High Water, a Litte Wind, and Hungry Trout

Yesterday afternoon I decided to head out to the Swan River to fish below the dam in the Pacific Park area.  There is some whitewater kayaking that goes on in the stretch of the river so the water levels are often running to high to fish effectively until later in the fall, but I figured I'd give it a shot anyway. When I got to where I could see the river I could tell that it was still quite high, but I held out hope as I walked down to the water, then downstream to a very large "hole" where the water is usually flowing slower than the rest of the river.

When I got downstream I could clearly see that the river wasn't raging too bad in this section, so I tied on an 1/8 oz jig head to do a little drift fishing.  I tipped the jig head with a Berkley Power Nymph and began to drift fish. The first couple of casts felt normal, although I was thinking that I might need a bit more weight to get down to the target area or "bite zone" in these high water levels? 

Within two more casts I felt a small tap and set the hook.  The fish almost immediately began talking drag and I wondered what species of fish I may have hooked.  During this time of year I sometimes catch quite large squaw fish, which can be fun to catch, but are nothing other than very large minnows.  It was fighting quite hard and after about 3 minutes I saw the familiar flash of a rainbow trout. 

Yep, I had hooked a nice Swan River Rainbow, my first of the season, and just hoped I could get her in to take a closer look.  After making a few more nice runs, I was able to cradle the nice 18 or so inch trout in my left hand as I removed the jig from her mouth with my right and softly let her swim off unharmed.  I then made another cast and with 4 drifts hooked another fish.  This one just as heavy as the first, but not fighting nearly as hard.  I quickly realized that it was an 18 inch lake trout and I performed the same maneuver to release this fish as well.  After walking upstream a few feet I hooked another fish, although this one was much smaller than the previous two.  A 10 inch cutthroat was released and my catching of fish was over for the day. 

Although I did get a bite or two more, I didn't hook another fish for the rest of the day, which was strange, but what the hey, that's why they call it fishing, right?  3 different species of trout in a couple of hours fishing.  Not too bad.  Even though all of the fish were caught in the first half an hour of fishing for some strange reason?  I've certainly had better days and without question worse, but all in all a good afternoon on the water, I'd say. 

Sometimes The Trout Fishing Gods Smile Upon You

For the past few weeks, here in Northwest Montana we have been dealing with a very strange phenomenon.  There are wild fires burning all around us and the smoke from these fires has been literally choking us every afternoon (and even some evenings).  For the past few weeks the air has looked similar to fog, with the difference being that the air smells of a burning camp fire.  It is quite annoying and quite unhealthy, but what are you going to do, right?  You just have to deal with it and wait for cooler weather and/or rain to help stamp out the fires, thus ending the problem.

Well, with a cold front on the way everyone has been quite excited, hoping that the front would bring with it some much needed rain.  While I certainly want nature to give us a hand with the fires, upon hearing this news all I could think was, "I had better get out there and try some trout fishing ahead of this anticipated cold front."  You see, the trout fishing is usually pretty good ahead of cold fronts, so even though I didn't have a ton of time, I headed out for a quick fishing trip.

For most of this fishing season I have been on a mini jig kick, using a 1/32 or 1/16 ounce jig head tipped with a Powerbait product (trout worm, nymph, or mouse tail) as bait on almost all of my trout fishing excursions.   I still drift fish, just like I always have with the difference being the bait.  And while it hasn't been as productive as when I use live worms as my trout bait, it has been plenty successful in it's own right.

So as I worked my way into position at the head of a big hole on the Swan River, I tied on a 1/32 ounce jig, tipped it with a natural colored Powerbait trout worm and began to drift fish.  After a few casts I realized That I needed more weight, so I added a split shot sinker to my line twelve or so inches above my jig.  I continued drift fishing down the hole for the next forty five minuted or so, switching to a pink trout worm and then a white mouse tail without as much as a sniff from an inquisitive trout!

I was getting frustrated, because this RARELY happens to me here in Montana, and was starting to think that getting skunked was a distinct possibility.  "Oh well", I thought to myself as I slipped a Pumpkin/Chartreuse Power Nymph onto my now 1/8 ounce jig head, "let's give the nymph a shot."  Within 2 casts I felt the familiar "tap, tap" that usually means a hungry trout and I set the hook!  My reel immediately started to buzz as the trout ran like an angry bull out of a rodeo shoot.  "This might be a nice one", I thought to myself as I adjusted my drag slightly.

With a few minutes I was admiring and subsequently releasing a very nice 17 inch cutt/bow (which is a rainbow cutthroat hybrid for the uninitiated) and was quite pleased that "the skunk" didn't happen on this particular day.  I made a few more casts, but figured that it was best to 'end on a high note' on this day.  After all, the fishing Gods were kind enough to smile upon me (even though it took whet seemed to be a while), and I was good with that.

Drift Fishing For Trout In High Water Conditions

At this time of the year, late spring to early summer, drift fishing for trout is a challenge to say the least.  The biggest challenge that any drift fisherman will face at this time of the year are the river conditions.  High flows make drift fishing much more difficult than it is at other times of the year, there's no doubt about it.  The good thing is that all is not lost when it comes to drift fishing for trout when the river flows are high as long as you make a few minor adjustments to your approach.

