Leaders and the type of line you use can make or break your Trout Fishing Experience.Trout are extremely finicky and spook easily. They’re very “nervous” and “stressed out” so any detail that you may question, may be causing the fish to think twice before biting. Think about it, they’re normally shallow water fish, in their native habitats they’re in clear water, easy prey for high flying birds to swoop down from hundreds of feet and end their aquatic lives. Ok whether or not they think about that or not isn’t the point. It doesn’t change the fact that trout are very anxious by nature and we have to respect that quality if we are going to successfully fish them.With that in mind, we have to respect and accept the fact that although using light line may result in line breaks, the balancing act between setting the correct drag and landing the fish is part of the challenge.
Line
If you’re in extremely clear waters, 2 lb. test monofilament line is an absolute must. Even using 4 lb. line with lures is questionable, but try to stick to the 2 lb. test, especially if the fish are under extra pressure; bad weather, lots of fishermen, noise, recent stock and the like contribute to stressing the fish out. Think about it, if the fish can see the line, they’re going to question it, if they question it; they’re not going to bite. Imagine seeing a plate of food on a table with a line tied to it, are you going to eat it? Trout may be considered “dumb animals” but they are “smart fish.”
Leaders
Most fishermen agree that a leader of 8-12 inches is acceptable. But consider going 12-18 inches in clearer water and 6-8 inches in waters with low visibility. Why? Again, stress! When they can’t see very far, they tend to stick to the bottom, and when conditions are clear, they feel a bit more comfortable closer to the surface. It’s like walking in the dark, having a wall nearby gives you a sense of direction, stability and comfort than blindly walking around in the dark. Try it, close your eyes and walk around your room, you might find yourself worried about bumping into things.
This simple change in your tackle and trout fishing approach should make a difference in your catch numbers, if anything you’ll see an increase in bites. Good Luck.
Trout Fishing Blues
Conservation is integral to the future of fishing. There’s nothing that bothers me more than to see littered shorelines, docks, piers and water. It doesn’t take much on each individual’s part to make an effort to keep our waters and habitats clean for future fishing as well as for our future kids and generations which I’m sure we all would love to take on a fishing trip.