Fishing World

Archive for February, 2010

If you’ve done any research at all, you’ve surely seen that trout fishing lures come in a vast array of options. At some level, the trout fishing lures you choose to work with will be based on your individual tastes. Of course, your preferences and tastes will be driven by your level of experience, comfort with the various choices, and also what you think the fish are drawn to on any given excursion.

Among the most popular of trout fishing lures is the spinner. This is the gear that’s in play if you’ve heard people talk about going spinner fishing, just as you know people are using some sort of flies if they are fly fishing. Spinners are a class of trout fishing lures that are intended to imitate like the types of prey the fish eat in their natural habitat. But don’t be confused, because the spinners can mimic the prey without necessarily looking like them. At any rate, what you really want to do is have a nice selection of tout fishing lures so you can adjust for whatever curve balls are thrown your way and roll with the punches.

Keep in mind that the season will also be a factor when you are choosing among trout fishing lures. For instance, trout tend to hover near the bottom during spring, and they move more slowly after the cold of winter. The best bait may just be something that strikes a balance between getting snagged on the bottom and zipping by overhead. And when the creeks and rivers of bursting with snow melt and runoff, you can do well with spinners and worm rigs. A worm with a non-weighted spinner works good. Allow it to scoot along the bottom, with maybe just a bit of split-shot.

Other popular trout fishing lures, alongside spinners, are the spoons. The spoons have, as you might guess, spoon-shaped ends that wobble when they are reeled in. Due to this, they resemble a bait fish. The main thing to note is that the immediate feeding patterns of the fish will dictate whether or not it’s appropriate to use spoons. Interestingly, trout are more inclined to attack a spoon when there aren’t as many bait fish around. Note that your spoons offer a wide array of options, with different shapes, weights, sizes, etc. I prefer to use something that is a bit heavier in early spring, as long as it is under one inch in length.

Trout fishing lures commonly include not only spinners and spoons, but also rooster tails too. These are created to resemble minnows, which are a popular food that occur naturally for trout, and the rooster tails will usually have several inches of hair at the end. These come in a number of different varieties, and they are found in versions that float on top and others that will dive down. You can manipulate the front of the lure to cause it to dive to various levels. You just have to be cautious when doing the, because they can break easily.

While this might sound like a lot to consider, actually choosing the best trout fishing lures is only the start. There’s a whole new realm that deals with casting. It’s beyond the scope of this article, but note that it’s usually best to cast upstream if you are using spinners. You can maximize the use of the natural currents this way and fish across a wide stretch of creek. At the end of the day, just keep searching until you find what works, but avoid getting lured into buying everything in sight. Then, when you get something that is working, roll with it!

Fly fishing is one of the most challenging sports to try and yet one of the most rewarding to master. Consider with me if you will; you are standing in the water of a smooth running river, the sound of the water is the only sound you can hear for miles except for the bugs humming around the water. You are surrounded by trees and its all capped with a crystal blue sky. Sounds great doesn’t it?

This is something that fly anglers experience just about every time they head out with fly rod in hand. The key as a beginner, is to have patience to learn the sport. As a beginner fly fishing enthusiast you must learn a great deal to have success, which ultimately will foster your overall enjoyment for the sport. What are some of the things that a beginner needs to know?

Let’s start by understanding that fly fishing is a new technique of freshwater fishing than you may have learned as a kid. One of the key differences that takes a bit of getting used to is the fact that the line is what has weight, not the lure. Fly fishing line is intended to transport a nearly weightless fly out to a specific position on the water. Try to wrap your mind around the idea of casting the line, not the fly. You can do this if you make the rod and extension of your arm throughout your cast.

So, let’s talk about your cast a bit more. Start by using your dominant hand to hold the rod. Hold the rod in such a way that either your forefinger or thumb runs parallel with the rod and is pointing toward the tip. With your other hand pull the line out of your reel. Do this slowly and in small increments, moving the rod back and forth as you do so. You may be surprised to learn that the energy generated from the movement of the rod is actually going to pull the line off the reel. This increasing length of line and the energy from the rod movement will provide you most of what you need get that fly out there on the water in the position you want. A key point to remember with this motion is that the length of your back and forth motion with the rod will increase as you build up energy for the cast. If you were to use a clock as a point of reference, your forward motion would find the tip of your rod in the “10 o’clock” position and your rearward motion would find the tip of your rod in the “2 o’clock” position.

Another consideration for the beginner fly angler is to have and wear the proper clothing and gear. You might ask, “why is this important?” There are any number of reason, not the least of which are comfort and safety. Having the proper vest for example, not only gives the angler plenty of space for equipment, but provides protection for the elements and insects. Another piece of gear often thought to be merely for comfort is a good pair of polarized shades. They definitely provide comfort, but they will also assist you to see the fish in the water as well as protect you from the sun’s harmful UV rays and the “stray fly” from a poorly placed cast.

The bottom line is, knowledge is the key to your success with fly fishing. Nothing comes easy if you don’t understand it. Increasing your knowledge will certainly help to increase your success as a fly angler.