For such a tiny piece of metal, swivels generate a lot of discussions and controversy among trout fishermen. Some fishermen consider them an essential piece of kit, while others have them nowhere near their rigs. In this article, I will take a look at both sides of the debate and discuss when it is a…
Simple question, but a difficult answer. The number one variable which determines the number of trout caught is not the lure or gear used but the skill of the angler. A novice with a spinning rod, will nearly always outfish a novice with a fly rod. The learning curve required to fish with spinning gear…
It is difficult to cast ultralight tackle far, and the lighter the tackle the more difficult it becomes. So every few feet of extra distance might mean the difference between landing your lure where the fish are feeding or falling short. I decided over the weekend, to try and get a more definitive answer to…
Welcome to our guide for the 10 best trout lures for fishing in Montana. This ranking is based on surveying anglers who fish predominantly in the Mountainous North West. These suggestions will likely also work well in the neighboring states of Idaho and Wyoming and even north into British Columbia. 1) Panther Martin It seems…
I was fishing a shallow stream the other day, and it got me thinking that shallow skinny water, whether it is a creek, stream, or even the extreme margins of a larger river presents a number of challenges when retrieving a lure. The main issue, when fishing skinny water is that our lures often hit…
In this article, I am going to discuss two very similar reels. These reels, almost have more in common than separates them. They are both excellent. If I had to describe both reels in just one sentence. The Stradic is a workhorse while the Vanford is all about finesse. For the most part, I am…
(Editor note: For archival reasons I have republished this review from my main buyer’s guide. The MGXtreme is now difficult to find retail ) This is the flagship freshwater spinning reel from Abu Garcia. It does not come cheap with a recommended retail price of over $400. This makes it nearly doublethe price of excellent…
After extensive real world testing, and based on our own experiences, we rate what we consider to be the best performing spinning reels for trout fishing.
There seems to be quite some confusion regarding what size spinning reel to get for trout fishing. I am going to provide a method that can be used with any brand of spinning reel. This method uses the breaking strain of the line you use to decide what reel to get. When trout fishing, we…
Swim shads represent small fish, and they generally have a hyper realistic finish, on the retrieve their little tail does wiggle through the water in a rather fishlike fashion. They are affordable. Depending on brand, a pre-rigged shad generally costs around a dollar. You can get a whole package for the price of a single…
