How To Catch A Rainbow

Some people may think I'm talking about some "airy fairy" new age subject when I title my article - How To Catch A Rainbow - but that's not what's going on here. I'm speaking of the beautiful Rainbow Trout. Otherwise known as a rainbow for short. So how does a person go about catching a Rainbow? That's what we're going to discuss here.
For our purposes I'm not writing about the "darts" that we all know and love. A dart is a stocked trout. We've all seen them. All of their fins have been rubbed off from swimming in a tank with so many other fish. It makes them all but finless. And they thus resemble a "dart". The other name that fits these genetic anomalies well is "finless wonders". In any case, that's not what we are going to be discussing here. We're going to focus on a true Rainbow Trout that was born in a body of water and has been swimming free for years just as God created it.
The first thing you have to do is locate a Rainbow. Rainbow Trout like colder water temperatures. They prefer water from 50 to 60 degrees and will tolerate temperatures up to 75 degrees. With that little tidbit of information, we obviously want to start looking in the northern part of the United States. Rainbows inhabit both lakes and streams, as long as the water temperature is cold enough. This obviously means that on hot summer days, as the water temperature in a given body of water is reaching it's peak for the day, an angler isn't going to have a ton of success fishing for rainbows.
Fishing success is typically greatest in the spring and fall. Rainbow trout are voracious feeders and strong swimmers willing to hit a wide variety of lures, baits, and flies. Many anglers prefer weighted spinners. The wobbling spoon is another fine rainbow lure. Fly fishers find that streamers, muddlers, and egg patterns fished near the bottom can be depended on to do the trick; black and red, especially fluorescent red, seem to add something of value to the presentation.
If you're more of a bait fisherman, the good old earthworm or power bait are great bets. A bottom rig is the way to go when fishing on a lake. For those who aren't familiar with this technique, start with a 1/2 ounce egg sinker. Slip it onto your line then tie a #10 barrel swivel onto your line. Now tie another section of line onto the other end of the barrel swivel. You want this length of line to be the length that you want your bait to float off of the bottom. Now attach a small hook to the end of the line. This is where you will add a ball of Power bait that will then float off of the bottom. This technique will work in most lakes throughout the country, especially if there are stocked trout swimming around.
But as I said before, I don't want to focus on stocked trout.
When river fishing with bait, live bait will be your best bet. The synthetic baits have never worked well for me with "native" trout. "Native" trout are trout that were born and continue to live in a particular stream or river. Thus becoming "native" rather than planted from an outside source. In any case synthetic baits have never performed well for me for anything other than stocked trout. So you're best bet to catch a rainbow in moving water will be some form of live bait, whether it be worms, minnows, crickets, crayfish, mealworms, etc. You'll want to use something for bait that the rainbows are used to eating. The more natural the presentation, the better. You may want to consider employing a set of pre-tied gang hooks to achieve a very natural presentation. The bottom line is that you want your live bait to appear as natural as is possible. The more natural the bait appears, the more rainbow's you will catch. It's that simple.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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How Important Is Your Monofilament Fishing Line?

An anglers fishing line is perhaps the most important piece of equipment that they have. Amateur anglers may not realize this fact, but it's none the less true. I've seen many anglers who go for months if not seasons without changing their fishing line. To me going for an entire season without changing my fishing line seems crazy (especially seeing as how I change my line every month or so), but again it's none the less true.
This usually has to due with one of two factors. Either the fishing line being used is too heavy for the type of angling being done, or two you just don't pay attention. If the problem is the first one, your line is too heavy for the type of fishing that your doing, this little mistake is costing you bites, just by virtue of the fact that the fish are much more apt to see heavy line. If the problem is the second, and you're just not paying attention, then you don't deserve the bites in the first place.
I personally use four pound test for 85-90% of my fishing. If my line is old or frayed in any way, it will cost me fish. The line is too light to be old in any way. Believe me; if I hook into a four pound rainbow trout with four pound test that's more than a month old, the fish will break my line, it's as simple as that. When the proper pound test is being used, it must be changed a lot, mainly because of fraying and stretching. When fishing line gets used, it becomes less strong as time goes on.
Here's a real life example for you. I was fishing with a friend last year and when he cast his line out, the line was coiled. It was coiled because it had been on the reel for so long. I made him change his line as soon as he could and this obviously alleviated the problem. If your line is coiled, like a slinky, for God's sake, change it! It's been too long. As far as paying attention goes, keeping an eye out for coiling is a big one. Another is keeping your eye out for frays in the line or brittleness. If you see either of these factors, it's time for a change.
The bottom line is that your fishing line is incredibly important to your fishing success. It needs to be changed often to keep it's strength. As I said, I change my four pound test every month or so. Anytime it starts to coil or fray, I change it as well. Never forget, your fishing line is as important as the type of bait or lure that you may be using, and you need to pay as much attention to your line as you do any other aspect of your fishing.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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How Do You Carry Water While Fishing?

This sounds like a simple enough proposition, but if you're anything like me, carrying water while fishing can be a bit of a pain in the butt. You see, a fishing trip for me involves a lot of walking. I like to hike along the river and explore new areas. This involves covering quite a bit of ground. In an average fishing trip for me, I would say I cover at least four miles round trip. This amount of walking requires that I carry quite a bit of water with me, especially on hot/sunny days.
I found that a single bottle of water just wouldn't cut it, so I started jamming my vest with as many water bottles as I could. This was incredibly bulky and uncomfortable, but it's what I did. Then a snowboarding friend of mine turned me onto the answer. It was so simple, yet I had never heard of this before. It's called a hydration pack. Snowboarders, mountain bikers, and cyclists have been using hydration packs for years, but they were still new to me.
So, taking the advice of my friend, I used a hydration pack on my next fishi8ng trip…..Problem solved my friends! It was awesome. I had water for the entire day, and got so used to the pack itself, that I forgot it was even there. You see, you wear most hydration packs on your back like a small backpack. But this backpack carries your water and even helps keep the water cold!
A hydration pack is, without question, the best way that I've ever seen to carry water while fishing. You should give one a try, because they sure beat carrying multiple bottles of water with you, and all of the problems that come along with it. I promise that once you give a hydration pack a try on your next fishing trip, the question of how you carry water while fishing, will be answered forever.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!
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How The Weather And Moon Really Impact Fishing

