Lure Casting for Trout

The right gear

Keep it light. A 6 to 7 foot rod rated around 2 to 4kg, a small spinning reel, and 2 to 4kg line or braid with a fluorocarbon leader is all you need. Light line casts small lures further, lets them work naturally, and gives you a better feel for the take. Heavy gear just kills the action of a little lure.

Reading the water

Trout sit where food comes to them and where they feel safe. On rivers that means the seams between fast and slow water, the tail-outs of pools, undercut banks, and behind rocks and logs. On lake edges look for points, weed beds, drop-offs, inflowing creeks and windblown shorelines where the wind pushes food against the bank.

Before you cast, watch the water for a minute. A rise, a swirl, a nervous flick of baitfish, the fish will often tell you where they are if you give them the chance.

Retrieves that work

Don't just cast and wind straight back. Vary the speed, throw in pauses, and let the lure flutter down on a slack line, a huge number of takes come on the drop. Use the countdown method to fish different depths: cast, let the lure sink while you count, then retrieve, adding a couple of seconds each cast until you find the fish.

On rivers, cast up and across and let the lure swing down with the current, keeping just enough tension to feel it working. On lakes, fan your casts to cover a wide arc before you move.

Covering water

Lure fishing is a searching game. Make a few casts, cover the water in front of you, then move along the bank and do it again. Keep moving until you find active fish rather than flogging one spot. Once you get a hit, work that area harder, where there's one trout there are usually more.

On a guided session I'll have you casting to the right water, feeling the difference between a good retrieve and a lazy one, and reading a bank so you can do it on your own water back home.