Rec and Sports

Introduction to Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing

Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing Tips

Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing Introduction

Fly fishermen spend most of their time pursuing trout, and particularly rainbow trout. Rainbow trout are a beautiful fish, and can be recognized by the rainbow band that runs down their sides from their head to their tail. Rainbow trout fly fishing is popular because rainbow trout is a delicious fish to eat, and also provide great sport due to their fighting abilities. Unlike other trout species, rainbow trout can also be tempted to take properly presented flies as well as streamers and nymphs, and are therefore the ideal fish for fly fishing.

Today, rainbow trout can be found in many regions in the United States, but the rainbow trout species originated west of the Rockies. The northern areas of the United States are where rainbow trout are mostly located, as they prefer the cooler rivers, streams and lakes (50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit are the ideal temperature for rainbow trout). Rainbow trout feed on immature and adult insects, plankton, crustaceans, worms and sometimes smaller fish. Rainbow trout start their lives in small rivers in streams, where they live until they are 6 to 9 inches long. Then then migrate to larger bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean. Here they live for years, getting bigger until they are ready to return to the small streams to start the spawning cycle. Steelhead trout is the name used for rainbow trout that have adapted to the salt water environment.

Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing Equipment

The fly rod used to catch rainbow trout varies depending on the size of trout you want to catch and the body of water you are fishing on. When fishing for medium to large rainbow trout in lakes and large rivers, use a 4 weight through to a 8 weight fly rod. Use a 1 weight up to a 4 weight fly fishing rod when fishing for small or medium size rainbow trout in small rivers and streams. A recommended rainbow trout fly fishing rod for small streams is the ultra-light Sage TXL fly rod.

The fly line used for rainbow trout fly fishing is typically a floating line if dry fly fishing on the water’s surface. When fishing below the water’s surface using a nymph or streamer, a sinking tip fly line is used. A fly fishing reel is not essential for rainbow trout fly fishing, and some anglers prefer hand stripping the line to using a fly reel. A fly reel is often just used to recover and store fly line and backing not in immediate use. To find out more about fly fishing reels, check out the following beginner fly reel guide.

Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing Flies

Two basic types of flies are used for rainbow trout fly fishing, wet flies and dry flies. Dry flies masquerade insects are used with a floating fly line which floats on top of the water. Wet flies sink below the water’s surface and can replicate various bugs, worms, minnows, small fish, drowned insects and other water creatures found under the water’s surface. Nymphs and streamers are classified as wet flies and are used normally with sinking tip fly fishing lines.

For rainbow trout fly fishing, different types of flies are used in different regional areas. It is a good idea to find out what flies, nymphs and streamers work best from local fly shops or local anglers for that particular region. A good technique when fishing for rainbow trout is to start out with dry flies on the water’s surface, which causes less water disturbance. If you have no success with dry fly fishing, then start using wet flies below the water’s surface.

For more information about saltwater fly fishing gear, take a look at the Feedraider.com news feed for Fly Fishing Elite.