How to Rig a Line for Trout Fishing

I have been fishing for trout for more than two decades and the question I most often get asked pertains to how to rig a line for trout fishing. In this article I will answer this question so that you will never again have to ask how to rig a line for trout fishing, you will in fact know. Fishing for trout is accomplished in one of two manners, by “fly” fishing or by “spin” fishing. For my entire trout fishing “career” I have been a spin fisherman and have never engaged in the act of fly fishing, so this way of rigging a line for trout fishing is for those of you who fish with spinning gear.

The fist thing to consider when learning how to rig a line for this type of fishing is the size of the gear that you use. By gear I’m specifically referring to your fishing rod, fishing reel, and the diameter of fishing line that you use. Trout aren’t the biggest fish that swim in freshwater with a five pound trout being considered quite large, so an ultralight rod and reel are definitely in order. Ultra light rods and reels make fishing with light line much easier and more effective and using light line is a must when trout fishing. As far as your fishing line is concerned no fishing line heavier than six pound test monofilament should be used to rig a line for fishing for trout.

When spin fishing for trout you will more than likely be fishing with one of three types of trout bait; live bait, small spinners or spoons, or dough bait. These are the three main types of trout bait that spin fishermen use and whether you are going to be drift fishing with a worm, bottom fishing with dough bait, or casting a small spinner or spoon the basic way in which you rig a line for trout fishing is the same.

One simple piece of terminal tackle is needed to rig your line effectively and that simple piece of terminal tackle is a barrel swivel. Using a barrel swivel on your line helps to prevent line twist, which is the biggest thing that you want to avoid when using light fishing line. Light line that has become twisted performs very poorly and is much less strong than untwisted line, which is why using a barrel swivel when rigging a line for trout fishing is so important. The swivel prevents the line from becoming twisted.

Whether you intend on fishing on the bottom using a bottom fishing rig, drift fishing, or throwing a rooster tail spinner the way to rig your line for trout fishing is this; cut a twelve to twenty four inch piece of line off of the end of your line as a “leader” (this step isn’t necessary with a set of gang hooks as they are tied with a “leader” attached). Tie a barrel swivel to the end of your line and the “leader” to the opposite end of the barrel swivel. Now attach your hook or spinner to the end of the “leader” and you are good to go. When using any of the three types of trout bait listed above using a barrel swivel and “leader” is how to rig a line for fishing for trout.

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