| More than fifteen years ago I had the pleasure of | | | | you're in doubt, simply grab a handful of dirt or |
| knowing the greatest trout angler that I've ever | | | | grass and rub it in your hands for a minute before |
| seen. He lived in central Pennsylvania and caught | | | | baiting up, that's what I do. |
| trophy trout in heavily fished rivers that the local | | | | - Always Use Gang Hooks - As far as I know, |
| fishermen didn't think contained trout of that size. | | | | JRW is the person who came up with the |
| He was a great fisherman and, as I said, the | | | | concept of gang hooks. Gang hooks are simply a |
| greatest trout angler that I've ever seen. He didn't | | | | pair of small hooks, tied in tandem, that allow a |
| believe in flea flicking, and his bait of choice was a | | | | live worm to be presented in a completely natural |
| live worm. On occasion he would use a small | | | | manner, which results in many more bites and |
| spinner or spoon, but his favorite bait was a | | | | hook-ups. I've personally been using gang hooks |
| definitely a live worm. If he had a trophy trout | | | | for all of my live bait fishing for more than fifteen |
| located could get his hands on them, he liked to | | | | years, and know for a fact that they out fish |
| use live crayfish for bait. My point is that during | | | | single hooks at least 2 to 1! |
| the years that he was alive, he taught his son and | | | | - Bottom Is Your Friend - This tip is concerned to |
| myself some of his secrets for catching trout. I'm | | | | fishing in the flowing water of either a river or |
| going to pass a few of those secrets on to you | | | | stream. The best way to catch trout is to bounce |
| through this article. | | | | your offering off of the bottom, as it flows |
| - Be Efficient - JRW, my fishing mentor, believed | | | | naturally downstream. This technique is deadly |
| in being as efficient as possible while trout fishing. | | | | once you get the hang of it. One of JRW's |
| His philosophy was that you only get so much | | | | favorite things to say was, "if you're not getting |
| time to fish, so when you're fishing as much time | | | | snagged, you're not fishing in the right place." As |
| as possible needs to be spent with your line in the | | | | I've learned throughout the years, getting snagged |
| water. That's why he believed in using retractors | | | | is just a part of trout fishing. Getting snagged |
| to hold your heavily used fishing gear, and he | | | | doesn't even bother me any more. If I get |
| insisted on using a bait bag to carry your live | | | | snagged, I just break off, re-tie, and keep fishing. |
| worms. You see a bait bag allows your live | | | | Because I know that If I'm getting snagged, then |
| worms to always be "at your fingertips" so | | | | I am at least fishing in the right place. |
| there's little or no wasted time baiting up. | | | | These simple, yet effective tips, will help you |
| - Pay Attention To Your Hands - Trout have a | | | | catch more trout, I promise you. I've been using |
| very sensitive sense of smell, and any foreign | | | | all of them for more than 15 years with much |
| smells on your hands (such as gasoline or | | | | success. Have they made me as good a trout |
| cigarettes) will transfer to your bait and result in | | | | angler as JRW was? Not yet, but I sure do enjoy |
| less bites. I've tested this theory myself since | | | | trying. Start employing them and you too will |
| JRW taught it to me, and it's absolutely true. If | | | | start catching more trout. |