There is no better time of the year to fish than the fall in my opinion. Fishing in the fall has always been my most productive time of the year as well. I'm not sure of the scientific reason for this, but it's always seemed to me that the fish are "stocking up" on food before the really cold weather sets in. At least this is how it seems in the rivers and streams of the west. Once the really cold weather sets in, the fishes metabolism slows to a point that they simply don't eat as much (which obviously means that catching them is that much more difficult). This is surely how it seems to be in the rivers and streams, which is why fishing in the fall (before the really cold weather) is so productive.

Another big selling point for fishing in the fall is the fact that the scenery is so beautiful. As the leaves begin changing color, it sometimes seems as if you're fishing inside of a painting, which is always a cool feeling. Yep, for me fishing in the fall is as good as it gets. So while other outdoors people are turning their attention to chasing animals in the woods and birds in the fields, you may want to get serious about fishing as the fall kicks into gear?

I know I've caught almost all of my trophy fish in the fall as well. Fishing in the fall can be incredibly productive, and as far as big fish go, there may be no better time of the year to wet a line. My fishing mentor (who incidentally was the best trout angler I've ever known) believed wholeheartedly in fishing for trophy trout in the fall. He fished for trout all year long, but concentrated his efforts for BIG trout, in the fall of the year. This may not be a bad idea fore you, if you like catching trophy fish?

In the fall, as the weather starts to cool, it becomes increasingly important to pay attention to both the weather and moon as well. There may be no two more important factors than the weather nad the moon, when it comes to fishing. Many anglers don't realize this, and you can get more information about the the weather, moon, & fishing here. Honestly, these two factors can make as much difference in the amount and size of the fish you catch as what type of bait you use.

The bottom line in all of this is that fishing in the fall can be as good as it gets. As the fish stock up on food before winter, you can have some of your best fishing days of the entire year. Don't forget to have some pre-tied gang hooks with you as well. Remember, there is no better way to present a live worm as bait than a set of gang hooks. Not only this, but you'll also be fishing in some of the most beautiful scenery of the entire year when you go fishing in the fall.

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

trout fishing

Trout fishing is not rocket science as many make it out to be, in fact anyone can fish for and catch trout with a minimum amount of knowledge and skill. So lets take a look at the basics of trout fishing and what you will need to go out there and start catching trout today.

The gear you will need to get started is very basic and can be bought at just about any department store, like Wallmart, or Kmart. You don't need the highest priced gear to start catching trout, so if your on a budget, or just don't want to invest allot of money your in luck. There are however some things you need to consider before purchasing any equipment for trout fishing.

Lets start with some things you need to look for in a rod and reel, that will make them suitable for trout fishing. First and for most is size, fishing a small trout stream with a medium heavy bass fishing outfit just wont fly! When going for trout, small and light is generally better. A 4' 6" micro light to a 6' 6" medium action rod and reel combo will work best for most trout fishing applications. Take into consideration the size of the water you will be fishing, a 6' 6" medium action combo is better able to handle larger waters like small rivers. Where as a smaller ultra light combo will work better on smaller more confined fishing situations, like small mountain streams and so fourth.

Trout can be very fickle and easily spooked, I don't recommend any line over 6Lb test for any trout fishing situation. You will find there is an almost overwhelming selection of fishing lines to choose from. Keep it basic and simple, a common, high quality mono in 4lb to 6lb test will work just fine in most situations.

As the title implies "Trout Fishing, Guide To Getting Started," I am going to keep things as simple and basic as possible when it comes to the tackle your going to need to catch trout. Lets assemble a tackle box with just the basics that you will need to get out there and start trout fishing successfully.

A small to medium sized tackle box, bag or vest is a must. I would suggest staying away from anything you cant wear. Go with a decent hip type tackle system, or an inexpensive fishing vest with lots of pockets. Chances are you will be doing allot of moving around, lugging around a tackle box by hand, while crawling over fallen timber or through brush can be a real pain!

You have your tackle box, now lets fill it! A small assortment of bait hooks is a must and as with the rest of your trout fishing gear they have to be small. Most places that sell fishing gear also sell assorted packages of hooks. These are great for the beginner, you'll save time and money buying like this. Just make sure the hooks are high quality hooks. This is one area you do not want to cut any corners, sharp hooks are a must when it comes to any type of fishing. While I'm on the subject of assorted tackle packages, also grab an assorted package of split shot sinkers.

We could really stop right there and you would have everything you need to actually get out there and start catching trout, aside from bait. Though there are a few other items I'm going to suggest you fill your tackle bag with. So lets run through them really quick.

You should have a pair of needle nose pliers, a stringer (if you plan on keeping your catch), a net and fingernail clippers.

Once you get moving with the basics, you will no doubt want to start trying different baits and lures. There is an endless selection of trout fishing lures out there, so dig in and play around. Find what works best for you and fish it.