Are you interested in learning how to fish for trout?
Trout fishing is a great way to get started with fishing as most popular lakes stock trout increasing an angler’s chance of catching these fish.
This beginner’s guide to trout fishing will cover all the basics to get you started so you can begin catching your own tasty trout.
Where to Find Trout
Most species of trout are found in cold fresh water and often swim up and down moving bodies of water.
Wild trout are naturally swimming up and down rivers and creeks so finding and catching them is recommended for more experienced anglers.
In this guide, we will cover how to fish for trout in a lake as these fish are commonly stocked or “dumped” in local lakes and ponds.
Below you can see how they stock fish into a lake:
This Trout Stocking Guide will show you the easiest way to find where trout are near you.
Each state and region stocks trout at different times and intervals not to mention there are over 11 different species of trout, including rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout so it’s helpful to research where to fish before you embark on your first trip.
How to Get Started Trout Fishing
You only need a basic fishing setup to start trout fishing which includes:
- Fishing Rig:
- Pole
- Reel
- Line
- Lures
- Bait (optional)
Trout Fishing Rig
You have a lot of options when selecting your fishing pole and reel to create a fishing rig.
Just walking down the isles at your local Walmart, tackle shop, or sporting goods store you can see that this is where it’s easy to spend more than you need to get started.
When selecting a new rod or combination set, look for a 6 to 8 foot pole that has Medium action.
These make for great all purpose poles that you can use for other types of fishing.
Depending on the store and ongoing sales, you can expect to spend between $30 and $60 to find a reasonable trout fishing combo set.
Trout Fishing Lures
Fishing lures are artificial fishing bait used to attract fish by imitating what they would eat.
Lures are an active way to fish meaning you cast out and reel in when fishing.
This method is usually more fun since you are trying to figure out where the fish are and what lure interests them.
Below is a list of the top trout fishing lures for beginners and be sure to checkout the Best Trout Fishing Lures for 2020.
Top 5 Trout Fishing Lures
You will find these lures on almost every top trout fishing list and for good reason.
Use the 1/8 ounce or 1/4 ounce sizes since those have the best balance of enough weight to cast from shore yet still small enough to fit in a trout’s mouth.
Trout magnets are another one of those lures that show up on almost all of the top bait lists for trout.
They look so simple that they wouldn’t work but once you put one on with the tiny, slanted, shad jig head – the trout start going crazy.
The trick is that the unique jig head causes these worm like lures to dance in the water as they sink in the water.
These lures are legendary in the trout fishing scene and you will almost always find one of these lures in an angler’s tackle box.
Go with the 1/8 ounce or 1/4 ounce spinners.
Just cast and reel in which causes the blade to spin and produce a thumping noise.
Mepps Aglia spinners have come an American icon as these lures are extremely effective trout catchers.
Another lure that has a spinning blade which creates a thumping noise as it gets reeled in through the water.
Try sizes 0, 1, 2 and 3.
This is another lure that shows up on every top lure list for any fresh waster fish including trout.
The Rapala Original Floater is a simple reel and jerk type lure that causes them to wobble and hover that drives fish nuts.
Start off with the size 7 lure and adjust based on the fish size.
Trout Fishing Bait
The bait section will show the more passive way to fish for trout meaning you cast out and wait for the fish to bite your bait.
A normal setup with bait involves a bobber that suspends your bait in the water.
If you are using powerbait or some other bait that floats then you can attach weights above your bait.
This will cause your bait to suspend off the bottom of the water since your weight will sink to the bottom while your bait will float.
The theme with bait fishing is to make sure your bait is floating in the middle of the water so the fish can bite it.
Below is a short list of common baits used for trout fishing.
Moldable bait that you can roll into a ball and place over a treble or single hook.
This bait floats so it’s best used with a slip weight above the leader so that the line sinks allowing the bait to suspend in the water.
A bobber can also be used but a weight must be placed beneath so it will pull the bait down into the water.
Another Berkley PowerBait item that simply works with trout.
Place this artificial worm onto your hook like you would a real night crawler. Just cast out with a bobber and wait for the trout to strike.
Live Bait
There is a long list of live bait that you can use including worms, minnows, eggs, insects, frogs, crayfish, and so on.
Check with your state and local fishing authorities to see which live bait is legal to use.
Final Step to Trout Fishing
Now that you have you have gone through this Trout Fishing for Beginners Guide and have fully setup your trout fishing rig, bait, and have picked your fishing spot.
The only thing remaining is to go out there and start fishing for trout!
Thanks for reading and I hope this helps get you started Trout Fishing.
Make sure to Pin this if you find this article helpful:
