Trout fishing tackle and bait explained.

This is a basic look at different types of trout fishing bait and tackle for people who are interested in taking up the sport.

When you are going trout fishing there are lots of different types of bait and three main tackle set ups. The three main type of trout fishing tackle are bait, spinning and fly. Bait fishing is the least physically demanding type of trout fishing you use a small hook, weight and swivel the weights I use tend to be slit shot this means you can add weight more easily if your bait is buoyant or there is a current moving the bait around. The swivel is there to allow the hook and bait to move around unimpaired by the main fishing line this type of trout fishing is good for beginners as it is very simple.

The second way to fish for trout is spinning this involves you repeatedly casting out a lure and bringing it back in this tricks the trout into thinking it is a small fish that it can eat leading to a strike. As you have to keep casting the lure out it is much more physically demanding than bait fishing but it allows you to stalk the fish. For spinning you need a swivel two foot line then a snap swivel that allows you to change your lure very easily with this type of fishing you do not use a weight as the lure is designed to be its own weight. There are two main types of lures floating and sinking you use floating in shallow water then sinking in deep water. Popular types of lures include Rapala’s and the banjo minnow. This type of trout fishing is more difficult and physically demanding so beginners should start with bait fishing first before moving onto spinning.

The third type of trout fishing is fly fishing this can be difficult to learn and should only be attempted once you have mastered bait and spinning. To fly fish you need a special type of rod and line which tend to be much more expensive than spinning rods (Spinning rods are used for bait fishing). Fly fishing lines are thicker than spinning lines, at the end a thin length of line is added called the leader and a very small hook made to look like an insect is then attached to the thin line. The hooks known as fly’s can be very intricate a lot of fly fishermen tie their own fly’s to resemble what insects the trout are feeding on. The casting is the hardest thing to learn as you have to flick the line back and then forwarded using the bend of the rod sending the line out across the water you bring the line back in the same way as in spinning. It can take many years to master the casting in fly fishing and is by far the hardest type of trout fishing you can do. As you are flicking a hook back and forward you should always have eye protection on taking care also not to hit anyone passing with the hook.