Catching trout isn’t easy, and besides presentation and the way you cast, one of the best ways to catch them is to present them with natural looking and appealing bait. While not surprising, leeches are some of the best bait that you can use, and using them is far easier than you probably imagine. Leeches are incredibly important in a trout’s diet and leech imitations are really a necessary part of any angler’s kit.

There are more than a few anglers out there who will tell you that trout are almost impossible to catch. That isn’t necessarily true, but these smart fish can prove to be quite difficult to get a hold of and that is what makes so many fly fishers fall in love with trout fishing. Trout are difficult to catch thanks to their instincts and the never ending suspicion that their tiny brains continuously pump out.

Whether you want to admit it or not, the truth is that most trout feeding on dry flies are actually mistaking your bait for emergers. If you find that hard to believe then sit back near a shoreline and carefully watch trout right in the middle of a mayfly or midge hatch.

Steelheads are something special to say the least, and if you have ever hooked into one then you already know that. However, taking one with a fly rod is an experience in and of itself, and is even better when done in the winter months. Steelheads are the biggest challenge and there are many anglers who have confidently stated that they cannot be taken on flies, but that just is not the case.

If you have ever hooked into one, or even dreamt of it, then you already know that speckled trout are one of the most exciting game fish to head after. Unfortunately, there are not many anglers in the world who decide to seek out these exciting trout with their fly fishing gear. Whether it be skepticism or intimidation, there is a seemingly infinite amount of fishers that refuse to believe in the productivity of saltwater fly fishing.

There is often nothing more thrilling than spotting the occasional boil in the water as a large trout surfaces to feed. Going after sighted trout is one the sport’s truly magical moments but learning how to properly position your boat is a necessity for success. If you plan your presentation and your boat’s approach correctly then you can take advantage of a vantage point that gives you an upper hand on the trout.

The foundation of fly tying for any pattern begins with the hook. With all the new technology available these days, deciding which hook is best, for which pattern, can be confusing to the novice fly tier.

Soon Christmas will be upon us and before we know it, we’ll be making those annual New Years Resolutions which are normally broken before the end of day one! Instead of promising to cut down on the beer intake, or spend more time in the garden, why not make a real effort to improve your casting technique or water craft? Paying more attention to your technique and tackle will almost certainly put more fish on the bank next season.

Scotland’s rivers have long held the reputation for nurturing the King of fish the salmon, and rightly so as illustrious streams like the River Tweed, the Tay and the Spey have for centuries been world renowned for their salmon angling. Lesser recognised but equally if not more prolific are the brown trout which inhabit not only the aforementioned but also other acclaimed rivers like the Clyde, Tummel and Don.

Steelhead trout are simply one of the best catches that you hope to hook into on any given day. These beasts below will offer the biggest tussle that any freshwater fish will give you, that is, if you can locate them. So I’ve got 5 top tips on catching them!