Trout Fishing Gear 3 Pieces of Gear Every Trout Fisherman Needs to Use

I was taught how to fish for trout more than twenty years ago by my best friends' father, who was the best trout fisherman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, and at that time this man introduced me to some trout fishing gear that has served me well for many years. These 3 pieces of trout fishing gear would be beneficial to any trout angler.
Before I get into the list of gear, I want to discuss how said gear is carried.

For seasoned trout fishermen this might sound incredibly obvious, but in my experience it still needs to be mentioned. The most effective and efficient way to carry your gear while trout fishing is fishing vest. Some fishermen think fishing vests are reserved for our "flea flicking" friends, but nothing could be further from the truth. A fishing vest is what should be used to carry your trout fishing gear. When it comes to fishing for trout traditional tackle boxes are about as useful as a liberal viewpoint on the Fox News Channel.

My point is that your trout fishing gear should be carried in (and on) a fishing vest. So, what the heck are these 3 pieces of fishing gear?

• Sharp & Effective Trout Hooks - First of all, your hooks need to be sharp. If you've gotten snagged or caught a few fish, sharpen or change you hooks. Dull hooks are a major reason why we miss fish. Effective trout hooks are any hook that presents bait in a natural manner. Think about it your bait should look like it dies in nature, and the easiest and most effective trout hooks are called gang hooks. Gang hooks enable you to present your trout bait in an effective and natural manner.
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• A Bait Carrier - To be and efficient and effective trout fisherman your bait need to be at your fingertips, rather than somewhere out of reach. A ton of valuable fishing time is wasted searching for your bait and baiting up, which is where an effective bait carrier comes into play. One you use one for the first time you'll wonder how you ever fished without one and it may become your most important piece of trout fishing gear. A bait carrier is a "must have" item for all river and stream fishermen.
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• Ultra Light Rods/Reels - For almost all trout fishing ultra light rods and reels should be employed. Many trout anglers make the mistake of using rods and reels that are much too heavy for their quarry. When fishing for trout, ultra light rods and reels should be a big part of your trout fishing gear. As a matter of fact, having a couple of rods and reels that are dedicated exclusively to trout fishing is a great idea.

The trout fishing gear just listed should be a part of every angler's trout fishing repertoire. If you don't have any of these items, add them to your inventory sooner rather than later. Being outfitted with the right gear is very important to trout fishing success.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!

Effective Trout Fishing Hooks: http://www.jrwfishing.com/how_to_use_gang_hooks.asp

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Fall Trout Fishing 2 Amazing Trout Fishing Tactics

In this article I will outline a couple of fall trout fishing tactics that have been productive for me over the past twenty five years of fishing. My favorite season for trout fishing is the fall. The weather is nice, the water is usually at a nice level, the rivers and streams are not very crowded, and the trout are hungry as they stock up on food before the cold days of winter set in.

These two trout fishing tactics have always worked particularly well for me in the fall. One of the tactics is for spinners and the other is for live worms. As far as trout fishing tactics are concerned, these are as effective as you will find. Both tactics are best employed in the flowing waters of a small to medium sized river. The type of river where wading is usually necessary for effective fishing.
Let's get down to the tactics so that you can add them to your trout fishing arsenal sooner, rather than later.

1. The Rooster Tail Technique - This tactic is the spinner technique. Although any spinner can be used, my favorite has always been the Rooster Tail spinner. I have always found that darker colors are more effective and in rivers where small frogs are present, green (frog pattern) Rooster tails are a good choice. Basically you want to match the color as much as possible to food sources that occur naturally in the body of water you are fishing. You want to use a bit bigger sizes when trout fishing in the fall, such as 1/16 ounce to ¼ ounce. It's also a good idea to add a barrel swivel to your line to prevent line twist and damage to your line. Split shot sinkers are then added for weight above the barrel swivel. Cast your Rooster Tail parallel to the current, snapping your rod tip is it flows. Then as you reach the end of the drift reel the Rooster Tail in, "snapping" the rod tip as you reel. The erratic "snapping" action elicits a strike in many instances.
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3. The Gang Hook Technique - This trout fishing tactic involves the use of worms (preferably live worms although synthetic worms are effective as well). Incidentally the best way to carry live worms while river fishing is a bait bag, which is a small pouch that hangs from you vest and carries your worms and makes baiting up and re-baiting very easy. Of the two fall trout fishing tactics, this is my personal favorite. Begin by taking the end of your line and tying on a small barrel swivel. Then on the other end of the barrel swivel tie on a set of gang hooks. A live worm (which has been pinched in half in the case of large worms) is then added to the set of gang hooks. Now split shot sinkers are added for weight above the barrel swivel. The goal to this tactic is to have your offering flow naturally with the current as it "rolls" along the bottom. With practice, this trout fishing technique is flat out deadly in the fall of the year.

