When I was a child, my first trout fishing adventures were in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The streams there are cool, relatively small, and the fish are stocked each year, though that doesn't mean there isn't a native wild population (there is).
I used to go out into the woods early in the morning as a relatively small child, along with a small rod, reel, and a massive scientific array of lures and baits stuffed in my pockets. The rod and reel that I used are very similar to the set shown at the Amazon link to the right. I would try just about anything to catch those fish. Trout do make great meals, and I may even include a few of grandma's old recipes on here eventually.
Most of my trout fishing back then was done on a small creek. The first thing to know about trout fishing is that it is vital to be very quiet. You will often times be fishing on very small, clear bodies of water, and any loud noises (or even sudden movements!) could easily scare the fish away. It really is an amazing experience fishing for trout when you can see them sitting on the bottom of a creek a few feet away from you.
The other thing to know about trout is that they can be very finicky. Some days, it can be nearly impossible to catch them on anything but live bait. Some days, you may be out of luck with nightcrawlers, especially if a lot of people in the area have been fishing with worms recently. The best advice that I can give as far as that goes is to do what I did - carry an arsenal.
Although I used to only carry one rod back then, I carried a massive array of fishing lures and baits held in tiny tackle boxes that would fit in my pockets. Let me go over a few of them.
Nightcrawlers/Red Worms
These guys work pretty well, the only problem is keeping them alive and in good condition. Many people don't understand this initially, as their early experience of fishing is sitting around a lake fishing off a dock or something similar. However worms don't tend to keep very well in a pocket or backpack when you're hiking around the woods, following a stream a few miles up or downstream to try and find where the fish are at today. That being said, they are steadfast, reliable and will catch fish year round, everywhere in the country. Generally when I used them I'd dig them up from the ground in areas near the creek.
Salmon Eggs
Salmon eggs can be great. You need to use a very small hook, and they are generally best when you are in a situation where you can see the fish. That way you can simply cast the eggs upstream, drift them down past the trout, then reel it in and do the same thing again. They are also easier to carry as they come in baby food sized jars.
Powerbait & Similar
These are sometimes oddly colored, strange smelling globs, chunks, or pastes that come in jars or pouches. They are meant to be globbed onto a hook and cast out. I have found that these can sometimes work well, however they are at their best when you allow a line to drift downstream, and then simply leave the bait in the water for an extended amount of time. The scent will carry downstream and then attract fish. This is how I have caught some of my biggest trout.
Small In-Line Spinning Lures
These lures are very simple to use, you just cast them downstream, then slowly reel them in against the current. It can be difficult to use these in areas with a lot of tree debris or brush on the bottom, but it can be manageable. These lures work best when the trout are not hungry, to get the trout to strike out of aggression, territoriality or sheer curiosity.
Small Jigs
To be honest, I always carried a small selection of these, but never had much luck catching trout while creek fishing for them. I'd catch perhaps a fish here or there. I imagine these are most viable in the cooler months, when a slow presentation is best, but if you're simply looking to catch fish, live baits or salmon eggs tend to work best.
Live Minnows
These work to catch the larger trout. I used to tie these on at a regular basis whenever I would go fish on a spot on the stream where it would widen out, and deepen to around eight feet. The water murked there as it approached the Susquehanna River, so I couldn't see the fish. I'd put minnows on, and catch some truly lunker trout out of that pool. I also caught smallmouth bass, carp, pickerel and other general oddities out of that pool. In summary, minnows are good for trout fishing, but only if you're fishing in an area you know to have trout big enough to eat them!
Flies & Fly Fishing
Eventually on my journey through trout fishing, I got my first fly fishing rod. You can find a few great fly fishing rods in the links to the right of the page. Fly fishing changes trout fishing fundamentally, as it is another great tool in your arsenal. I learned how to tie flies, and that made the experience all the better. It is somehow primitively satisfying to create your own lures, catch fish on them, then feed to sustain yourself. Or at least have a nice weekend meal.
Fly fishing involves using a thick line with a leader, then tie a small fly on the end. Not a live fly, a hook with feathers and stuff tied to it. =) The line gives you the weight to cast. You have gently 'whip' the line back, and then forward to land the fly on the water. You generally toss the fly out there and let it drift downstream, over the heads of hungry trout hopefully. For more fly fishing strategy you can check out the book I have listed to the right.
That's all for today, check back again soon for more Trout Fishing Strategy, Tips, Tricks and Advice right here!