Let's start with the barometer. The barometer is a very effective tool for measuring the feeding behavior of fish. The barometer is an instrument used to measure ambient atmospheric pressure. Don't worry, I'm going to simplify it for you and cut through all of the scientific jargon so we can get to what really matters, catching fish. The measure of barometric atmospheric pressure can then be used to help predict the weather and more importantly for our purposes, the feeding behavior of fish. Haven't we all wondered why fish were so easy to catch yesterday, but today you can't even get a bite?
You see when a low pressure front is building, I'm sure you've all heard this term on the weather channel, the barometer is low and dropping and a storm is either present or on its way. When the barometer is high or rising, the weather is fair and dry. If you’re watching the weather on the TV, that's what the large capital L or H means on the weather map. The L stands for a low pressure system and the H stands for a high pressure system.
So what does this mean to me as a fisherman? Let me explain. The barometer is a very useful tool that will unlock many of the "mysteries" of fishing. You say, "Come on Trevor, is this really true?" The answer is yes, it is true. When the atmospheric pressure fluctuates, it affects the air bladders in fish. A fishes' air bladder is what it uses to stabilize itself at different depths of water. When a fishes' air bladder isn't feeling right it won't want to eat. Do you feel like eating when you have an upset stomach? Well fish don’t either.
When the barometer is low or falling, fish will spend most of their time equalizing their air bladder, and the last thing they're thinking about is feeding. When this happens you'll have a difficult time fooling a fish into eating. On the other hand, when the opposite is true, and the barometer is rising, your chances of catching a fish, is far greater, because they feel more like eating.
Fish and wild life know what to expect from the weather and can sense when a storm is approaching to a much greater degree than we humans can. You’ve probably noticed that when the weather is nice all of the critters outside are active and frolicking about. This means that the barometric pressure is stable or high. On the other hand when the barometric pressure is low, you won't see nearly as many animals around and the ones you do won't be frolicking anywhere. Even the cows in your local field will be lying down. At times like this it can get pretty quiet out on the lake or river too. The fish just aren’t active.
Understanding how fish adapt to changes in their environment allow an angler to better predict a fishes' movement and feeding. Finding out when a fish is feeding is what we're interested in because that's when you have the best chance of catching said fish. You may know that almost all saltwater fishermen check the tides before they head out fishing. And it’s a great strategy because the tides impact fishing. But you do realize what causes the tides to change, don't you? That's right, the moon. And the gravitational pull of the moon that impacts the changing tides is also pushing against some part of the earth all the time. So the pressure is always there but since water is more easily moved than the ground, water is lifted up towards the moon causing the tides to change. How high the high tide will rise or how low the low tide may go is largely determined by the position of the moon and sun.
Knowing and understanding this information isn't just important to the saltwater angler though. Freshwater anglers don't deal with tides like saltwater anglers, but the phases of the moon are very important to them as well. What the angler wants to focus on are the new moon and full moon periods on the calendar. The two or three days following these two occurrences will result in more fish activity. It's that simple.
I’ve been planning my fishing trips observing these same principles for years and it almost never fails. The moon phases are a very real factor in the feeding patterns of fish. I always have more success during the full and new moon periods, than I do at other times of the month and you can too.
What you as an angler wants to try to do is have both of these factors come together at the same time. The perfect weather situation combined with a full or new moon. When this happens, you will have a great day fishing, I promise. And if you just pay attention you can be out there fishing when this happens.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, and raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.
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How Do You Carry Live Worms While Fishing?

This may sound like a silly question, but I always found carrying live worms while fishing was a big pain in the butt. That was until my fishing mentor showed me how to solve this problem with an old piece of clothing. Yes, I said an old piece of clothing. You know how there always seems to be an extra sock hanging out in your sock drawer? Well, my mentor came up with a use for that old sock. That's right, a worm carrier.
Before you start to think I'm crazy, just hear me out. Simply take the old sock and grab a hold of the end that your toes would go in. Now simply measure four or five inches down and cut the sock off. You now have a worm carrier. A little bait bag, if you will. Simply use a safety pin and pin this little "pouch" onto the front of your fishing vest.
When you're ready to go fishing, simply take the live worms out of their Styrofoam container and put them into your new bait bag. Just the worms, no dirt. A sock holds about a dozen worms depending on their size. The beauty of this concept is that the worms don't crawl out! They simply sit in their new carrier and wait to be used. Once you begin using a worm carrier such as the one described here, you'll wonder how you ever fished without it.
The one downfall to the sock carrier is that a sock carrier is pretty small and certainly less that esthetically pleasing. If you're interested in the same concept, just bigger and much better looking, just check out JRWfishing. The bottom line is that whether you make your own or purchase a cool one, a worm carrier such as the one described here, is essential to your angling success. As I said, once you try it, you'll wonder how you ever fished without it.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
A Bait Bag: http://www.jrwfishing.com/bait_pouch.asp

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How About A Little Bottom Bouncing?

Whenever you wet a line in a river in an attempt to catch any fish, whether it's a trout, a small mouth, a walleye, or whatever kind of fish you're attempting to catch, the bottom is your friend. This fact is often overlooked by anglers, and it shouldn't be. My mentor used to say, "If you're not getting snagged, you're not fishing in the right place." I have found this point to be true in almost all river fishing situations. When I say river fishing situations, I'm referring to wading in a river attempting to fool a fish into biting your offering. I'm not referring to sitting in a boat trolling, although that fact was probably self explanatory.
When you are wading in a river doing what I described above, the goal is to have your bait bounce off of the bottom as it flows naturally downstream. And too accomplish this; the angler must adjust the amount of weight that is used. Too much weight and the offering will get snagged on the bottom. Too little weight and the offering will simply float over the bottom as it flows downstream, and look anything but natural. In the second case the angler never gets snagged, but catches very few fish as well. This is the reason that my mentor would say, "If you're not getting snagged, you're not fishing in the right place."
This is exactly why I say the bottom is your friend. Although in reality, the bottom is not only your friend, but also your worst enemy. Because when you go through those stretches when you've gotten snagged and had to break off and retie six times in a row, the bottom seems like anything but your friend.
The important thing to remember is that like most things in life, nothing remedies getting snagged like practice. The more 'bottom bouncing' you do the better you will get at it. And the better you get at it, you will not only get snagged less, but you will also catch more fish. Once you figure out the little nuances of 'bottom bouncing' you wont believe how effective the technique really is.
Bouncing the bait off of the bottom in a river or stream fishing situation is as good a technique as I've ever seen. If you really sit and think about it, it's as natural a presentation as there is. I've been using this technique for years and it flat out works!

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country... Montana!
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Have You Ever Shut Your Car Door On Your Fishing Rod?

Here's the scenario: You've just arrived at your fishing destination, ready for a morning of hard core fishing. You put your waders on, grab your fishing vest, and almost as an afterthought, you grab your fishing rod. At this point you're so excited about wetting your line, all you can think about is that flowing river in the background. As you start to shut the door, you remember that you need to lock the doors. You quickly lock the doors and slam the door shut. As the door is closing you see it happening. It's as is the whole scenario were in slow motion. When you grabbed your rod earlier, you leaned it up against the vehicle and now the tip of the rod is resting in the door jam. It's all happening too fast to stop it, and the next thing you know, the tip has been snapped right off of your fishing rod.
This exact scenario has happened to me on more than one occasion, and the result is always the same. You're rod has to be replaced. Oh sure, you can buy a new eye, and superglue it on the end of your rod, but the rod doesn't perform the same as it did. The rod is now effectively ruined because of your own stupidity.
Actually it's a good idea to carry an extra eye tip in your fishing vest just in case something like this happens, but replacing the eye is just a quick fix. It may save a day of fishing, but the action of the rod is so much different after losing it's tip that you're going to want to replace it.
Hopefully a scenario such as this has never happened to you because it's no fun to experience, believe me. And hopefully reading this article will remind you to slow down and take your time, so you don't do what I seem to like to do. This scenario is also the reason that I don't spend more than 50 bucks on a fishing rod. That way it doesn't cost me much to replace it when I break it. I came to the realization that a car door doesn't care if your fishing rod cost $50 or $150. The car door will snap that fishing rod just the same.

