The Fundamentals of Trout Fishing: Paying Attention to the Little Things

As a person who has been fishing for freshwater trout, mainly "rainbows" and "browns," for more than twenty years, I have learned that one thing contributes to trout fishing success more than any other, and that thing is practicing the fundamentals. There is simply no substitute for practice when it comes to fishing and this fact is especially true when it comes to the act of "trout fishing."

In this article I will explore why every serious trout fisherman needs to pay attention to the "little things" when it comes to fishing for the beautiful fish known as "trout". So, what are the little things? Well, the "little things" will vary from fishing method to fishing method, but there are some fundamentals that hold true no matter what method of trout fishing you consider to be your "favorite". In other words, whether you are a fly fisherman, drift fisherman who fisherman who uses live bait, or a someone who chooses to fish from the bank of a lake the following fundamentals of trout fishing are more or less universal and need to be paid attention to.

1. The Weight of Your Leader - One of the "little things" that every serious trout fisherman needs to pay attention to is the weight of his or her leader. Both rainbow and brown trout are found in cold, clear water in many cases and you want your leader to stand out as little as possible to the trout that you are attempting to catch. This means using very light line or leader material for all of your trout fishing leaders. My personal rule of thumb is to use a leader that is the weight of the largest trout that I can imagine hooking in the area that I am fishing, and sometimes I will even use a leader that is lighter than the largest trout that I can imagine catching in the water that I am fishing.


2. The Time When You Are Fishing - One of the most important aspects of a successful day fishing for trout is when you are on the water. When it comes to the fundamentals of trout fishing the time when you are fishing is very often overlooked and this is a big mistake. You want to be on the water fishing when the trout are the most active and thus most likely to be feeding.


3. Organization of Your Gear - When it comes to trout fishing fundamentals the organization of your gear is as important as anything. Why is this the case? Because the more organized your gear is the easier it is to access on the water, which saves you a ton of valuable fishing time. As a fisherman your goal is to spend as much time as possible with your line in the water where the fish are, rather than out of the water while you search for a particular piece of fishing gear. Many trout fisherman (including myself) choose to use a fishing vest to carry all of their trout fishing gear because it is a great way to not only organize it, but also access it easily.

Pay attention to the "little things" such as the ones listed above and you will be a much more successful trout fisherman. Couple this with practicing the fundamentals of the style of trout fishing that you choose to engage in and catching more trout won't be a problem at all.