The first (and most important adjustment in my opinion) is the length of your fishing rod.  During most times of the year I will fish with a 4 and a half to 5 foot ultralight spinning rod.  But when the rivers are flowing high I switch to a six to seven and a half foot fishing rod. Why do I do this?  The answer is actually quite simple.  That extra foot to foot and a half in rod length gives me the ability to feel my bait much better.  With the longer rod I can keep my rod tip high in the air and follow my bait as is drifts with the river, something that is not possible when using my shorter ultralight rod.

The next thing to consider when drift fishing in high water conditions is the type of bait that you use.  Meal worms are an excellent bait for trout in muddy water conditions.  Rather than rehash old material you can read this post about drift fishing with meal worms for exactly how I like to accomplish this task. Don't forget that when current flows are very fast, the trout will seek the area's of the river where the current is a little less.  Concentrate your drift fishing efforts on these area's of the river.

The bottom line is that when the rivers are flowing high early in the year trout can still be caught, as long as you adjust your approach a little bit.  Make these minor adjustments to your approach and you'll be catching a stringer full of trout in no time. 

Spring Trout Fishing - Drift Fishing With Meal Worms

As winter comes to an end and the spring begins to take over, for me it means one thing (other than
nicer, warmer weather of course) and that one thing is trout fishing.  After the winter where most of my "trout fishing" is done while standing on a frozen lake, I can't wait to get out on the river and do a little drift fishing.  Early in the spring, before the run off kicks into high gear, traditional drift fishing with live worms can be very productive. 

However, once the river levels begin to rise, I have found that another bait is more productive when it comes to catching spring trout, meal worms.  I would imagine that you are familiar with meal worms, but if not, they are the larval form of the meal worm beetle, which is a black beetle that you have no doubt seen before but wasn't aware of what it was.  Well these little alien looking worms are quite effective when it comes to spring trout fishing. 

Meal worms easily fit on a #10 or smaller fishing hook, are quite hearty, and are something that hungry spring trout like to gobble up when they are flowing with the current of the water in which they reside.  Most convenience stores or bait shops will have live meal worms available, but if you can't find them or are squeamish about using them, the  PowerBait Power Honey Worm is a more than viable substitute. As a matter of fact, I have a colleague who prefers the honey worm to a real meal worm anytime that he fishes for trout.

I like to utilize a basic drift fishing rig using # 10 gang hooks a barrel swivel and split shot sinkers when I am drift fishing meal worms, but a single hook can obviously be used if you prefer instead.  I rig a meal worm onto each of the hooks, cast the rig into the river, and proceed to drift fish.  I find that meal worms are most effective when the river is swollen and off color a little bit.  Once the rivers become totally muddy, it becomes harder to get trout to bite, but before and after the heavy spring flow, I'm sure you will find meal worms to be an effective spring trout bait choice.

When drift fishing with meal worms in the springtime, I like to try to use my opposite hand to feel my line as the meal worm drifts downstream.  The bite can often be hard to detect if you don't have a finger (or fingers) in contact with the line.  When a finger is touching the line however, it is much easier to feel subtle bites from hungry trout.  

The Leaves Are Starting To Fall & The Rainbow Trout Are Starting To Bite

As I began my hour or so hike down the partially dry creek bed to get to this years favorite fall trout fishing spot, I couldn't help but notice that the leaves on the birch trees have not only changed color, but are also beginning to fall from the trees.  I would imagine that the three or four days of unseasonably cool weather that we had a week or so ago "triggered" the color change, but whatever it is that is causing the leaves to do their thing earlier than normal, I'm not complaining.

I love to see the fall color change happen, because it triggers the real start of the fall trout fishing season in me and I know that I have some great fishing for the next few months.  I had returned to the same stretch of the swan river that I fished on the last trip and for the first 40 minutes or so I didn't receive a single bite.  This really confused me, but within another 10 or so minutes I had a bite, which I missed, and caught and released a nice little 15 inch bull trout.  At this point I worked my way downstream to a really nice hole that I discovered at the end of my last trip.

I tried to fish this hole but found that it is so deep and hard to get good casting angles in, that I would have to try to fish a little further downstream.  Well after about 5 minutes of drift fishing a stretch that looked good, I had another bite.  As I quickly lifted the tip of my rod to set the hook I felt that I was dealing with a fairly heavy trout.  I started to slowly step back, trying to raise the trout enough so I could see it.  It was nice alright, but not fighting like a rainbow of that size usually does?  With 5 minutes I had the rainbow landed, and it was indeed a nice one (about 20 inches) and I quickly removed the gang hooks and released the fish. 

I worked my way downstream a step or two and began fishing again.  I quickly hooked another larger rainbow, and this rainbow trout acted like I have come to expect during the fall of the year.  The trout immediately jumped out of the water and when it reentered the river began zipping line from my reel as the fish bolted directly away from me.  It the made on last jump and just like that was gone.  This time the line didn't break, but rather the small #10 gang hooks that I prefer to use simply disengaged from the rainbows mouth. "Jesus!", I thought to myself, "That was a nice fish".  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted and saved what would have otherwise been a less than epic fish catching day. 

River Fishing by The Skin of My Teeth

When I arrived at the river and looked down over the bank I wondered if the river was cross-able.  It

looked as if it was going to be close, so I walked the couple of hundred feet it took to get alongside the river so that I could investigate.  Sure the river was high, but the water was still fairly clear, so the trout should be biting, I thought to myself.  As I took a couple of steps into the current I realized that the water was deeper than I had anticipated.  I stood there for a second looking the hundred or so feet to the other side and realized that it probably wasn't worth the chance.