Trevor Kugler Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience and currently raises his 3-year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country... Montana.
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You Won't Be Disappointed

What do I mean by ultra light? Ultra light fishing simply means fishing with lighter gear, lighter gear than you may be accustomed to. That's it, there's nothing crazy about it. Basically, ultra light fishing means matching your fishing gear to the type of fish that you're fishing for. I've seen all to many anglers that use one rod and reel setup for all of there fishing expeditions, rather than having different set ups for different types of fish.
This is madness, unless of course you only do one type of fishing, in which case having only one rod and reel setup is all good.
For example, I use a four-foot rod and ultra light reel spooled with four-pound test for most of my trout fishing. I fish medium to small rivers and lakes and the biggest fish that I would catch in such waters is six to seven pounds, and that would be an outright monster. Many people see me fishing with my setup and think it's too small, but it's absolutely not. Think about it, four-pound test line is strong enough to hold four pounds of weight without breaking, how often do you catch fish this big when trout fishing? Besides, I've personally landed a seven-pound fish on four-pound test. I don't say that to be braggadocios, I simply want you to realize that most anglers use line that is entirely too heavy for the fish they're trying to catch. Using line that's too heavy will result if fewer bites as well. So as you can begin to see, ultra light fishing makes sense all the way around.
It also makes sense to use ultra light equipment by adding more "sport" to your fishing. Honestly, how much fun is it to winch a fourteen-inch trout out of the water with medium action gear, spooled with eight-pound test line? To me, that's no fun, but on ultra light gear that's tailored to the type of fish I'm attempting to catch; a fourteen-inch fish is a lot of fun.
So give ultra light fishing a try and I promise you won't be disappointed. If you ever have any questions about ultra light fishing, you can contact us at JRWfishing.com.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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Gang Hooks Simply Catch More Fish

For those of you who have never heard of the term "gang-hooks", it's probably time for you to take a closer look. A set of gang hooks is fairly simple to tie yourself, or you can buy them, the choice is yours. What's important is that you begin using them for all of your live bait fishing. A set of gang hooks is, by far, the most natural way to present a worm.
Gang hooks are simply two small hooks tied in tandem. Hooks that are probably much smaller than you may be accustomed to. I personally prefer size 10 hooks. My preference is 2 size 10 hooks tied on four pound test. And I catch BIG fish with a setup that's this size. I consistently catch Smallmouth Bass up and Rainbow Trout up to five or six pounds on gang hooks setups exactly that size.
The only downfall to a gang hook setup is that some state regulations don't allow them. So check your state regulations before fishing with gang hooks. I know from experience that in Montana and Pennsylvania gang hooks are perfectly legal. Check your local regulations before using them though, just to be safe.
So how do you get a hold of gang hooks? There are two ways. First you can do a little research on knots, and tie them yourself. His is obviously the most inexpensive way. Research the "Snell knot". The other way to get a hold of gang hooks is to just buy them. Go somewhere like JRWfishing and you'll be good to go. My theory has always been, that you can make a hamburger yourself to save money or you can just go to McDonald's and pick one up. The choice is yours.
The bottom line is that if you begin employing a set of pre-tied gang hooks into your live bait fishing, you'll simply catch more fish. The natural presentation that gang hooks provide can't be beat. The days of the "worm ball" and threading a worm onto a hook are gone the moment you begin using gang hooks. With gang hooks, you simply hook the head on the worm into the top hook, the hook the second hook into the worms' body. Now your worm is rigged and looks exactly like it would if there were no hooks at all. It's a beautiful thing. Give gang hooks a shot, I promise that you won't be disappointed.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!
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Fishing In Northwest Montana

Fishing in Montana is much like fishing anywhere in North America, other than the fact that the scenery is probably as good as it gets. Oh, I'm sure you could find various areas throughout North America that would offer beauty that would rival Northwest Montana, but I seriously doubt it would be better. And the trout fishing is as good as I've seen anywhere. There are some very large trout in the state of Montana.
I personally live within ten miles of Flathead Lake. Flathead Lake is easily one of the best lake trout fisheries in the country. The guides and locals in the area regularly catch twenty to thirty pound lake trout. Between the lake trout in Flathead Lake and the rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout in the rivers flowing through Northwest Montana, this area is truly a trout paradise.
In fact, if a person ventures over to a little town called Libby and the Kootenai River that flows within miles of the town, and goes into any gas station along the river, they will see pictures of truly unreal Rainbow Trout that have been caught. I'm talking about Rainbows in the twenty-pound class. Yes, I said twenty-pound class! The first time that I witnessed these pictures, I couldn't believe my eyes. I honestly thought I was looking at Steelhead. But everyone assured me that they were Rainbows, caught out of the Kootenai, below the dam. When I checked the area directly below the dam, it looked like an area you would see in upstate New York where big Steelhead or Salmon could be found. Old salmon eggs everywhere and old line that was heavy enough to land....... well a twenty plus pound raibow! It's quite a scene, but then so is a rainbow trout that big!
There's also some decent pike and largemouth bass fishing in the area. There's also quite a nice population of Lake Superior Whitefish in Flathead Lake. They run from one to five pounds and are delicious. And, in all honesty, they're fairly easy to catch. Once a person gets the hang of the little nuances, it's simple in fact.
So all in all fishing opportunities are quite abundant in Northwest Montana. The biggest drawback is that you only get about six months to enjoy them. The rest of the time it's too cold for all but the heartiest of anglers to spend much time chasing fish. And when it's not too cold to fish, the run-off kills another three or four months.
There are definitely ice fishing opportunities, but let's be honest about it. Does anyone really enjoy ice fishing? Sure the actual act of catching fish is fun, but I find the lead up to fish while ice fishing to be, well, painful (or at least just a pain in the butt). But yes, for those of you who actually know what you're doing or have the inclination, there are plenty of opportunities to sit on the ice and stare through an eight-inch hole. Errrrrr........ Spend some time ice fishing.
All in all, fishing in Montana, at least Northwest Montana, is pretty much as good as you'll find anywhere in North America, and the trout fishing is better. So if you have some time to kill, and like to spend your spare time fishing, Montana is not at all a bad idea.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com and founder of yourmoneyconnection.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, and raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.
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Fishing Etiquette - Where Has It Gone

Fishing etiquette, sometimes I have to wonder if anyone's ever heard of such a thing. The word etiquette is defined as: The forms required by good breeding, or prescribed by authority, to be observed in social or official life; observance of the proprieties of rank and occasion; conventional decorum; ceremonial code of polite society.
So why is it that as soon as I get on a river, I invariably end up fishing near someone who has never heard the above definition? It seems as if as soon as people get into a fishing situation, all rules of society are thrown out the window and it becomes a free for all. I mean it says, right in the definition, 'ceremonial codes of polite society'. When it comes to fishing, especially on a river, one of those 'ceremonial codes of polite society' is to allow other anglers there personal space just as you would afford them in any other social situation. I mean, for God's sake, just because were out on the river fishing it doesn't mean that we have to become complete inconsiderate idiots, does it?
I'm of course referring to a situation that I got caught up in, not too long ago, on one of my local rivers. I had been fishing along a very nice stretch of water for about twenty minutes, when a couple of other fishermen came walking along the river. They kept there distance as we exchanged friendly glances, and they began fishing about fifty yards from where I was.
This is how things are supposed to work when two anglers meet on a river. But then I caught a fish. Then another one and this second fish was quite nice. A nice eighteen to twenty inch Rainbow. I released the fish and went on about my business, continuing to fish this nice stretch of river, which incidentally was no bigger, the average driveway.
The next thing I knew, the other fishermen were in my freakin' back pocket! I mean these guys surrounded me like I was trying to do something horrible to one of their children. Then the interrogation started. What are you using? How big was that fish? Do you always catch fish here?
This is what I'm talking about when I speak of fishing etiquette. When I'm out on the river, and I'm sure most people would agree, I want to relax, enjoy nature, and if I can mange it, catch a few fish. I don't need to give a fishing lesson to anyone. And, as far as I'm concerned, no one needs to give one to me. If I see you on the river and you catch a nice fish, good for you. I might give you a thumb's up or something, but that's all the information we need to exchange.
I've never understood why people think that if a fish is caught out of a spot, that's the only place on a given stretch of water that contains fish. And the spot or area that they're fishing doesn't! That's the only explanation as to why these two guys muscled up on me like a bully on the smaller kids in the schoolyard. They had to think that they had a better chance of catching a fish where I had just caught a fish than where they were originally fishing. And just to clear the air, this is not the case. It's a fallacy, and this kind of behavior needs to stop.
Give other anglers the space they need to fish when you're out on the river. Using a little fishing etiquette out on the water will make our sport better for all of us. As I eluded to earlier, just afford people the same courtesy you would on a busy elevator. Just because were standing in a river, it doesn't mean we can't practice basic etiquette.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, and now specializes in ultralight trout fishing.
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Don't Take Your Net For Granted

