A Guide to Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing

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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. Fly fishermen enjoy rainbow trout fishing because they provide great sport due to their fighting abilities, and also because rainbow trout is a tasty fish to eat. 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.

The rainbow trout species originated on the west side of the Rockies, but today rainbow trout can be found all over the US. 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 will remain in streams until they reach 6 to 9 inches in length, and then migrate to lakes or oceans where they spend years bulking up before returning to streams and rivers to spawn. 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 featherweight 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. A sinking tip line is used if fishing below the water’s surface using a streamer or nymph. 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. For more information on fly reels, take a look at the following fly reel introduction.

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. A wet fly can imitate a bug, a worm, a minnow, small fish or any other water creature that lives under the water surface. A wet fly is different from a dry fly in that it sinks under the water’s surface. Nymphs and streamers are classified as wet flies and are used normally with sinking tip fly fishing lines.

According to the region you are fishing in, the flies used for rainbow trout fly fishing will vary. 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.

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