I mean, sure it was a beautiful day with temperatures in the high sixties, but I really had no interest in taking a wet and wild ride downstream, so I decided to stay on the west side of the river on this day.  With temperatures this warm and foretasted to be this warm for the next few days, I knew that this was probably it for river fishing until August or so, so I began to work my way downstream.  With the heavy current, the drift fishing was difficult, but I could see a boulder fifty or so yards downstream, that would give me a good vantage point to fish what I knew top be a productive hole.

From on top of the boulder, it was as I thought and I had a good view of the deep, only slightly stained water that was swirling around two large underwater boulders.  This is a hole that I preferred to fish from the other side of the river, but from the boulder, I figured that I could still get a fairly good drift.  I was correct and within 10 casts had my first bump from an inquisitive trout at the end of the drift.   I missed the trout, but things were looking good.  On the next cast, the trout hit again, and I set the hook.

Almost immediately the fish came off (this is what I refer to as "jagging" the fish) and I reeled in and continued to fish.  Normally when I "jag" a trout it will bite again, as this doesn't seem to upset them very much, and within three more casts I had the trout hooked.  It was a heavy rainbow (I know this because I always wear quality polarized glasses and I saw the trout "flash") and I was wondering why in the heck the trout didn't "take off" as spring rainbows tend to do.  Just as I was thinking this the weight was gone and so was the trout.  From what I saw and the weight that I felt, the rainbow was at least twenty inches and probably more like twenty two or twenty three. 

I continued fishing for another thirty minutes or so without another bite and as I was walking up the embankment back to my vehicle (I had to leave to pick my daughter up from school), I looked back down at the river.  Yep, it was a good afternoon even though no trout were landed, but with the beautiful weather and borderline hot temperatures I could all but feel the snow melting off of those beautiful mountains in the background.  It's no doubt a good thing that I got a little river fishing in (by the skin of my teeth by the way) because this and all of the area rivers are going to be un-fishable for the next 3-4 months due snow runoff. 

What Is The Best Way To Catch A Rainbow Trout?

If you are new to the world of trout fishing and are wondering what the best way to catch a rainbow rainbow trout, from throwing a small lure to fly fishing, I have found that this method outperforms many others when it comes to catching rainbow trout during many times of the year.
trout is, you have landed in the right place. Below I will outline what I see as the best way to catch a rainbow trout based on my thirty or so years of experience fishing for these beautiful fish. While it is obviously true that there are many ways to catch

I believe that it’s also important to point out that I prefer to fish for rainbows while using a four to six foot ultralight rod with a reel that contains four pound test fishing line or lighter. Yea, I know there are a portion of fishermen that fish for rainbow trout while using fly fishing gear, but I am not one of those anglers. I prefer to fish for rainbow trout while utilizing ultralight spin fishing gear and tackle.
With all of that said, let's get down to what I consider the best way to catch a rainbow trout, what do you say? The technique is performed in the flowing water of a river or stream (usually while wading). For some reason fishing for rainbows while wading in the water which is being fished has always "felt right" to me, and given the choice this is the type of water that I prefer to fish for these beautiful fish in. The specific technique is known as drift fishing and has been my "go to" rainbow trout technique ever since it was taught to me almost 3 decades ago.

Drift fishing can be done with a small crank bait or trout spinner, as well as with live trout bait such as a live worm. By far my favorite bait to use while drift fishing is a live fishing worm, preferably a red worm or mini night crawler, and in lieu of these a normal night crawler that I pinch in half can be used as well. The technique involves allowing your live trout bait or lure to drift naturally with the current of the river. In the case of live trout baits, it's often a good idea to adjust your weight so that your offering bounces along the bottom of the river as it drifts. With crank baits and spinners, bouncing along the bottom isn't as imperative and a slow and steady retrieve will usually do the trick just fine.

Although drift fishing takes a little practice to get used to, mainly because telling the difference between a bite and the bottom can be a challenge in the beginning in the case of live bait, as you gain experience you will learn just how effective a rainbow trout fishing technique that it is. With practice you will quickly learn why I believe that drift fishing is the answer to the question of what is the best way to catch a rainbow trout. Do yourself a favor and make sure that drift fishing becomes (or is) a part of your rainbow trout fishing arsenal.

Rainbow Trout Fishing – Spinning Techniques For The Ultralight Angler

I started fishing for rainbow trout more than twenty five years ago when my best friends father would

take him and I out fishing on the rivers and streams of Central Pennsylvania and many of the lessons that I learned from this man all of those years ago have stuck with me to this very day. This man was an ultralight fisherman, which meant that he used a very small, lightweight rod and reel and very light fishing line. This was a method of fishing that I was unfamiliar with at the time, but ultralight fishing was a technique that I quickly fell in love with and chose as my "go to" method of fishing (especially for trout) as well.

Rainbow trout, or more specifically rainbow trout fishing has been a passion of mine ever since those early days all those years ago on the waters of central Pennsylvania. Now I live in the Northwest part of a state that many anglers consider a 'trout fishing mecca' of sorts, Montana, where I spend quite a lot of time fishing for rainbow trout with ultralight spinning gear. In this article I will outline a few spinning techniques for the ultralight angler so that they can be added to your repertoire if you're so inclined.

