Trout are a very enjoyable species of fish to spend your time trying to catch. In this article, I'm going to discuss some tips that should help you catch more trout. When I speak of trout, I'm referring to the basic trout species that can be found throughout the United States. These species would include: Rainbow, Brown, Brook, Cutthroat, and Bull Trout. Although there are variations in temperament, colors, and size within these groups of trout, the methods for trying to catch them are similar. Below are some general trout fishing tips to help you catch more of any or all of the species listed above, especially in river and stream situations.

Size Matters - When it comes to trout fishing, the size of your gear and bait matter. In most trout fishing situations, ultra light to light gear and bait is the way to go. Unless of course you happen to be fishing for the monster Great Lakes visiting Brown Trout of the Midwest, in which case heavier gear will be necessary. I personally use a 5 foot ultra light rod and ultra light reel spooled with four for almost all of my trout fishing, and catch very large trout on a setup just like this. As far as hooks, the biggest I use for trout fishing with live bait is size 10. When it comes to lures, small lures are what you want to use as well. I personally don't normally fish for trout with spinners and spoons that are bigger than ¼ ounce. And minnow-type plugs shouldn't exceed four inches long, in my opinion when fishing for trout.

Clothing Matters - In river and stream situations when the angler is wading in an attempt to catch fish, the color of your clothing matters. Loud colors or even plain white, stand out and the fish will be able to see you. I always wear drab colors to blend in with the background as much as possible. Trout in rivers and streams can become vary wary of anglers, so not standing out works to the anglers' advantage. Simply pick a t-shirt that's brown or grey. As apposed to bright red or bright white.

Smell Matters - I'm not talking about the kind of deodorant you use. I'm speaking of the scent on your hands. All varieties of trout have a very sensitive sense of smell and can detect unnatural odors. For example, if you smoke, when you're done with a cigarette your hands smell like an ashtray. This smell then transfers to whatever you touch (if you don't believe me, just ask a non smoker if this is the case.) Therefore, when you touch the bait or lure to attach it to your hook or line, that scent gets on your bait! This will cost you a ton of bites. In most situations a trout will "sniff" the bait before biting it. If it stinks like an ashtray, there will be no biting. I suggest both grabbing a handful of weeds or dirt and rubbing it in your hands periodically, just in case any unnatural scants are on your hands. This simple tip will result in more bites.

Presentation Matters - Trout are a very intelligent species of fish. Whatever bait you chose to use must be presented in the most natural way possible. This is especially true with live bait. You want your bait to look as natural as possible. This is why I use a set of pre-tied gang hooks, because they enable me to present my live bait in an amazingly natural way. With trout in a river or stream situation, presentation matters as much as any other single aspect.

If you begin using these tips, you will start catching more trout. Actually, all I can promise is that you will get more bites, the setting of the hook, and actually fighting the trout, are in your hands