Giant Trout Fishing: Techniques for Catching Trophy Fish

I've been lucky to grow up on the Arrow Lakes in the West Kootenays, home of some of the biggest bull and rainbow trout in the entire world.  I've seen specimens of both species that weighed well over 20 pounds come out of my home lake, including a 23 pound rainbow my father caught a few years back. 

One thing I've learned in all these years, is that catching monster trout isn't just about throwing a lure out and hoping for the best.  There are a few things every boat needs to increase the odds and I'm going to share them with you today.  Here's what you need if you plan on catching the biggest trout of your life:

1. Electric Downriggers
There's no better way to get down to those deep fish than with a downrigger, and there's no downrigger more efficient than a Scotty electric downrigger.  Fishing for trout requires finding the depth they are at, and this makes a downrigger absolutely essential for targeting trout in big lakes.  Electric downriggers don't come cheap ($450 and up), but they are well worth the price as they can not only increase your fishing time, but also allow you to target those really deep fish (100+ feet) without spraining your arm trying to winch a 12 pound weight up.  For more info on what's available check out B.C. company Scotty's website at: www.scotty.com

2. Planer Boards
While downriggers help you cover more water vertically in the water column, planer boards help you cover more water horizontally.  By attaching fishing lines to your planer lines with a clip, you can fish up to 100 feet on either side of your boat.  This allows you to fish further from the boat, decreasing the chance of spooking fish.  Planer boards also work great for adding action to your baits.  They dart and bounce through the water which creates movement on the lines attached.  While you can buy your own planer boards, you can also make inexpensive and simple planer boards at home. 

3. Scotty Orca Rodholders
While there are many types of rodholders on the market, many can actually cause you to lose fish as you struggle to free your rod, giving time for the fish to escape.  Want to fix this problem?  Pick up some Scotty Orcas.  They allow you to put the rod in the rodholder by simply pushing the rod down on the holder as it snaps shut.  To pick the rod up, all you have to do is lift.  Check them out here:  Scotty Orca

Stay tuned for part 2 where I discuss inexpensive alternatives to planer boards and downriggers. 

This boat is fully tricked out for trolling.  Note the electric downrigger on the back corner of the boat, as well as several Scotty Orca rodholders.  It's a trout fishing machine!  All that's missing are the planer boards which are inside the boat.