Both have these trout fishing tactics have helped me catch many trout over the years, and in the fall, many trophy trout. This time of year seems to be best time of the year to catch large trout, and the beauty of nature is hard to beat in the fall, so get out there and put these trout tactics into practice for yourself.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

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Top 10 Things To Stock Your Fishing Vest With

If you're anything like me, you where a fishing vest to carry all of your fishing gear. If you do any walking during your fishing trip, a tackle box just doesn't cut it.

So you need to wear a fishing vest. You can find them at any decent sporting goods store or of course on the internet. I believe this idea began with fly fishermen (or flea flickers as my mentor used to refer to them), but I'm not positive about that. In any case, it's a very convenient idea, and if flea flickers are the reason for it, god bless 'em.

So what do you need to carry in your fishing vest? Pretty much anything that you think you may need on a given fishing excursion. This will vary depending on the type of fish that you're fishing for, but there are some basics. I'll begin with them.

1) Weights and swivels - your going to need weights and swivels of various sizes. I keep them in empty film containers. They are a very convenient way to carry both weights and swivels.

2) Hooks - the same deal on this one, unless you know exactly what type you're going to use. The important thing is to have some back-ups.

3) Spinners/Spoons - your going to want a few small plastic boxes (that fit in the pockets of the vest). Then stock said boxes with spinners and spoons of varying sizes. Make sure you have at least 2 of each option that you choose to carry. Just think of Noah. If the fish are biting on a certain lure, and you get snagged and lose that lure, you'll be glad you have a back-up.

4) Stainless steel pliers or hemostats. This is obviously to remove hooks from the fish's mouth. When I trout fish, I prefer hemostats, but it's totally a preference thing. Just make sure that you carry one of the two.

5) A bait bag of some sort. This is the easiest way to carry live bait. You just hook it on your vest, and you're good to go. If you don't want to buy one from somewhere like JRWfishing.com, just read my other articles to find out how to make one.

6) Matches and/or a lighter in a Ziploc bag. You just never know when you might need a fire. Better safe than sorry.

7) A power bar of some sort. Just like the matches, better safe than sorry when you suddenly get hungry enough to eat a dead horse.

8) A small waterproof flashlight. Just like the previous two, better safe than sorry. If you're 2 miles from your vehicle and it's suddenly dark, you'll be glad you have a flashlight with you.

9) Nail clippers on a retractor. This way your clippers are always right there and ready to go. Your dentist will thank you as well. Dentists aren't too fond of fishermen biting their excess line.

10) A wader repair kit - You only need to pop a hole in your waders one time, when you're 2 miles from your truck and it's 40 degrees and raining outside to know that this ones true. Just take my word for it.

If you have at least these 10 things in your fishing vest, you should be safe and good to go. Of course, you may add things to your hearts desire, but these basics should get you through and make for a very safe and happy fishing trip.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country... Montana!

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Taking My Two and a Half Year Old Daughter Fishing, or Should I Say Rock Throwing?

Have any of you had the pleasure of taking your 2 1/2 year old daughter fishing for the first time? Well actually, it was a rock throwing trip more than a fishing trip, but it showed me what love is. Who knew that a little girl throwing rocks into a flowing river would have anything to do with love?

I find it so ironic that I used to think I knew what love was. That was before Cameron came into this world though. Since she's been around, things have changed. Hell, I was married for 7 years and didn't have a clue what love was about. I of course would have told you that I did. And I truly believed that I did as well.

It's not that I was consciously lying to everyone around me. Not at all. I really, really, really thought I knew. But then I found myself standing next to a flowing river with my daughter, on her first river fishing trip. I was tossing a worm around trying to fool a trout, and after watching me for about 5 minutes, Cameron had seen enough of this "fishing" thing. It was time for rock throwing to begin.

And she threw rocks for the better part of 2 hours, while dad spent the time drowning a worm. I was so engulfed in being with her, talking to her, showing her the few trout that I did mange to catch, that I suddenly realized: This is what love is.

Not caring that someone was throwing rocks into the water in the place where I'm trying to catch a fish, is love. At least in my weird, messed up perception of the world. There's no doubt about it. There was a time that a little kid throwing rocks into the water where I was fishing would have sent me into a tirade. But not this time. I was as happy as she was, and I suppose that's what it's all about. Although if that kid weren't my daughter, I'm not sure the realization would have been the same.

Not to mention the fact that anytime I say, "Cam, do you want to go fishing?" now, she starts jumping up and down screaming, "Yes, Yes, Yes". For a guy who has a fairly serious fishing addiction, this little jewel of information may be better than discovering what love is. She will happily go fishing, or I should say rock throwing anytime that I feel like it. That has to be one of the best things to ever happen to me. Well, to be truthful, Cam is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, and raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.

