waterway. In other words if you see one inch grasshoppers along the bank and one to one and a half inch minnows in the water, you don't want to use a trout bait that vastly exceeds the size of this natural forage. For example, if you are fishing for a trout in a medium sized river and have seen natural forage the size that I mentioned above, you don't want to use an entire night crawler as bait. Instead, pinch the night crawler in half so it is more "in line" with the size of the natural forage that you have noticed. Matching the size of your bait to any natural forage that you have seen is very important any time that you rig a line for trout.

The bottom line is that if you want to know how to rig a trout line the three aforementioned rules must be adhered to. If they are, you will have a much greater chance of experiencing success the next time that you head out to your favorite river, lake, or pond in search of the beautiful fish known as trout.

Beginning Trout Fishing: The Basics

If you are new to trout fishing, understanding the basics will make fishing for these fish much more enjoyable. In this article I will use my 25 years of trout fishing experience to outline some of the basics of trout fishing. All too many anglers neglect these simple tips and thus experience very little success. Keeping these things in mind when trout fishing will make you a much more successful trout angler, no matter where you choose to fish.

The first thing that you need to understand is where trout are found. In almost all cases trout are found in cold, clear, flowing water. Although trout are certainly found in lakes, in most cases these trout have been stocked by your states fish and game department. These basics are best employed when fishing in the flowing waters of rivers and/or streams, although they can also be applied to lake fishing.

When fishing for trout in rivers and/or streams most of the time you will be in or right next to the water in which you are fishing. This is important to remember because trout are very aware of their surroundings. If the trout you are fishing for see or hear you, they are much less apt to bite. This is especially true with larger, more experienced trout. You always want to make sure that you wear clothing that doesn't "stand out" and that you "tread lightly" if you are wading.

What about your fishing gear, namely your rod, reel, and fishing line? All too many people use rods, reels, and fishing line that are entirely too heavy. When fishing for trout you should use an ultra light rod and reel and that reel should be spooled with light line. For beginning trout fishing six pound test works great, and as experience is gained graduating to four pound test fishing line is a wonderful idea. The lighter your fishing line, the less visible it will be to the trout.

Another great tip for the beginning trout angler is to present your bait in the most natural way possible. One of the most readily available baits for trout fishing is worms and worms are great trout bait (when used properly). The key is to present your worms naturally, which can be accomplished by using gang hooks. Gang hooks allow worms to be presented outstretched, the way they appear in nature, and still have a hook 'working for you'. A worm rigged on a set of gang hooks and allowed to flow naturally with the current is an effective trout fishing tactic.

The most important thing for beginning trout fishing is to spend as much time as you can on the water fishing. Nothing will increase your skills and catch rates like practicing your craft. The more time that can be spent on the water fishing for trout, the better off you will be.