The first technique has to do with drifting live worms when fishing for rainbow trout and is a technique that was taught to me by the aforementioned friends' father all those years ago. He was the first man I had seen employ the technique and in the subsequent years I rarely see it used by anyone other than those that I have taught it to, although I can't understand why? The goal of the technique is to have your worm bounce or "roll" along the bottom the the riverbed as it flows naturally with the current of the river or stream that you are fishing. The key to the technique is to rig the worm that you are using in a natural and realistic way and to do this my mentor created what he referred to as a "set of gang hooks".

A live worm (or half of a live worm in the case of large worms such as night crawlers) is rigged onto a set of gang hooks, which is attached to your line using a small barrel swivel. Split shot sinkers or tape lead is added to the line above the swivel for weight. The amount of weight is adjusted depending on the depth of the river and the current flow in the river at the time that you are fishing. As I said, the goal is to have your worm "roll" along the bottom of the river bed as is flows with the current. When a rainbow trout bites the worm a "tap, tap" or "steady pull" will usually be felt.

The next technique is basically the same technique, but rather than a live worm, a small inline spinner is used as bait and attached to a leader below a swivel. The spinner is drifted with the current in much the same manner with the difference being that the tip of your fishing rod is "snapped" every few seconds to provide 'action' to the spinner itself, hopefully catching the attention of any rainbow trout in the immediate area. The when the drift is complete the spinner is reeled in, which is often when an inquisitive rainbow trout will strike.

The bottom line is that when it comes to rainbow trout fishing with ultralight spin fishing gear these two techniques are amazingly effective and should be adopted by anyone interested in catching more rainbows. They both enable me to consistently catch rainbow trout and I know they will do the same for you.

How To Catch Rainbow Trout – Tips For The Average Spin Fisherman

I am in my early forties and have been fishing for rainbow trout for most of my adult life. I was rainbow trout. My friends Dad taught me a tip or two that day that has stuck with me for these years and since then I have learned many more on my own. Below I will reveal some of these tips so that you can catch more rainbow trout the next time that you are fishing for them.

taught how to catch rainbow trout in my mid teens by my best friend and his father, who was a man that was well known throughout the area of the country that we grew up for being a fishing expert. From the first slimy, yet beautiful rainbow trout that I caught all of those years ago, I was hooked on the act of catching

Many rainbow trout fishermen overlook one very simple thing and it's very unfortunate because it's so very simple to learn and pay attention to. If you want to know or learn how to catch rainbow trout this one simple tip is "worth the price of admission", as it were. The tip is when (at what time) you are fishing. There is a phenomenon that you may or may not be aware of. It's called the moon rise and the moon set. Whether or not you were aware of it, the moon rises and sets each day just like the sun, but it happens at varying times of the day or night.

The first tip that I have is to be on the water fishing for rainbow trout when either one of these occurrences are taking place. Actually in the one to two hour window that brackets either one of these events. Rainbow trout will almost always be more active, and thus susceptible to being caught when the moon is either rising or setting on a particular day. Be on the water at these times and you will almost automatically experience higher bite rates.

The next tip is the specific technique that me friends dad introduced to me all of those years ago. In my estimation this one technique will be a godsend to anyone who want to learn how to catch rainbow trout. I certainly know that it has been to me. The technique is known as drift fishing with a live worm and is a technique that I use regularly to this very day. A live worm is rigged in a natural manner with split shot sinkers pinched onto the line twelve to twenty four inches up the line. The worm is then fished by allowing it it drift naturally with the current of the river. Once learned and put into practice, this method for catching rainbow trout is as effective a technique that you will find as a spin fisherman.

Finally there is the size of the gear that you are using. When I refer to the term 'gear', I'm referring specifically to your fishing rod and reel and the line that your reel is spooled with. I have one word for you. Ultra light. Rainbow trout, especially if they are native, are very intelligent and aware of their surroundings and when the notice anything out of the ordinary they tend not to bite. This includes things like trout lures and baits, as well as the fishing line that these things are attached to. When fishing for rainbow trout you want your fishing line to be as light as possible. I prefer four pound test monofilament, although line as heavy as six pound test won't "spook" the trout all that much, but any fishing line heavier than this should be avoided.

If you are just learning how to catch rainbow trout or if you are somewhat of a trout fishing veteran, these simple tips should help you experience more success when you are fishing. I know they have for me and can't imagine that they won't do the same for you.

Low River Flows Are The Biggest Enemy to Drift Fishing For Trout

In the fall of the year, river flows are normally at one of their lowest points, which can make drift fishing much more difficult.  Why is it that low river flows are a problem?  Because, low river flows mean that you will get snagged much more often and getting snagged can be a frustrating experience.  Heck, it can become so frustrating that becoming snagged almost every cast has caused be to change my technique or just bag a day of fishing in some extreme cases.

So how should we approach the biggest enemy of drift fishing so that this doesn't happen to you? The first thing that needs to be done is to use less weight on your line.  As you probably know, we suggest using split shot sinkers or tape lead to add weight to your line and during the fall you should begin with less weight that you think you are going to need.  It's much quicker and easier to add weight that it is to re-tie you rig, so starting with a minor amount of weight is imperative anytime that you are drift fishing in low river flows.

