When it comes to fishing, especially in the spring of the year, fishing for trout is a very popular activity. The issue with trout fishing is that many anglers have no idea how to rig a trout line for trout fishing. In this article I will outline some tips concerning how to rig a trout line for fishing in the flowing water of a river or stream, the best place to fish for trout in my humble opinion. Many anglers make the mistake of thinking that using the same gear/outfit that is used for other types of fishing will be effective for trout fishing. The problem is that most fishing gear is much too heavy for trout, and thus is no way to rig a trout line.
The first key to rigging a trout line effectively for fishing in rivers is the size of fishing rod and reel that is used. When fishing for trout ultra light rods and reels should always be employed. Ultralight rods and reels give you the ability to use light line effectively, and the use of light line is a key to how to rig a trout line. The bottom line is that if you want to rig a trout line in any kind of effective manner, an ultra light rod and reel need to be used.
Now that you have the proper sized rod and reel, light line is the next key to learning how to rig a trout line. For more than two decades I have been using four pound test monofilament with great success. Some trout fishermen use line as light as two pound test and line as heavy as six pound test is also used by some anglers. Any fishing line heavier than six pound test monofilament should be avoided when fishing for trout.
The next key is to always attach your hooks or trout lure to your line by using a small swivel of some sort. When using lures, this means that a leader (or length of fishing line) needs to be added to the opposite end of the swivel. In other words your trout lure is tied to the leader, rather than directly to your line, with the swivel in between. This prevents line twist and allows the trout lure to perform as it is designed to perform.
In the case of bait fishing with hooks, gang hooks should be used (especially if live worms are the bait). Gang hooks are tied on a twelve to eighteen inch leader, which makes attaching your hooks to the swivel easy. If you want to know how to rig a trout line for bait fishing, gang hooks are the answer because they are tied with a leader attached.
Once your gang hooks or trout lure is attached to the swivel, split shot sinkers are added above the swivel for weight. The number and size of the split shot will vary depending on current flow and water depth. Adding weight is a trial and error process, so start with a couple of split shot and add or remove them as needed. The ultimate goal is to have your offering tap or touch the bottom of the river as it flows with the current.
The bottom line is that if these tips are adhered to, you will never again have to ask how to rig a trout line for river fishing, you will know. Now get out there and put these tips into action. The more time that you can spend on the water using these tips the better off you will be. Not to mention the fact that you will also catch a ton more trout.