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Tips To Help You Catch More Fish While River Fishing

In my opinion, the most important thing to remember while river fishing is not to spook the water that you're about to fish. I've seen entirely too many anglers do this very thing. For example, they'll wade 1/4 of the way out into the river and begin fishing. Thus leaving themselves standing in the very water they probably should have fished first.

The first tip is: When river fishing, remember to work the area that you want to fish in "sections". Don't just jump in and start fishing in the spot that you think looks the best. And don't just fish the water directly below where you're wading. Make your casts into the current then let your live bait or lure flow with the current until it is finally below you, keeping your line as tight as possible the entire time. Repeat this step while varying the length of your casts in order to cover the water entirely.

The second tip is: When river fishing, while using live bait, the bottom is your friend. As my mentor used to say, "if you're not getting snagged, you're not fishing in the right place!" The goal is to bounce you're live bait off of the bottom as it drifts naturally through the current (JRW Gang Hooks are the most natural way to present a worm in my opinion). This is accomplished by adjusting the number of split shot sinkers you add to your line. Start with two and make a cast. If you don't feel bottom throughout your drift, add another on the next cast and so on. Once you're bouncing bottom, you'll be able to feel it. And with practice, you'll be able to tell the difference between the bottom and a bite with ease.

The third tip is: Look for deeper water. For the most part you'll want to spend 80% of your time on any given river fishing trip, fishing the deeper parts of the river. Deeper edges and riffles and of course pools are where a majority of the fish will congregate(especially in hotter weather. You don't want to get caught spending 80% of your time fishing the shallow riffles and 20% of your time fishing the beautiful pool below the riffles. And the deeper edges along most riffles (especially in the bend of the river) are generally more productive as well. Just remember: for the most part, deeper is better.

The fourth tip is: Match your fishing gear to the type of fish that your fishing for. I've seen all too many anglers out on my local stream fishing for rainbow trout with gear that would enable them to hook and land a small mako shark! My personal preference is a five foot ultra light rod and reel spooled with 4 lb. test. If this would be too "small" for you, a 6 foot light action rod spooled with 6lb. test would suffice, but any larger is complete overkill. If you're going river fishing for fall steelhead, obviously your going to need larger fishing gear. Just make sure to match it to what you're fishing for. I don't need to see any more shark fishermen on my local trout stream.

These tips should save you time, and with any luck, help you catch more fish as well. So get out there and do just that. And remember what a very wise person once said, "a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work." Amen!

Trevor Kugler Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, 15 years of business experience and currently raises his 3-year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country......Montana.

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To Catch & Release Or Not Catch & Release

This question may not be as thought provoking as Shakespeare's, but I think it's one of the main reasons that I love fishing so much. The fact that I can hook a fish, battle said fish for 20 minutes, then release it unharmed, back into the water. The entire act just appeals to me for some reason. If I could do the same thing with an animal, I'd probably hunt, but I can't.

But is there anything wrong with catching a few Rainbow Trout or Stripers and keeping them for dinner? Absolutely not. To catch a few fish for dinner is another reason many people fish. In fact this reason is probably just as important to some people as mine is to me. So there you have it. I suppose there is no right answer. Other than following a few tips so that if you do decide to release that fish, it doesn't get harmed.

1) Always wet your hands before handling the fish.

2) Try to keep the fish in the water as you remove the hook.

3) If you take the fish out of the water, get it back in as quickly as possible.

4) If you're fishing in current, face the fish into the current until it swims out of your hands. If you're in a boat or lake fishing, gently rock the fish back and forth to get water flowing through its gills.

These tips should help that fish that you just caught live to fight another day. And even if you're keeping a few for dinner, I'm sure that you would prefer the ones that you do release will be there for the next time you fish. And don't forget, only keep there amount of fish that you and your family are going to eat. Having a bunch of frozen fish sit in your freezer for a couple of years, only to eventually be thrown away doesn't make much sense. And who among us hasn't done just that?

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing and founder of yourmoneyconnection.com Trevor has more than 15 years of business experience and currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country - Montana.

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Fishing Stream Fishing for Trout Match Your Fishing Gear to Trout

One of the biggest mistakes that I see on rivers and streams throughout the country is people fishing on a nice trout stream with fishing equipment that would enable them to fight and land a 25 pound striped bass! This is often overlooked as a reason people are unsuccessful, but it shouldn't be. You're fishing equipment, meaning your rod, reel, line size, hook size, etc. It's all of critical importance to the outcome of your next fishing excursion.

Let's begin with an example: If you're fishing for trout out of your local trout stream, you know that the likelihood of you hooking into a 5 pound rainbow trout is very slim. Therefore line any larger than 6 pound test is overkill. Six pound test means that the line will stand up to at least six pounds of pressure before breaking. Also consider that the bend of the rod helps take pressure off of the line as well. So six pound test is more than strong enough for your local trout stream. I just don't know if I can take seeing another "bird's nest" of old line on my local trout stream that is obviously 10 pound test!
For this example a rod bigger than light action is overkill as well. A decent light action rod should do the trick. The lighter action the rod and line, the more bites you will be able to detect as well. I personally use a five foot ultra light rod, spooled with four pound test for almost all of my trout fishing, but some people do think I'm a few bricks short of a load. Oh well, it's always worked for me.

What about hook size for the above example? I've been out on the local trout stream and seen anglers (although I use the term loosely) trying to thread a night crawler onto a size 4 hook! You know what this creates don't you? This creates the ever popular "worm ball"! I could go the rest of my days without ever seeing another "worm ball". I personally use a size 10 hook. Well actually two size 10 hooks tied in tandem. It creates the most natural presentation possible, and alleviates the dreaded "worm ball". And let me tell you something; I've caught some very large fish on size 10 hooks! Much larger than you might think is possible. So match your hook size to what you're fishing for as well.

Now you might be saying, "This is all fine and dandy on my local trout stream, but...." I know what you're thinking. What if you're after a bit larger quarry? Let's use another example. How about trolling for Pike in Northern Ontario? A five foot ultra light rod, spooled with four pound test, isn't going to enable you to land much more than your bait for these bad boys. But remember, the same principles apply.

In this scenario the likelihood of hooking into a Northern Pike any larger than 25 pounds is very slim. Therefore, as with the other example, 20 pound test should be more than enough. If you're squeamish, go with 25 pound test, but that should do it. Remember, the larger in diameter the fishing line, the easier it is for the fish to see. So in this example, I would say to use a medium to medium/heavy action rod with an appropriate reel attached. Then spool said reel with 18-20 pound test line. I personally always tend to go as light as possible. I guess it's just in my blood. I just don't need to see any more yea-hoo's out there trolling for Pike with a surf casting setup.

The bottom line is this: Match your equipment, reel, line, hell all you're fishing gear to the size and type of fish that you're fishing for and we'll all be better off. Not to mention the fact that you'll catch more fish and probably have more fun.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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Are You Really Ready To Fish

Has anyone had the experience of getting to your favorite trout stream, wading out into the water, then reaching into one of your pockets to add a couple of split shot to your line, only to then realize that you don't have any with you! Son of a bit.......!!!! This is no fun. Having your fishing equipment stocked up ready to go is paramount to your enjoyment.

One of my mottos is, "if you think you have enough of whatever type of terminal tackle that you may use, add one more package." For most of my river fishing excursions, I will almost exclusively use, split shot sinkers, swivels, gang hooks, and live bait (mostly worms). That's really all of the fishing gear that I need with me, but I need plenty of it. With the style of fishing I learned from my mentor, you get snagged a lot. And that means that you retie quite a bit. And that means that to have extra stuff, rather than not enough.

It's always a good idea to have extra line with you as well. I've seen many, many anglers who don't change their line nearly enough. I personally use four pound test, and with the amount of fishing I do, I have to change my line at least once a month. When fishing with line this small, catching one big fish can all but ruin it. So having an extra spool or two of line with you, it's a must. This way you can just change your line on the bank of the river, rather than having to go home.

I can't lie here though. Although split shot, gang hooks, swivels, and live bait are the fishing equipment I use most, I also have a couple of small boxes of spinners, spoons, and rapala's in my vest as well. After all, I am an angler, and as we all know you can never have enough crap. But there are days when the fish just won't even look at a worm, and for example, the only thing that you can catch them on is a 1/8 ounce black Rooster Tail. I've had this exact experience before.

I caught 18" Rainbow Trout every second or third cast on a black Rooster Tail, and I hadn't even gotten a bump on anything else for three hours. And during the time that I was catching those trout, I got snagged and lost my Rooster tail. Now what do you think might have happened if I didn't have another one that was exactly the same in my vest? It wouldn't have been good if there had been children within earshot, because the profanities would have been flying. But as it was, all was well, because I always carry back-ups. I would suggest that you do the same.

How about wading a mile and a half downstream in 40 degree weather and realizing that there's a hole in your waders? Oh yea, this is no fun either. To be truly ready to wade fish, for god's sake, carry a patch kit in your vest as well. If anything like this happens to you, you'll be thanking old TK. Hopefully I've given you something to consider at least.

Trevor Kugler is Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience as well as 15 years of business experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.
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