Many anglers tend to not think about their net. Their net is either attached to the back of their fishing vest or it's just laying somewhere in the bttom of their boat. Now I realize that nets can last for years and sometimes don't even get used that much, but I'm just reminding you to take a little time to make sure that your nets are in good condition before you next fishing trip. Your net can easily be the difference between landing a big fish and watching that same fish swim away.
I used to have a net that hung from the back of my fishing vest and was constantly getting hung up on brush while I walked through the woods along my favorite trout fishing river. The net getting stuck was such a common occurrence that I began to not even give it a second thought. Then one day I went to use it on a nice twenty-inch rainbow, and when I netted the fish the fish went right through a hole that was in my net. I don't know if you've ever had this happen, but I think it's the definition of a clusterf&%#! Fishing line wrapped around what seems to be everything, screaming, pulling the fish in hand over hand, it's an absolute mess.
After this fiasco had finished, I went over to the shore, took my vest off, and removed the old net. I figured that I'd be better off without it. Then a couple of weeks later I hooked into a very large trout, and at that point realized that I didn't have a net to help land the fish. Until that point I hadn't thought about my net since the clusterf&%#. I obviously don't use my net unless I'm dealing with a big fish. In any case, once I got my large trout close to the shore, I realized how difficult landing the trout was going to be.
After getting the trout close to me a couple of times and having it peel off line away from me, I realized that I was in trouble. Then on the third or fourth go around of getting close to me, the trout had obviously had enough, because it shook it's head twice, buried it's nose into the rocks, took off like a shot, and broke my line. I realized later that the only way I could have landed that trout on four pound test was if I had a net
The bottom line is that you need to check your nets periodically to make sure they're in working order. And if you have one that annoys you, replace it rather than just chucking it. I just don't want you to go through the experience of losing a trophy, as I did. It's no fun at all.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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Don't Forget Your Camera On Your Next Fishing Trip

Here's a little scenario for you: You're out fishing with your buddy when he hooks into a trophy. It's a BIG fish and after a long fight, the two of you finally land the monster. You're both incredibly excited and very happy to have witnessed such an epic moment. Then you realize that you forget your camera, and of course, your friend doesn't have one either. There are going to be no pictures of the monster on this day. This scenario sucks, I've been through it. You're left with nothing but a great fish story. This is of course assuming that you fish like me, and release fish after you catch them.
If you are a catch and release angler, a camera is a pretty important thing. Technology has made it that much easier for all of us to have a quality camera with us at all times. And no I'm not talking about you camera phone. Those cameras aren't worth the price of admission. I am talking about digital cameras though. Digital cameras have become very affordable and the quality picture they produce is quite amazing. Digital cameras have become small enough that they can fit in most pockets on a fishing vest as well. If you do decide to go with a digital camera, either buy a water resistant one or make sure you store it in a Ziploc bag. We don't want your camera getting ruined if you have an accident.
Another option, which I've used in the past, is to carry a disposable camera with you. I used to carry a waterproof disposable camera in my fishing vest that is before I got my digital camera. The disposable camera worked fine and is still a viable and less expensive option. The only issue that I ever had with my disposable waterproof camera is that it was quite bulky. It almost took up an entire pocket in my fishing vest by itself. The digital camera I have now is very small and I don't even realize it's there.
The bottom line is that you remember your camera on your next fishing trip. Especially if you're a catch and release angler, as I am. It makes no difference whether you have a digital or disposable camera, just don't forget the camera. You never know when you might run into something on the water that you'd like to capture. I've seen sun rises and sunsets that bring a tear to my eye, and I'm glad IU had a camera with my to capture the essence of them.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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Do You Want To Catch More Fish?

There are some simple steps that you, the angler, can take in order to increase the amount of fish that you catch. Many times anglers do things simply because that's what they've always done them. One of these things is the way hooks are used. Yea, I said hooks. Now you're probably thinking to yourself, "I know how hooks are used", and you may be right. You might know how they've always been used, but what I'm asking you top do is start to think "outside the box" just a little bit.
If you want to consistently catch more fish, your offering needs to look as natural as possible. The bait that gets used needs to look like what the fish is used to eating. This means that smaller hooks must be employed. I'm speaking of normal freshwater fishing situations. Situations where we use what are known as normal fishing baits such as: worms, minnows, dough baits, crayfish, and the like. In these normal freshwater fishing situations, most of the time anglers use hooks that are much too large. For example, have you ever seen the "worm ball"? A "worm ball" is created because the angler is using a hook that's too large and has to thread the worm (s) onto the hook, thus creating the "worm ball".
A "worm ball" is anything but a natural way to present a worm. Try this.....throw a worm into the water and see what it looks like. That's the way you want to present your offering to the fish. The natural way is the method that most closely resembles how a worm really looks in the water, and threading a worm onto a hook isn't the way to present said worm.
The way to present said worm is by using a "gang hook". A gang hook is simply two small hooks tied in tandem. It may sound overly simplistic, but it's true. Two small hooks tied in tandem is the most natural way to present a live worm, hands down! The angler simply hooks the top hook into the head of the worm, then the second hook into the body. The live worm then looks completely natural, just as it would if it didn't have hooks in it. Start employing the "gang hook" today and you will begin to catch more fish. It's as simple as that.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
Gang Hooks Tied & Ready To Fish: http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp

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Another Reason That We Should All Use Gang Hooks

While fishing the other day, I had an interesting thing happen to me. I was using gang hooks tied on four pound test and doing quite well. I had landed three or four nice Rainbow Trout, when I hooked into a heavy fish. The trout that I had been landing were in the fourteen to sixteen inch range, but this fish felt quite a bit bigger than the ones I had been catching.
It's funny how this works, but after catching a lot of fish, you can tell almost instantly the basic size of the fish. After fighting said fish for a while I got it within net range and netted it. It was a very nice twenty inch Rainbow. When I went to unhook the fish, I noticed something quite interesting. The fish was hooked with the back hook on the gang hook. That meant that if I had been using a single hook, I probably wouldn't have caught this fish. It must have been one of those "short striking" fish that I used to miss.
Before I began using gang hooks, many times I would get a bite only to reel in and realize that the fish were biting the end of my worm off. Then I began to use gang hooks, which allowed me to present a worm naturally, and subsequently began to catch more fish. And the twenty inch Rainbow was no different.
Many times the fish I catch using gang hooks will have both hooks hooked in their mouth. When you get one hooked on just the trailing hook, it's usually a "short striking" fish, that wouldn't be caught using a single hook. This example is yet another reason that you should use gang hooks for all of your bait fishing situations (especially if there's a live worm involved).

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 15 years of business experience and 25 years of fishing experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country - Montana.
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Do You Keep Extra Clothes In Your Vehicle While Fishing?

This may sound like a stupid question, but hear me out, it's not at all a bad idea to keep a small bag of some sort in your vehicle with a change of clothes in it. A change of socks is always a good idea, especially if you're liker me and like to fish in waders. On a hot sunny day, after three hours of fishing and walking from spot to spot, when you get back to your vehicle and take your waders off, what happen? Many times your socks are soaked with sweat. A change of socks can literally feel like heaven on earth after a long days fishing.
I'm not just speaking of a change of socks either. I'm also speaking of having a change of clothes just in case you take that wet and wild ride down the river because of a misstep or high water. If you take this wet and wild ride, as I've done before, you will literally be thanking God that you have a change of clothes in the vehicle. And if it's cold outside, as it was when I took the ride, you'll probably promise God your first-born, that you can get back to said vehicle quickly.
With spring quickly approaching, this means that the water is still quite cold and it's going to be high. Springtime is a great time for an accident to happen because of high-murky water, so make sure you have a small backpack or bag of some sort in your vehicle with a change of clothes in it. I promise you if you're unfortunate enough to take the wet and wild ride, you'll be thankful that you read this article and took the advice mentioned herein.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 15 years of business experience and 25 years of fishing experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country - Montana.
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Did Someone Suggest Steelhead Fishing?

