How Do You Know When You Have a BIG Trout Hooked?

The other day I had my first good fall fishing trip of the year, during which I caught three rainbow trout that were in the 16-17 inch range, which by virtually anyone’s standard would be considered a "big trout". This was especially true because all of these trout were at least 4 inches wide with one of them being almost 5 inches wide! These are the type of rainbow trout that I like to call footballs, but catching them got me thinking about how you know a big trout is a BIG trout, once you have it hooked. In this post you will find the answer to this question.

Now I realize that when using ultra light gear, even small trout can seem big (especially if you are out of practice), but truly big trout have certain traits that can't be denied. First and probably the most obvious is that they feel heavy, but this quick feeling is often immediately followed by the trout making a "run". In other words, you will feel the bite, set the hook, immediately feel weight (resistance), and the trout will almost always immediately start peeling line off of your drag. This is what happen 9 out of ten times with big trout. In the other case you just feel weight, as if you are snagged. In this one out of ten case (or maybe less) be careful, you are often dealing with a trophy.
The next way to know that you have a BIG trout hooked is that during the fight, the trout stays at or near the bottom (especially after the initial "run") for most of the fight. I'm not 100% sure of the reason for this, but have always assumed it was to make it more likely that the trout could fray your line or otherwise "hang" you up on the bottom. Are fish this smart? Probably not, but it sounds good, so that's the theory that I go with.

The third way to know that you are dealing with a big trout is what we have always referred to as the "head shake". In other words the trout will normally be at or near the bottom and slowly moving it's head from side to side. This tell tale "head shake" is a sure tell sign that you have a big trout hooked.
The final way to tell that you might have a big trout hooked is that the trout just stops. Many novice anglers mistake this move for getting tangled or snagged on the bottom, but a big trout will sometime "wedge" itself between rocks or other underwater cover and stop in the current. I once caught a twenty three inch rainbow that "stopped" in the middle of a raging river for approximately fifteen minutes before finally taking off again. During this time I just stood there with my rod tip held high and would take a step or two the left or right once in a while.

What was just outlined are the best ways that I know to determine if I have a big trout hooked. Add them to your memory bank for the next time that you are out fishing for trout, especially rainbow trout.

How To Catch Big Rainbow Trout

In this post I'm going to outline a few tips that will help you catch more big rainbow trout. Is there one definitive way to catch BIG rainbow trout consistently? Of course not, but there are things that you can do to "tip the odds" into your favor, so that your chances of catching a big rainbow or two will increase dramatically. The tips outlined below will do just that so that you will begin to learn how to catch big rainbow trout on a consistent basis.

Before we continue I think it's important to point out what it is that I consider a "big" rainbow, so that we are all on the same page. In most bodies of water I consider a big rainbow to be any trout that is from eighteen to up to twenty three inches. In most area's rainbows that exceed the twenty three inch mark are truly something special. While there are fisheries, where the average rainbow trout is very large, for most of us the description that was just outlined should be a good barometer when it comes to big rainbow trout.

So, if you want to know how to catch big rainbow trout the first thing to keep in mind is that patience is your friend. I realize that this sounds over simplistic when it comes to the act of fishing, but it is nonetheless true. Rainbow trout that have become big, didn't get that way for no reason. They are generally older trout who have survived multiple fishing seasons and have more than likely been caught and released multiple times, which means that big trout are seasoned veterans. And these seasoned trout aren't dumb, which means that you will usually have to present your bait to them multiple times before they will take your bait. Being patient is the first key if you are looking to catch big rainbow trout.

The next key is to be extremely mindful with your knot tying. Although this also may sound over simplistic, taking your time and tying quality fishing knots is an absolute must whenever you are attempting to catch big trout. Can you guess why this is the case? Because, invariably, the moment you rush through a knot and make a mistake when tying, a big trout will bite and then you will be in trouble because faulty knots often break, thus causing you to lose large trout. This has happened to me on numerous occasions in the past, which is why I take my time with every fishing knot that I tie now.

Finally, if you want to know how to catch big trout, make sure that you are fishing when big trout tend to be the most active. This means paying attention to things like the season (the fall is a great time of the year for big trout), the phase of the moon (try to be on the water during the "new moon" phase), and the rise and/or set of the moon, to name a few of the more important factors when it comes to fishing for trout. Keep all of these factors in mind if you want to catch big trout and you will be doing so in no time.