Best Hooks For Trout Fishing

What are the best hooks for trout fishing? I've been asked that question many times in the last 25 years, and in this article I'm going to do my best to explain the answer to this question. The best hooks for trout fishing have 3 very important things in common. These 3 things are what this article is about. As long as your trout fishing hooks have these 3 things in common, you're going to be in great shape.
Many trout anglers make the mistake of not thinking enough about their hooks, and it ends up costing them bites.

Many times in trout fishing the simplest things are the most effective and this is certainly true with hooks. This is especially true if live bait is employed when fishing for trout. When you fish with live bait, you want the focus to be on the bait, and nothing else. The bottom line is that if you keep these 3 things in mind, you'll know that you're always using the best hooks for trout fishing.

• The Size - When fishing for trout you always want to use small fishing hooks. This means size 8 or 10 in most situations, and rarely any hooks larger than size 6. The size of your hooks is important because we don't want them to be visible to the trout. When talking about the best hooks for trout fishing, the smaller the better. Some trout anglers even like to use size 12 and 14 hooks, which are so small you almost have to have the hands of a four year old to deal with then effectively.
• The Sharpness - When fishing for trout (or any other species of fish) your hooks should always be as sharp as possible. New hooks are very sharp, but after being used for a while they become dull. This is why changing your hooks frequently or sharpening them with a hook sharper is so important. It's said that 50% of the fish we miss is because of dull hooks. I like to drift fish in rivers, where I bounce my bait along the bottom as it flows with the current. This means that I get snagged and/or hung up a lot. So I'm constantly changing my hooks to make sure that they're as sharp as possible.
• The Configuration - Trout fishing hooks should be configured properly, especially when using live bait. The most effective configuration that I've ever used is a set of gang hook. Trout fishing hooks configured as a set of gang hooks are extremely effective, especially when worm fishing. Another configuration that some trout fishermen like is a #10 plain hook with a small treble hook tied behind it. This trout fishing hook set up is quite effective for Powerbait fishing.

The bottom line is that the best hooks for this type of fishing need to have these 3 things in common. If your trout fishing hooks have these three things in common you will be a successful trout fisherman. And never forget, there is no magic formula to fishing, so the more time that you can spend on the water practicing your craft, the better off you will be.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five 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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See my previous post:18 New Trout Fishing Records in 2006!