I had lived in Montana for a couple of years, when I began to hear stories about the great Steelhead fishing just a few hours away in Idaho. And then I started to see articles about this incredible Steelhead fishing. As a matter of fact, my friend Doug brought an article to me that explained exactly where to go. In hindsight the mere act of sharing that article with me, was the beginning of the entire debacle. From that point on, it was go time. Doug and I were making the trip to Idaho to experience some of this incredible Steelhead action. It ended up being about a six hour drive and most of the time was spent reminiscing about Steelhead fishing trips Doug used to take with his father while growing up. We grew up in central Pennsylvania and Doug's father was the best fisherman that I've ever known. He was very tuned in to what was going on in not only the local fishing scene, but also in upstate New York, where he would go and fish for salmon and steelhead and sometimes take us with him. Doug is full of stories about salmon and or steelhead fishing with his father.
And we talked about the various techniques and any tips that could be remembered after the passing of fifteen or twenty years. In our minds we got everything worked out. How we were going to fish, the area's we were going to fish, and the techniques we were going to use. All of this from reminiscing about a river some two thousand miles away and a freakin magazine article that could be read by anyone! But one of the things that I've realized in my fishing life is the fact that many times this is how it works. Poor saps like me, read an article, get all jacked up, talk to a few people, and then bam.....take off for whatever destination with delusions of grandeur firmly planted in their mind. And that is exactly what we were dealing with. As with many things in life, the trip sounded great on paper, but the execution was going to be difficult.
We arrived at the first river at dusk. It was a cold and rainy day, which is what we had always been told, was perfect for steelhead. We got out of the truck and walked down to the river. As we were walking one of us made the comment, "this river is much bigger than I thought it would be." In our experience, large rivers are usually difficult to fish from the bank. Especially when you're relying on drift fishing as the main technique. We threw large spoons and plugs around for awhile and then it got dark.
On the way to the hotel, we talked about how large the river was, and how difficult drift fishing was going to be from the shore. Then we decided, as we usually did, that going out and getting sloshed was a great way to cope with the river being so large. This was our mentality at the time, and although there were some really good times, it ended up not serving us too well. Before we left for the bar, we arranged a wake up call for five AM, so at precisely five AM, the phone rang.....Son of a bit.....I thought to myself as I picked up the phone.
As I lay in the bed contemplating whether or not fishing was a good idea, I thought to myself, "Why in the hell do you do this to yourself?" But in the end, I figured I had to fish, so I got up and headed down to the river. You may be wondering where Doug was? I would have had better luck trying to verbally entice pigs to fly than I did getting him to get his hung-over butt out of bed. It was clear that the morning fishing was going to be a solo mission. I was on my own.
It was a beautiful morning, and when I got down to the river I realized that this wasn't that much of a secret after all.
There were other fishermen chucking large lures and huge bobbers all over the place. They were standing in the river and fishing out of boats. It was quite a scene, and made me realize that someone must have been catching fish to warrant all of this attention. It was soon after making this realization that I felt my first bite of the day. I waited and set the hook, and reeled in my first Idaho fish! A six or seven inch rainbow trout. Yea, not at all what I was hoping for, but at least it was a fish, right? Seeing as how it was the only fish either Doug or I landed in 36 hours, I suppose I should have been more grateful than I was.
It's true though, we fished for the next thirty six hours and that was the only fish that was landed by either one of us. We didn't even see a steelhead on that trip. Caught by us or anyone else! But we did get the distinct pleasure of hearing from anyone we asked about fishing in that god forsaken state how; we should have been there the week before, because everyone was catching fish! Isn't this always the case on trips such as this though? It surely is for me. Everyone tells you how great the fishing was just before you arrived. It's as if the moment I step my foot into an unfamiliar river to fish for an unfamiliar fish, said fish decides not to bite. At least the fish most certainly decides not to bite my offering.
This, in a nutshell, is the reason I don't make many long trips to fish rivers that I'm unfamiliar with. I've found it's just not worth the time, money, and heartache to try to figure out a totally new type of fishing in a couple of days.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!
Gang Hooks Tied & Ready To Fish: http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp
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Choosing the Correct Fishing Rod

When it comes to fishing rods, what the heck does it all mean? There are all kinds of things written on the fishing rod itself, and all of them have a different "feel". I'm going to attempt to clear up some of the confusion for you, although at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference. I've seen a lot of anglers that have one fishing rod that they use for all of their fishing. This is a mistake and a sure fire sign that said angler doesn't catch many fish. I'm not suggesting that you should have a locker full of 50 different rods, but you should have two or three available for different situations.
Fishing rods come is the basic actions listed below. This information is printed (in very small lettering) on the rod itself, directly above the handle, along with suggestions as to lure and line sizes. My suggestion is that you have at least three rods to choose from for ant given fishing situation.
Ultra light Action - these rods are used for fishing very small lures. Ultra light rods are perfect for small stream and river fishing, such as when you're wading. The heavier the current, the longer rod you will want. Ultra light rods are a great choice for trout and pan fish.
Light Action - Light action rods are used for the same situations as ultra light action rods. If you're just starting out, start with a light action rod and work your way to ultra light. Again, these rods are perfect for trout and pan fish fishing.
Medium Action - Medium action rods are right in the middle of the scale (imagine that). Medium action rods are to be used when wading larger rivers for larger fish. I personally use medium action rods for my walleye and smallmouth bass fishing in Canada. Medium action is also a good size for trolling smaller lures.
Medium Heavy Action - This size rod is great for trolling most lures. Medium heavy rods are also great for most salmon and steelhead fishing. As the name suggests, these rods are to be used in situations where you're after bigger fish (10 to 20 pounds as a general example), although it's also a favorite size for large mouth bass anglers.
Heavy Action - Obviously, these are your big boys. Largemouth bass fishermen will use rods this size to fish heavy cover and the like. Also, when you're fishing for big pike and muskie, heavy action rods are a must. These rods are used for really big fish (over 20 pounds as a general example). This action rod is also used for heavy trolling, such as that done with downriggers.
After this brief overview, you should have a better understanding of what the different actions of fishing rods mean to you as an angler. As mentioned earlier, you will probably want at least three different fishing rods for different fishing situations. That way you can pick and choose as the situation changes. As an example, I use my four foot ultra light rod for most of my small river and stream fishing, but in the springtime, when the water is really high, I switch to my five foot six inch ultra light rod. The longer rod makes it easier to feel bites in heavy current.