Next we have making sure that you have plenty of "extra's" on hand anytime that you are drift fishing in low river flows.  Because low flows mean more snags, it also means that you will more than likely be re-tying your rig more often due to getting snagged on bottom, which means that you need to make sure that you have plenty of split shot sinkers, swivels, and extra gang hooks on hand for re-tying. I have learned from experience that the best course of action when I become snagged on the bottom is to simply grab my line with my hand, pull it until it releases from bottom or the line breaks. When the line breaks, I quickly re-tie and keep fishing, rather than trying to save a rig by getting upset or "spooking" the hole that I am fishing.

The bottom line is that the fall means that you are going to be dealing with low river flows and thus when it comes to drift fishing, you are going to get snagged on the bottom much more often.  The good thing is that the trout fishing is usually good enough that getting snagged and re-tying alot is something that we all will happily live with.  

Rainbow Trout – 3 Ways To Catch More Rainbows In Rivers and Streams

For more than twenty five year fishing in rivers and streams has been a passion of mine and while I have fished for and caught many species of freshwater fish fishing in rivers and streams, one species stands out above all of the others as my "favorite", the rainbow trout. In my opinion, there is no better way to spend time than fishing for and catching rainbow trout from the flowing water of a river or stream, and in this post I will outline 3 ways to catch more rainbows when fishing in this manner.

The first way is my favorite, a technique that was taught to me more than two decades ago, drift fishing with a live worm. The technique was taught to me by my best friend and his father and has served me well for my entire fishing life. The basics of drift fishing are as follows; a live worm such as a red worm is rigged onto a set of gang hooks and this worms is cast into the water, the bail of your reel is closed, and the worm is allowed to drift with the current of the river or stream that you are fishing. Often weight is needed so that you can obtain the perfect "drift" and this is accomplished by adding split shot sinkers to your line 12-18 inches above the bait.

The next way to catch more rainbows in rivers and streams is to cast, retrieve, and/or drift an inline spinner through the current. Small inline spinners are an excellent bait to use for trout in a river or stream. I prefer to use very small spinners, such as 1/32 and 1/16 ounce, however larger spinners can also be very effective at times as well.

The third and final way to catch more rainbows in rivers and streams is to drift fish a streamer. Your streamer is rigged in much the same way that a live worm is rigged, trading the gang hooks and worm for a streamer (such as a wooly bugger or Muddler Minnow) and the split shot sinkers for a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce bullet weight. Let the streamer drift for the first half of the drift, then reel it in while 'snapping' the tip of your fishing rod. Retrieve the streamer right along the bottom of the river or stream for the best results.

Drift Fishing Gear – Must Have Gear For Anyone Who Likes To Drift Fish

As you are more than likely aware, we at JRWfishing love to drift fish, and in this post we are going to outline all of the drift fishing gear that a person needs to successfully implement this incredibly effective trout fishing technique. You will more than likely find that much of (but not all) of the gear that we consider "must have" items are manufactured or distributed by us, and this is with good reason. We created the company because there was no single place that had everything that we needed in one place, so we created that place.

In any case, the place where you get your gear doesn’t matter, what matters is that you have the following gear available to you anytime that you head out drift fishing. All of this gear will make you more efficient, which simply means that you can spend more time with your line in the water (where the fish are) rather than out of the water while you gear up. With that being said, let's get down to the gear that you "must have" to have an efficient and successful day on the water.

1. A Fishing Vest - Drift fishing requires that you wade in the water that you are fishing, and when wading the best and most efficient way to carry your fishing gear is a fishing vest . Many people think that only fly fishermen wear fishing vests, but truth be told drift fishermen wear them as well. These vests have tons of pockets for carrying your small spinners, spoons, and fishing lures, as well as extra line, wader repair kit, food, water, terminal tackle and anything else that you might need.
2. Retractors - A retractor are the best way to carry lightweight pieces of fishing gear on the outside of your fishing vest. This way these items are "at your fingertips" at all times and you don't have to go searching for them every time that they are needed. For example, I keep a retractor with a pair of small nail clippers attached to my vest at all times. I use these clippers for snipping my line after tying knots and when I have to re-spool my reel on the fly.
3. Polarized Fishing Glasses - Why do I consider polarized glasses a must have item for drift fishing? Because being able to see into the water is a great advantage not only for seeing fish, but also for seeing the bottom of the river while wading. Polarized glasses also enable you to see your fishing line while it is drifting, which is a MUST, especially when you are drift fishing with live bait.
4. A Bait Pouch - This item is a must for anyone who like to drift fish with live bait, especially if that bait is live worms. A bait bag (or pouch) is simply a small pouch that clips to your fishing vest in which you place your live worms. This way your worms are at your fingertips at all times, which makes baiting up and re-baiting a snap, saving you valuable fishing time.

The bottom line is that if you like to drift fish for virtually any species of freshwater fish, the aforementioned items will save you time and help you to catch more fish.

How To Catch More Trout In Moving Water

As you probably already know our favorite place to fish for trout is in the moving water of a river or stream and in this post we will outline exactly how to catch trout in moving water (the same way that we have been doing it for more than 25 years!) Although the techniques that we employ have been refined over the years, the basic tenants of what we will be found below.

To consistently catch trout is moving water you have to learn and master a technique known as drift fishing. Drift fishing involves letting your trout bait (either live or in the form of a small spinner) drift with the current of the river or stream that you are fishing. Sounds simple enough, right? It sure does and in actuality the technique is simple, but the reality is that drift fishing is like cooking a perfect rack of ribs. We can all get a rack of ribs cooked, and sometimes they end up tasting pretty good, but they are nothing like the ribs that a pit master in Memphis Tennessee can create.

