Trout fishing is a bit of a special game for all anglers. With different opening times and specific fishing areas, trout fishing feels like a world apart, with its own techniques and its own rules.
The ways in which this fish is sought after are particularly interesting and highly varied, as our collection of trout fishing products shows. Whether you fish in a river, lake or even reservoir, you'll have different ways of approaching your technique and your fishing.
You can also fish with lures. Once you've got the right rod, reel, line and a few lures, you'll be ready to take on whitewater. Spoons, small hard bait or even insect imitations will be at your service depending on the conditions.
The more purist trout anglers among you will turn to fly fishing. A suitable troutfishing rod and a few flies mounted on hooks will get you whipping fast. A clear bank, a few hatchlings and you'll be ready to initiate that graceful movement.
The season can also have a major impact. Spring is often better for toc fishing. You can target several species at the same time using a natural bait.
Finally, for those who are further away from areas where trout thrive naturally, you can turn to trout fishing. Introduced for the pleasure of anglers, trout in ponds are often large and require appropriate, solid tackle.
Don't forget to look regularly at the surface of the water, and take a few well-advised tips.
Modern, popular trout fishing with lures
Lure fishing is the most popular technique of recent years, and also of the younger generation. It combines everything that the market has to offer in terms of new ways to discover this species, which is a bit different in the world of predator fish.
The river can be a real playground for many different lures. Anglers will find it easy to get out their spoons and perfect their downstream action, and why not try out these models from Smith which are so convincing that they must be effective.
The hard bait is probably the biggest development of recent years. We already knew about the famous Rapala lures, but now there's a huge range on offer.
You'll find a lure to suit all river profiles, current speeds and depths... In short, it's a sure bet. You'll need a bit of practice and technique, as well as a fishing rod that's just right for the job.
The latest lure to be used in search of trout is the soft bait. Previously little used, they are now gradually coming to the fore. The mastery of plastic is not to blame.
Depending on what you're looking for, you'll be able to choose from a wide range of different shapes, and an ever-expanding selection of suitable weapons.
Your curiosity will also weight you to even more different lures. This is how you can get to know spinnerbaits.
Fishing with live bait
This is one of the oldest techniques. It involves presenting a bait in the water veins or riffles where the trout are positioned. It is generally done with a moth, a maggot or even small invertebrates that you can find directly under the pebbles on the bank.
To do this properly, you'll need the right equipment. You'll need a good-length rod. You won't be able to cast much, so you'll need at least 3.5 metres to master the drift.
You'll also need to choose the right reel and line. A low ratio will often be preferable to be able to make your drifts to the centimetre and a solid nylon and not very conspicuous for discretion necessary to the search for this species in particular. Clear waters are largely responsible for this need for transparency.
Although this technique is generally used at the start of the season, you can use it all year round. It always gives very good results.
It also has the advantage of allowing you to catch other species of fish, as well as teaching you how to read the river and use it to access other techniques.
The fly, more than a technique, almost an art
Probably the best-known of all techniques to the general public, fly fishing is synonymous with harmony with nature and beauty. It's true that seeing an expert on a riffle in the late afternoon light, full of reflections, leaves nothing but a taste of poetry on our lips.
Stalking salmonids on the fly requires advice. It's almost essential to let yourself be guided by a regular angler to quickly understand the subtleties and how to read the flow of water. This will ensure that you make rapid progress, without encountering difficulties that could cause you to backtrack.
Don't hesitate to learn both sight-fishing on the surface and the less fun but highly effective techniques of nymphs and sinking flies.
Other approaches to trout fishing
Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to wet their line regularly in mountain streams or lakes suspended between two peaks. That's when you turn to pond trout fishing.
These one-day releases for city dwellers or those in a hurry will give you the chance to catch some good-sized fish. Fish weighing several kilos are not uncommon. Beyond the research aspect, these catches have the advantage of providing a thrill.
This type of fishing is generally done with plugs, live bait or pastes specially designed for this type of research. They come in a range of colours and scents that are easy to hook.
Don't hesitate to equip yourself with solid tackle so as not to risk losing one of the biggest fish you'll be lucky enough to touch.
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