Trevor Kugler
Co-founder of JRWfishing.com
Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience and currently raises his 3-year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country......Montana.
Here's some great rod and reel choices - http://www.jrwfishing.com/fishing_rods_reels.html

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Carrying Water While Fishing

Carrying water while fishing can be quite a chore. If you've ever had the pleasure, as I have, of stuffing bottles of water into every extra pocket of your fishing vest just to make sure that you have enough water with you, you know what I'm talking about. Having to do this can be a pain in the butt. Not only are water bottles bulky, if you're going to be out fishing for a while, it's difficult to carry enough water with you.
The answer to this problem is a hydration pack. What's that? A hydration pack is a small bladder that you carry on your back that carries water inside of it. It is so much more convenient than carrying bottles of water it's not even funny.
Hydration packs are small and lightweight as well. You can literally "wear" your water on your back, under your fishing vest. Hydration packs have been used my cyclists for years and were originally designed for the military, so they could eliminate bulky canteens. Hydration packs are the reason people can peddle a bike for 100 miles without having to stop for water.
The great thing about hydration packs is that they aren't very expensive either. As anglers, we don't need to carry gallons and gallons of water with us. The equivalent of 5 or 6 bottles of water will serve the average angler well. And these small hydration packs are extremely affordable.
That's right folks the dilemma of carrying enough water while fishing is no longer a dilemma. Leave the bottles of water in your cooler and give a hydration pack a try. I personally have a small one, and the water that it holds will last me for an entire day on the river. It's not uncommon for me to cover 5 or 6 miles of river on an average fishing trip and my hydration pack always holds enough water to keep me more than hydrated. The best way to carry water while fishing is, without question, a hydration pack.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
http://www.jrwfishing.com/camelbaks.html - This Is How To Carry Water!

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Carrying Live Worms While Fishing?...Problem Solved

Anyone who spends any time fishing with live worms deals with the problem of carrying that silly little Styrofoam container around with them. Then when the worms are gone there is the problem of the container itself. Many times these simply get left along the lake or stream. Many years ago my fishing mentor came up with a simple remedy for this situation, and in this article I'm going to tell you what that remedy was.
The solution for carrying your live worms while you're fishing is your old socks. Yea, I said your old socks. All that needs to be done is to take one of your old socks and cut it off about four inches from the end of the sock (where your toes would go). This creates a little "bait sock". Now you simply attach this "bait sock" to your fishing vest or shirt using a safety pin. You simply take the worms from their Styrofoam container and place them into your new bait bag. Just the worms, not the dirt!
Your worms will stay in your new bait bag all day. And when you need one, it's right there at your fingertips. And the worms DON'T crawl out! Many people don't believe me when I tell them this, but it's true. I've been using some manifestation of a bait bag, including the sock version, for over fifteen years, and have never had the worms crawl out. Oh sure, on occasion you may encounter an oddball worm with the attention span of a two year old, but you just push the little guy back in with his friends, and you're good to go.
If you don't like the idea of having a piece of an old sock hanging from your fishing vest, you can check out JRWfishing for a much more modern version, but the bottom line is that once you begin to use a bait bag of some sort, you'll never fish without one. Not to mention the fact that the less Styrofoam containers that get left on the banks of our rivers and streams, the better. That's definitely a point that we can all agree on.

Trevor Kugler Co-founder of JRWfishing.com and founder of yourmoneyconeection.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience and currently raises his 3-year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country......Montana.
http://www.jrwfishing.com/bait_pouch.asp - Now this is how to carry worms!

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Bait Doesn't Catch Fish - Hooks Do

This may sound like a completely stupid title for an article, but hear me out. Many anglers take their hooks for granted as a part of their fishing. They assume that as long as they're using the popular bait, or the bait that has worked in the past, they will catch fish. While it may be true that fish can be caught with blatant disregard for something as simple as hooks, large and/or experienced fish cannot. If a fish is large, it got that way for a reason. Because the fish has been around awhile. And fish that have been around awhile have not only seen anglers offerings before, they have probably been caught and released before. Therefore they become more difficult to fool into biting.
If you've spent any time on the water you know this fact to be true. That larger fish have not only been around longer, but have also become wiser. This is especially true in small rivers, where fish don't have hundreds of square miles to swim free in, such as is found in lakes.
So how do we go about enticing these larger fish to bite our offering? The best way that I've ever seen is by employing a set of gang hooks. What are gang hooks? They are simply two small hooks tied in tandem. And when I say small hooks, I mean small hooks. I personally use size 10 hooks. But with a set of size 10 gang hooks tied on four-pound test mono-filament, I've caught trout and small mouth bass in the five to six pound class. And why do I catch fish this big with hooks so small? Because the fish don't realize there are hooks in the bait.
You see, gang hooks are the best way to present bait naturally. When your bait is in the water it looks completely natural. Your bait looks exactly like it does normally. For example, a worm hooked on size 10 gang hooks looks exactly the same as a worm without any hooks in it at all. Needless to say, this is a huge advantage to the angler.
The above reasons are why this article is titled "bait doesn't catch fish, hooks do", because while bait might help catch the attention of the fish, the hooks are what actually catches said fish. Start using gang hooks and you will begin catching more fish, It's as simple as that.
If you want more great tips delivered to your inbox for free, you can check this out. As anglers, we should always be striving to become better and more efficient at our craft.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country... Montana!
Gang Hooks Tied & Ready To Fish: http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp

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Are You Really Ready To Fish?

Has anyone had the experience of getting to your favorite trout stream, wading out into the water, then reaching into one of your pockets to add a couple of split shot to your line, only to then realize that you don't have any with you! Son of a bit.......!!!! This is no fun. Having your fishing equipment stocked up ready to go is paramount to your enjoyment.
One of my mottos is, "if you think you have enough of whatever type of terminal tackle that you may use, add one more package." For most of my river fishing excursions, I will almost exclusively use, split shot sinkers, swivels, gang hooks, and live bait (mostly worms). That's really all of the fishing gear that I need with me, but I need plenty of it. With the style of fishing I learned from my mentor, you get snagged a lot. And that means that you retie quite a bit. And that means that to have extra stuff, rather than not enough.
It's always a good idea to have extra line with you as well. I've seen many, many anglers who don't change their line nearly enough. I personally use four pound test, and with the amount of fishing I do, I have to change my line at least once a month. When fishing with line this small, catching one big fish can all but ruin it. So having an extra spool or two of line with you, it's a must. This way you can just change your line on the bank of the river, rather than having to go home.
I can't lie here though. Although split shot, gang hooks, swivels, and live bait are the fishing equipment I use most, I also have a couple of small boxes of spinners, spoons, and rapala's in my vest as well. After all, I am an angler, and as we all know you can never have enough crap. But there are days when the fish just won't even look at a worm, and for example, the only thing that you can catch them on is a 1/8 ounce black Rooster Tail. I've had this exact experience before. I caught 18" Rainbow Trout every second or third cast on a black Rooster Tail, and I hadn't even gotten a bump on anything else for three hours. And during the time that I was catching those trout, I got snagged and lost my Rooster tail. Now what do you think might have happened if I didn't have another one that was exactly the same in my vest? It wouldn't have been good if there had been children within earshot, because the profanities would have been flying. But as it was, all was well, because I always carry back-ups. I would suggest that you do the same.
How about wading a mile and a half downstream in 40 degree weather and realizing that there's a hole in your waders? Oh yea, this is no fun either. To be truly ready to wade fish, for god's sake, carry a patch kit in your vest as well. If anything like this happens to you, you'll be thanking old TK. Hopefully I've given you something to consider at least.

Trevor Kugler is Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience as well as 15 years of business experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.
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Do You Know How To Fish A Worm

Before I even get this article kicked off, not that kind of worm. I'm not speaking of some three inch long piece of rubber made in the color of a child's play toy; no I'm speaking of the kind of worm that lives in the ground. Or, as Hank Hill calls them, "The good old American worm". Do you really know how to properly fish a live worm? It's not a difficult thing to do, yet most anglers have no clue how to do it properly.
The first thing I want to cover is the fact that you want your worm to look as natural as possible. Imagine standing along a river and throwing a live worm into the water. What would it look like? How would it react? As a matter of fact give it a shot. Toss a live worm into a clear water river or lake and pay attention to how the worm reacts. In a perfect world, this is how you want the worm to look when it's hooked up to your fishing line. The bottom line is that you want your worm to look as natural as possible.
On many occasions, in my travels, I've seen anglers employing the old "worm ball". The "worm ball" is simply a worm that has been threaded onto a large hook. We've all seen this technique, and probably ever used it from time to time. Well, no more. After reading this article, you will never attempt to use a worm ball again. When you begin fishing a worm properly, that is to say naturally, you will also begin to get more bites and thus catch more fish.
In order to fish a live worm properly, you need to use small hooks, not large ones. I personally prefer a set of size 10 pre-tied gang hooks I take two size 10 hooks and make a gang hook. What's a gang hook, you may be thinking? Well, a gang hook is simply two hooks tied in tandem. This way both hooks can be placed into the live worm, thus creating a very natural presentation. And with size 10 hooks, they are barely even visible to the naked eye! Don't you think this would be a bit of an advantage to the angler?
In order to fish a live worm properly, you need to use a gang hook. There're fairly easy to tie yourself, just do a search for fishing knots, and you'll be on your way. Or you can go somewhere like JRWfishing and buy some that are ready to go, the choice is yours. The important thing is that you begin using gang hooks as soon as you can. Once you begin fishing live worms the way they were intended to be fished you'll be very pleased with the results.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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A Quality Boat That You Can Take With You On Your Next Fishing Trip

Having a boat to fish from really gives the angler an advantage. There are so many more area's to access from a boat as opposed from walking along the bank. If you've never considered a quality inflatable boat for your fishing needs, you may want to. A quality inflatable is amazingly easy set up and also quite affordable. A quality inflatable boat may be something worth keeping in mind.
Many fishermen fish from shore because they don't have a boat. Let's face it, boats are expensive. Who's got thousands of extra dollars to spend on a boat? Many of us don't have that kind of extra money, but now there are affordable and convenient alternatives. It may sound crazy, but you may want to give a quality inflatable boat a shot. There are many advantages to owning a quality inflatable boat, and some of those advantages would include :

- Access to otherwise unaccesable water - Easy assembly - Lightweight - Stable
Having a boat that you can take with you anywhere does have it's advantages. If you like to camp or have a RV, how nice and easy would it be to take a boat with you, if that boat were inflatable? When you have to trailer and tow your boat, it can become more of a pain in the butt to take it. An inflatable would be easy to take with you. Just throw it in your car or RV and if you want to use it, great, if you don't, no problem, just leave it in its bag. A quality boat, that you can take with you on your next fishing trip may be something worth considering.

Trevor Kugler is Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience as well as 15 years of business experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.
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7 Things To Remember When Landing A Large Fish

Have you ever had the pleasure of having a large fish on the end of your line? I'm not talking about a big fish. I'm talking about a LARGE fish. The size that almost instantly makes you break out into a cold sweat, and think to yourself, "My God!" If you have, these tips may help you land that fish. They've been learned by being the victim of not landing that fish, which is a place I would rather no human being has to experience.
1) Set your drag BEFORE you start fishing. You don't want to hear the familiar "zzzzzzzzz", from the drag being too loose or the popular "snap" of you line when your drag is too tight. Check it by pulling it with your hand every ten or so casts.
2) When you have a nice fished hooked and it wants to run, by all means let it. Let the fish tire itself out. This is absolutely imperative to landing a large fish. Let the fish's strength work for you by tiring the fish out. Let it run.
3) When the fish makes a nice "run" (a "run" is when it's pulling drag out) point your rod tip at the fish. Any bend in the rod will put un-needed pressure on your line. So point your rod tip towards the fish when it's making a run.
4) If the fish jumps point your rod tip down. Try to keep your line tight as tight as possible. I've lost many rainbow trout after they start jumping like crazy. When they jump, you need to keep contact with them as much as possible.
5) If you can see any cover in the water, get the fish as far away from the cover as you can. Large fish will almost always run towards cover. This is especially true with trout. If there's a fallen tree in the water, a big trout will by god do everything in its power to get into it. And if it gets into the cover, 95% of the time it's game over. So keep them away from the cover.
6) If you're fighting a large fish in current while wading or standing on the bank, and the fish just stops, don't panic. Many times large fish can position themselves in the current in such a way that they just hold there. As if you were stuck on bottom. It's a crazy thing when you experience it, but I've personally lost more than one fish when the fish does exactly this. I've also landed very nice fish on very light fishing tackle by allowing the fish to just "hold" there for a while. In every case, within 15 minutes the fish begins swimming again. If you use your polarized sun glasses, many times you can see the fish just "holding" there. This is one of those places where patience comes into play.
7) The first time that you actually catch a glimpse of the fish, DON'T PANIC! I've seen it happen, and it's happened to me. Many times, when you catch a glimpse of the monster on the other end of your line panic overtakes you. You must remember to breathe and keep your composure as much as possible.
If you keep these seven things in mind, it could very well help you to land that large fish the next time you have it hooked. That's my hope, that we can all land a monster at least once in our fishing lives. Just keep in mind that it took me three years of hard fishing on the same river and the loss of four or five monsters before I landed the monster I have hanging on my wall. But I knew there were fish of that caliber in the river I was fishing. I just knew it! Keep at it, and your hard work will pay off.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing and founder of yourmoneyconnection.com Trevor has more than 15 years of business experience and currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country - Montana.
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6 Things Every Angler Should Have In Their Fishing Vest

If you're the type of angler that I am, you where a fishing vest. And if you don't.....you should. Fishing vests are much more convenient than lugging around a tackle box. Flea flickers have been using fishing vests for years, but my fishing mentor used a fishing vest and he was no flea flicker. I've been using a fishing vest for years and I wouldn't go fly fishing if you paid me. My point is that fishing vests aren't just for fly fishermen anymore. When you get out on the water, you need to have these 6 things at your disposal.

Hemostats - Hemostats are perfect for removing hooks from a fishes mouth. Especially small hooks. Needle nose pliers will suffice, but hemostats are great. One of the two are imperative for hook removal.

Pocket Lure Holders - I'm referring to the small tackle boxes that will fit in the pockets of the fishing vest. You must have one or two of these small boxes with your favorite lures in said boxes. They are a perfect way to carry lures, such as rooster tails and small spoons.

Extra Hooks and/or Lures - If you're a bait fisherman, like me, you need to have extra gang hooks with you. And extra single hooks as well (in case you need to tie gang hooks on the fly). You should also have extra's of your favorite lures and lure colors. You will invariably get snagged and lose whatever color is working best, so you need to have a back-up with you on the water.

Small Flashlight - You should have a small flash light in your fishing vest at all times. You never know when you may need it, and it's great to have when you're really in need.

Matches - The bottom line with this one is that you have a way to start a fire, if necessary. It could be a lighter or fire starter rather than matches; you just must have a way to start a fire if needed. Remember to put whatever form of fire starter you choose into a waterproof container.

Retractors - A retractor is used to hold things like nail clippers or hemostats. The item hangs on your vest and you use it as needed. When you are done using the item you simply let it go, and it zips right back into place. Retractors are one of the most convenient gifts that flea flickers have given us. If you've never used a retractor, it's time to get out of the dark ages.
If you have these six things in or on your fishing vest, you should be safe and happy on your next fishing excursion. There are obviously many more items that you can and should have in your fishing vest, but these six, I think, are imperative. These six will definitely have you on your way.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
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10 Reasons Why Fish Don't Or Won't Bite

Okay, there can be a huge number of factors contributing to the fact that fish won't bite. I realize this, but will try to narrow it down to the top ten. Or at least the top ten from my perspective. I mean, what other perspective would you expect me to give? So with my apologies to David Letterman, here are my top 10 reasons why fish don't bite.
1) The moon is wrong. It's a well known fact that fish are more active, and therefore feed more during both a full and/or new moon. This may sound strange, but it's true. Just search the phrase "moon phases". You'll get more information than you know what to do with.
2) The fish aren't eating what you're throwing. I know this sounds stupid, but it's true. I've been trout fishing with a worm when a mayfly hatch starts. Let me tell you something. It was game over for the worm and I. The trout become so focused on mayflies that they won't look at anything else.
3) Your casting a shadow where you're fishing. This is especially true while river fishing for trout. If you cast a shadow into the water that you're trying to fish, the trout will see it and not bite.
4) The angler wades through the area that they intend to fish. To me this is one of the ultimate "rookie" mistakes, and I see it time and time again. If you must wade through an area, but would like to fish it as well, fish it, then wade through it. A person wading through the water makes fish really skittish.
5) Not enough weight on your line. This one is directed at river fishing. I see too many anglers not using enough weight when fishing in current, because they don't want to get snagged. My mentor used to say, "If you're not getting snagged, you're not fishing in the right place." Getting snagged is part of fishing in the current. If you don't have enough weight, your bait will flow through the current right below the surface and not be seen by the majority of the fish.
6) Line diameter. Using line that is too heavy for what you're fishing for. This one is especially true when fishing in clear water situations. It doesn't matter if you're lake fishing or river fishing. The thicker your line, the easier it is for fish to see. And if you're line sticks out to the fish, they won't bite. I've personally been using six pound test with no success, and then switched to four pond test. As soon as I switched the size of my line, I caught fish in the exact area that I couldn't even get a bite!
7) Hook size. If your hooks are too big, many times the fish won't bite. This is especially true with live bait fishing. I personally use size 10 hooks about 80% of the time. You'll be amazed at the size fish you can catch on small hooks.
8) Lure size. This one goes right along with the previous two. Many times people think that the bigger the lure, the bigger the fish, but this isn't necessarily true. Just like with hook size, you'll be amazed at the size fish that can be caught on smaller lures. Again this is especially true in clear water situations, such as those you find in many trout rivers.
9) Lure color. If the color that you're using isn't working, change it. This is obviously simple, but true. I've fished for two or three hours with both live bait and bright colored lures with almost no success. Then, in a last ditch effort, I switched to a black Rooster-tail. Bam! Two eighteen+ inch rainbows in the next fifteen minutes.
10) Wash your hands! This is an absolute must if you smoke, chew, or touch anything smelly. Fish have an incredible sense of smell, and if the bait you're using smells like a cigarette because you touched it.....No bite for you! When in doubt, a grab a handful of gravel or grass and rub it in my hands. I swear to God this is true. The fish can smell whatever you've had in your hands.
So there are 10 factors that the angler can control, because as we all know there are plenty on factors that are just out of our control. Hopefully, these will help you catch a few more fish.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of http://www.JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!
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10 Reasons To Go Fishing

For me there doesn't have to be a reason to go fishing. Fishing itself is enough I'll just go at the drop of a hat but for those of you who may need a reason, here are ten. Who knows, when you need an excuse to wet a line one of them might come in handy. So here they are, in no particular order.
1) To get out in nature. We all get caught up in the day to day inertia that we call life, and sometimes just need to get back to nature. It helps restore the soul, as many poets have suggested.
2) To get your mind off of other things. This is what I used to use fishing for, before I learned some other techniques for clearing my mind. But spending a day waist deep in a river still serves me pretty well.
3) To have some fun with your children. If you haven't done this already, have at it. Kids love to fish. And I know with my daughter, I have every bit as much fun as she does. And in some way, that's what this whole thing is about.
4) To try to catch a trophy. This is a wonderful reason for me, but some people just don't want to work that hard. It took me three years of fairly hard fishing on the same river to catch the one trophy rainbow trout that I've caught out of said river. And it was worth every minute of fishing and frustration along the way.
5) Practice. In the immortal words of Allen Iverson, "What we talking about here? Practice? Practice?" Yes Allen, we're talking about practice. And anglers need it just like professional basketball players. If you want to attain any level of skill, that is. It's just like anything else, the more you practice, the better angler you will become.
6) To get out of the house or office. In this modern world, we can become like animals in a zoo. Just going through the motions, as if there were no real point to being on this earth other than making money to pay bills. At least that's how it can seem if you spend too much time in the house or office.
7) To get exercise. No many people may be thinking, "Fishing is not exercise, you just sit there." Not necessarily. If you go fishing with me, you're going to walk three or four miles and cross the river four or five times. It can be quite a workout at times. Even when I go lake fishing, the areas I fish are a nice walk from my vehicle. So exercise is a great reason to go fishing.
8) To get ideas. I've had some great idea's pop into my head while fishing, that might not have otherwise been discovered.
9) To hang out with a friend. If there's someone that you haven't hung out with in a while, and it's overdue, go fishing. The drive and subsequent walk to and from the fishing area is a great time to catch up.
10) To discover something new about yourself. This one is big for me personally. I've discovered a lot about myself while wading in various rivers over the years and you can as well. There's just something about standing in a river that's conducive to discovery. Maybe the silence. I'm not sure of much, other than the fact that it is.
There you go. The next time the old lady asks you why you want to go fishing again, and you draw a blank, just drop one of these bad boys in her lap. If you get to go fishing one extra time, then writing this article was worth it.

Trevor Kugler Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience and currently raises his 3-year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country......Montana.
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How Does The Weather Impact Fishing?

The weather can impact your success or failure as an angler to a much greater degree than you may think. I used to just do fishing, with no regard for how the weather might impact my fishing trip, and have since learned how big a mistake that was. We all have less and less time to actually get out fishing in the first place, so paying attention to how the weather might influence our trip is a great idea.
The examination of the weather will give us more insight into the behavior of fish than almost any other single study. Studying weather is also a great idea to help keep you out of situations like the one mentioned earlier. As we all know, being comfortable while fishing is also important and few things play a bigger role in an anglers comfort than the weather. Have you ever had the pleasure of standing in a river when the weather changes and you're not dressed for it? I know from experience that this is absolutely no fun.
Without getting too crazy about how the weather impacts fishing, let's discuss those things that are easy to pay attention to. The first are fronts. There are 3 types of fronts: Cold Fronts, Warm fronts, and Stationary fronts. When you watch the weather on the news, fronts are the lines on the weather map. They're normally red for warm fronts, blue for cold fronts, and a combination of read and blue for stationary fronts.
When a front passes over the river, stream or lake that you intend on fishing, it effects the behavior of the fish. Here's an example, As a cold front passes, the temperature and humidity fall and air pressure begins to rise. The passing of a cold front is generally thought to have a negative effect on fishing. I've heard many people say that fish seem to have lock-jaw immediately following a cold front. And on the other hand, the passing of a warm front often implies that inclement weather is approaching and air pressures may fall (which is important to fishermen). Many people think of warm fronts as fish catching fronts.
Many biologists attribute heavy feeding activity prior to the passage of a front to the fact that the passage of a front very often means winds and storms, which cloud the water and make feeding more difficult. There's something to keep in mind. The bottom line is that the weather effects the behavior and feeding activity of the fish and can be used to the anglers advantage.
When fronts pass, the barometric pressure changes. When the atmospheric pressure fluctuates, it affects the air bladders in fish. A fishes' air bladder is what it uses to stabilize itself at different depths of water. When a fishes' air bladder isn't feeling right it won't want to eat. Do you feel like eating when you have an upset stomach? Well fish don’t either, and changes in pressure can give them an 'upset stomach'.
These are the basic ways that the weather impacts
the behavior of fish. You can do more research and get as crazy as you would like about the effect the weather has on fishing, but these basics are all that I need. I increase my odds of catching fish, by paying attention to the weather and fishing accordingly. You can do the same thing, and increase your odds as well.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com. He has more than 15 years of business experience and 25 years of fishing experience. He currently raises his 3 year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana.
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