Just as with cooing a masterful rack of ribs, becoming really good at catching trout in moving water, takes practice. The more time that can be spent on the river, putting the technique into action, the better. As you do, you will learn little nuances that make drift fishing for trout so very enjoyable and effective, just like with cooking a great rack of ribs.

To catch trout in moving water you want to position yourself in the water 5-20 feet upstream of the run or pool that you intend to fish. You make casts parallel to wear you are standing, close the bail of your spinning reel and try to keep your line as taught as possible as it drifts with the current. When you bait or lure is below where you are standing and you begin to really feel the bottom the drift is over and it's time to recast. Varying the length of your cast, the amount of weight that you have on your line, and the place that you are standing within the river will all change the position of your bait in relation to the trout that you are fishing for.

Give each area that you are fishing for trout a thorough "going over" and you will almost always catch a trout or two, unless outside circumstances are completely against on the day the you are trout fishing. Remember, the technique is simple in theory, but as you gain experience it becomes highly effective, so make sure that you practice as much as you can. The bottom line is that drift fishing is, without question, how to catch more trout in moving water.

Spin Fishing For Trout – Drift Fishing Worms

As you are probably all aware, we at JRWfishing are all about spin fishing for trout and our "go to" technique is without a doubt drift fishing worms. In this post I will outline how we go about drift fishing with worms, so that you can add this amazingly effective trout fishing technique to your fishing repertoire. If you are already a drift fisherman, fear not, because you might very well find a morsel or two that you never considered before, that will help you out as well.

The first thing to be aware of when drift fishing worms is the type of water that you are fishing. Drift fishing is most effective in small to medium sized rivers, the kind of river or stream that can be waded across in places, but not in others and usually contains a combination of shallow riffles, runs, deep runs, and pools. Larger rivers, which are often fished with some manifestation of boat or drift boat, usually aren't the most conducive to this style of spin fishing.

Next we have the gear that is utilized, and when I say gear I'm referring specifically to your rod, reel, and fishing line. The best fishing rods for this type of fishing are ultralight power and I also prefer my rod to be fast "action" as well. Under normal water conditions I prefer a 5-6 foot spinning rod and when river flows are heavier I prefer a spining rod that is 6-7 feet long.

As far a your spinning reel goes, any ultralight reel that is manufactured by a quality manufacturer will work fine. I have been using Pfleuger Trion ultralight spinninhg reels for all of my drift fishing for more than 20 years and couldn't be happier. And now we have the fishing line that your reel is spooled with. The key here is that your line is as light as you feel comfortable with, but nothing heavier that six pound test. I suggest and have been using Original Stren in the clear/blue color that is 4 pound test for many years, but any quality fishing line will do just fine.

Now to where to position yourself within the river that you are fishing. It's a
good idea to approach the area that you intend to fish from downstream as mush as possible because trout will almost always be facing and thus looking upstream for a meal. This is important because if a trout sees you they are likely to become "spooked" and have no interest in anything that drifts by them. This fact is especially true with trout that are larger and more experienced.

You want to cast parallel to slightly upstream of the place that you are standing. When your worms hits the water, you want to close the bait of your reel and raise your rod tip to try to eliminate any slack from your line. As your worm begins to drift downstream you want to point yoiur rod tip at the worm to feel any bites that might come from hungry trout. I like to place my index finger from the hand that is holding the rod on my line to help to feel bites. Some people will hold their line between the fingers of their opposite hand to accomplish the same thing. Either way, "feeling" you line helps in detecting bites.

This process is repeated in all of the area's of the river or stream that trout can be found. Although the technique is extremely simply in theory, drift fishing with worms also has thousands of little nuances that reveal themselves to you seemingly every time you put the technique into practice. This all comes together to make the technique extremely enjoyable and productive in my opinion. As a matter of fact there is no better way to go spin fishing for trout in my opinion.

Sometimes the Trout Gods Smile Upon You

When I headed out this afternoon I was skeptical to say the least because it has been fairly warm for the past 3-4 days and I assumed that the run off would be in full swing. But when I arrived at my favorite trout river I saw that the Trout Gods were smiling upon me. Although the water level was a bit high, the river wasn't muddy yet, which mean that the drift fishing should be pretty good. I pinched a night crawler in half, baited it onto my #10 gang hooks, and began to drift fish. Withing a cast or two I felt the familiar "tap, tap" from a hungry trout, which I proceeded to miss.

 I kept fishing for a half an hour or so, working my way downstream to some green water (in my extensive experience "green" water usually means deeper water that will often hold a hungry rainbow trout are two). Once I positioned myself in an area of the river where I was getting a good drift, I began to fish the stretch of river thoroughly, varying the length of my casts and position of my rod as I fished.

 Withing 10 or so minutes I had another bite and again missed the fish. Oh well, early season rust I guess, then on the next cast I felt the familiar "pull" that often means a bite from a larger trout. This time when I set the hook, I immediately felt weight, yep it was a nice one. I saw the fish flash downstream of me and knew it was a rainbow trout, and a nice one at that. I adjusted my drag and fought the fish for 10 minutes or so before landing her. A beautiful seventeen inch rainbow trout that was as beautiful as any I have ever seen. I revived her, closed my eyes and said a silent prayer to the trout Gods, watched the beautiful rainbow swim away and continued to fish for a while. Does it get any better than this? You know what, if it does, I'd really rather not know about it.

Rainy, Cool Weather and a Few Nice Rainbow Trout

When I woke up the other morning, trout fishing wasn't on my list of things to do, but as the morning progressed into the early afternoon, I thought to myself, "Even though it looks like it might rain, why don't you go fishing?" I sat there for a moment and realized that winter was going to be here before I knew it and I wasn't going to get many more drift fishing opportunities for the next eight months, so I stopped what I was doing and loaded the car.

 It took about a half an hour to reach the river and then another twenty or so minutes to reach the area that I wanted to fish. I had caught a ton of rainbow trout from this stretch of river a couple of weeks earlier and had hooked one that was more than likely in the "trophy" category so my spirits were high.  As I made my first cast I couldn't help but smell the fresh air and feel the cool air temperature through the Wristies that were protecting my hands and realized as I often do when I'm standing thigh deep in a flowing trout river how much I love the act of trout fishing. 

After thirty or so minutes of drift fishing without as much as a nibble I was beginning to think that maybe the trout God's weren't going to cooperate with me on this day, and then I felt the familiar pull that so often means that a nice rainbow trout is biting the end of my line.  I set the hook and the fight was on.  Fifteen or so minutes later I was admiring a healthy 20 inch rainbow trout. 

I let that trout go, re-baited, repositioned myself and made another cast.  Mid way through the drift, Wam!, I had another healthy rainbow hooked.  This fish wasn't as long as the previous trout, it only measured about fifteen inches, but was easily four to five inches wide, which made her a very healthy rainbow trout as well. 

By the time my quick fishing trip was over I had caught and released six rainbow trout that were from twelve to twenty inches long and I left the river with a smile on my face.  As I hiked back to my vehicle, crossed the river, and climbed the hill towards my vehicle I couldn't help but give thanks to whatever forces converge to make the fall such a fabulous time of the year for trout fishing. 

Rainbow Trout Fishing: Drift Fishing Live Worms

When someone mentions the term 'rainbow trout fishing' they tend to automatically assume that you are going to inform them about some manner of fly fishing, as fly fishing is well known for being a "go to" trout fishing technique. While the aforementioned statement might be true, for me this has never been the case. To me, rainbow trout fishing means fishing for and catching rainbow trout while using ultra light spin fishing gear.

Why is this the case? Because more than twenty years ago, when I was originally introduced to the act of fishing for rainbow trout, the man who taught me employed the method of using ultralight spinning gear. As a matter of fact he had a fair amount of disdain for "fly fishing" and believed that using an ultralight rod and reel, that is spooled with two or four pound test fishing line was the only way to really go about fishing for and catching rainbow trout.

As I grew accustomed to fishing for trout with this type of gear, I too began to feel that attempting to catch rainbow trout in this way was in fact the best way to engage in the act of rainbow trout fishing. I have since learned that the truth about which type of fishing gear or which type of technique is most conducive to fishing for rainbow trout is entirely up to personal preference, and there is no right or wrong answer to the question. Every fisherman does what he or she does and that's the way that it should be.

What I do know for a fact is that ultra light gear and light fishing line is the way that I prefer to fish for rainbow trout and the best technique that I have ever come across for doing so is a technique known as drift fishing. The man that I was referring to earlier was extremely adept at drift fishing with live worms and over the years I have become very adept at this technique as well. The bottom line is that if you want to consistently experience success trout fishing drift fishing live worms is a technique that you need to familiarize yourself with.

The concept is remarkably simple, you cast a live worm that is rigged in a natural way into the current of a river or stream that contains rainbow trout. You then allow the live worm to drift naturally with the current as you feel for the "tap tap" or "pull" from a hungry trout. Pretty simple, huh? The concept no doubt is simple, however in practice it does take a bit of getting used to as determining the difference between the bottom of the river and the biting of a trout. This can be challenging at times, however, once the in's and out's are learned, drift fishing live worms is as effective trout fishing technique as there is.

Do yourself a favor and add this unique fishing technique to your trout fishing arsenal sooner rather than later. I promise you that this one technique will help you take your results to the next level.

Trout Fishing Tactics That Will Help Even The Novice Fisherman Catch More Trout

There are many different tactics that can be used to catch trout from drifting a dry fly along the surface of a river or stream to "drift fishing" a live worm along the bottom of the same river or stream to "still fishing" in a lake that has been stocked by Powerbait fishing on a basic "still fishing" rig to name just a few of the more popular trout fishing tactics. In other words there are many different tactics that can be employed when fishing for trout and below I will outline a few that will help even the novice fisherman be able to go out and catch a few trout.

The first tactic that I want to outline involves bottom fishing with an "inflated" worm. If you are wondering what an "inflated worm" is it is simply a live fishing worm that has had air added to it's body with a worm blower, which is simply an empty plastic bottle with a syringe attached to it. This enables you to "blow up" (or add air) to your live fishing worm which means that the worm will float off of the bottom of the water that you are fishing.

This tactic is best served when "bottom fishing" in the slow moving water that exists in rivers. If you "still fish" in a deep slow moving pool of a river that contains trout an inflated fishing worm can often be a "can't miss" trout fishing tactic. Do yourself a favor and give this method a shot sooner, rather than later.

The next of the trout fishing tactics that will help even the novice fisherman catch more trout involves the use of something called trout spinners. Trout spinners, which are also called in-line spinners are an "old standby" in the world of fishing for trout. These small trout fishing lures mimic bait fish and/or insects to a great degree, both of which are major food sources for trout. Trout spinners can be fished by simply casting them into the water and retrieving them. Try varying the speed of your retrieve to trigger hungry trout into biting your spinner.

The final tactic that I want to discuss involves using a trout bait referred to as dough bait. The most popular dough bait that is used for trout fishing is known as Powerbait. Unlike trout spinners, this bait is used with no motion whatsoever using a technique known as "still fishing". The bait is molded around your hook, which is attached to a basic bottom fishing rig, and cast into a lake that contains trout that have been stocked (which means that they have been raised and released into the water for the express purpose of being caught by fishermen). The Powerbait is then "still fished" by allowing it to sit on the bottom of the lake until a hungry trout bites.

The bottom line is that if you are new to the world of fishing for trout, the aforementioned trout fishing tactics will enable you to catch a few trout, and as you hone your skills you will be able to catch trout on a consistent basis.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing a website focused on river and stream fishing with a focus on fishing for trout. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and has spent much of that time fishing in small rivers and streams.

Trout Fishing In The Fall Can't Be Beat

So, I headed out to my favorite trout river the other day.  I figured the fishing would be good because the barometer was dropping as a weather system began to push through the area and the moon would be rising within three hours of me be on the river, so my attitude was as good as it gets.  When I left the house I grabbed a leftover container of worms from the refrigerator and on the drive to the river I contemplated making a quick stop to buy some more, but I never made that stop.

I knew the container had a decent number of worms in it so I figured that there wouldn't be any issue.  As I began transferring the worms from the Styrofoam container, into my bait bag I realized that there were only about 10 worms but I thought, "hey I don't want to be here all afternoon anyway" and I began my trek across the river.

When I reached the first hole, a deep, fairly slow moving stretch of water with  large boulders hidden beneath the surface, I rigged a half of a night crawler onto my gang hooks and began drift fishing.  This is a nice hole where I have caught multiple 18 plus inch rainbows from in the past, but on this day it was not to be.  After drift fishing for upwards of an hour without as much as a nibble, I headed downstream.

When I reached the next hole, which is more of a 'deep run' rather than a 'hole' on my first drift I felt the familiar tap, tap,from a hungry trout.  I hooked and landed 3 or 4 small rainbow trout (8-10 inches) and began to realize that my bait bag was almost empty.  I had used almost all of my worms and only had a few chances left. 

On the next cast I felt the familiar 'pull' feeling that usually means a decent trout is biting.  I set the hook and voila, I missed him!  I quickly reeled in and baiting my gang hooks with my next to last worm, casted out and began drift fishing once again.  Again, I felt the familiar 'pull' from a decent sized trout and set the hook.  This time I 'jagged' him (or her) felt weight and almost as quickly as I hooked the trout, it was off of the end of my line.  An expletive followed as I reeled in to bait my hooks with my final worm. 

Ads I casted out for my final drift of the day, I couldn't help but think about how much I LOVE drift fishing for rainbow trout.  About half way through the drift I felt a nice little tap, tap on the end of my rod.  I set the hook and soon was releasing a beautiful 10 inch rainbow trout.  The big one didn't bite that time, but oh well, you can't catch a monster every time that you go fishing, right?  

The Moon Rise, Drift Fishing, & a Ton of Rainbow Trout

I knew I was going to have some time on Monday afternoon to get some fall trout fishing in, so I checked what time the moon was rising on that particular day and learned that the moon rise was taking place at 2:35 in the afternoon. "Perfect", I thought to myself, as that was about the time that I expected to be on the river. I pulled up to the parking area at about 11:45 AM, put on my waders, loaded my bait bag with live worms, and headed down the hill to the river to try to catch some trout.

I was drift fishing by 12:15 and within 10 minutes had my first rainbow trout hooked. She felt like a decent trout, and once landed her I found out that she indeed was a fifteen inch beauty. I fished the same hole for another half an hour or so, catching only a little seven or so inch rainbow, and I began to work my way downstream to the next nice area. I was a bit confused as to why I hadn't received more bites, but quickly forgot about this, as I cast my live worm into the next hole. Within three seconds I felt the familiar "tap" "tap" from a hungry trout. A minute or so later I had landed a nice 10 or so inch rainbow trout

This trend continued for the next hour or so until which time as I ran out of live worms. None of the trout were huge, with the fifteen incher being the largest, but it was nonetheless a wonderful afternoon on the water. Once I ran out of live worms I figured that I'd give a spinner a shot because spinners are usually an effective drift fishing choice as well. After a half an hour or so without as much as a bite, I abandoned the spinner fishing and headed back to my vehicle.

Even though the rainbows were biting like crazy on live worms, they simply weren't interested in anything else on this particular day. Such is the case with fishing for rainbow trout, you never know what they are going to prefer most on a particular day? What I do know is after an experience such as this, there is no way that you can convince me that the moon rise and/or set doesn't have an impact on fishing. I've simply experienced too many times that it does, but the fact that it is the fall certainly doesn't hurt the trout fishing either.