Top Fishing Tips for Trout Anglers of All Experience Levels

PartsVu Xchange Talks Boating host Tonia Becker spoke with Kirk Deeter, a Vice President at Trout Unlimited, the Editor-in-Chief for Trout, Trout Unlimited’s quarterly magazine, and editor-at-large for Field & Stream magazine. Kirk is an accomplished and well-recognized writer in the world of fishing. He has authored or co-authored several books, including The Little Black Book of Fly Fishing and Tideline: Captains, Fly-Fishing and the American Coast.

In addition to his engagement with conservation efforts, Kirk is also an avid angler with years of trout fishing experience. He reveals some of his best tips for catching trout, including information on his favorite baits and tactics.

He also discusses some of his favorite fishing destinations. Kirk’s expertise benefits ​people ​of all levels, whether a new trout enthusiast or a veteran angler.

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How did you get started trout fishing? Why does it appeal to you so much?

Kirk: There are two answers to that question. I grew up on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin and fished a ton. I just had the fishing bug when I was a little boy. My mom sometimes even got mad at me since I fished so much.

I used to ride my bike to the pier to throw spoons and fish for salmon and other fish. I’d sometimes catch fish, sling them over my shoulder, and pedal home on my bike to bring them home, where my Mom would throw me in the bathtub to get me cleaned up and ready for school again. So, I was really a fishy little dude.

My start in fly fishing was a little different. I actually took up fly fishing for trout to impress a girl… well, mostly her father. We were dating, and they invited me to their cabin to meet the family. They sent me to the river in waders to fish. She came to check on me in a couple of hours, and I asked her if I had to come back already. She was a little disappointed but told her dad, who realized that I was the one. We’ve now been married for 32 years, so it worked out.

I just love being outside and always have. Trout don’t live in ugly places, so it’s a great way to be outside in the beauty of nature, clear my head, and be with other people. There are so many reasons I like fishing that I can’t list them all here.

Can you share some of your best trout fishing tips for anglers who are just getting started?

Kirk: The number one tip is to just go for it. Don’t be intimidated.

Sometimes, a new angler can feel like they’re jumping into a complex and difficult thing. Fishing can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. However, you don’t have to rack your brain to enjoy fishing. You can do simple things and follow some basic techniques letting instinct guide you.

Also, know that somebody out there wants to help you, whether it’s a neighbor, friend, aunt, or someone else. My favorite thing in the world now is teaching others how to fish. I like helping people learn to fish more than I like fishing myself.

My second tip is to let the fish communicate by their actions what will and won’t work in a particular situation. Many anglers make the mistake of trying to impose their will on the fish. Sometimes, people tend to lock into a mentality of how they think fish will bite on a given day. It’s kind of like they have a preconceived notion of what will work best. For example, they may have just bought this new rod and a specific lure, and they believe that those are the keys to catching fish that day. However, people need to fish with open minds.

So, the second tip is to watch, listen, observe, and think so you can let the fish dictate the action. This lesson is critical and one that never goes out of style no matter how good you get. The sooner you learn this lesson, the better you’ll be able to read conditions which will translate into more fishing success.

The key is to get started and do what makes you feel comfortable. I was an unabashed worm-dunking fisherman for many years. Worm fishing lit my pilot light. Some of my fly fishing colleagues might frown on worm fishing, but I’m all about people getting started somewhere. The important thing is lighting the passion and connecting with nature. The point is to catch fish and have fun.

Can you work with someone to get them up and running by the end of one of your sessions?

Kirk: That’s my goal. If someone hires a guide and doesn’t learn something, they haven’t gotten their money’s worth. A guide’s job is to do much more than just net fish and take pictures.

I endeavor to teach someone to fish so they can enjoy it for a lifetime. I have been fishing for 40 years and try to learn something every​ single​ day. If I learn something, I consider my day a success. The more I can share my knowledge and help people, the more joy I get from my fishing experience.

What kinds of casting techniques are important to being a successful fly fisherman?

Kirk: The trick is to start short and progress to longer casts. It’s kind of like golfing. When you start golfing, you don’t necessarily have to hit it three hundred yards your first time out. You quickly realize that the short game is most important.

Fly fishing is similar to golf. Short, accurate casts will net more results than long, bomber-style casts. Long casts are certainly enjoyable to watch and execute, but it’s good to build a foundation on shorter casts.

Casting is more about timing than muscle. It’s never about power.

One of the best tips I can give is to keep your thumb in your peripheral vision at all times. If you keep this in mind, you’ll solve 80 percent of your casting problems because most people cock their wrist. If you cock your wrist, you lose your thumb. In other words, you can’t see your thumb. If you maintain eye contact with your thumb, you’ll maintain control of your cast.

What kind of tips do you have for anglers with some experience but who want to increase their skills a bit?

Kirk: One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that fish gravitate towards changes. They like changes in structure, depth, current, vegetation, and anything else that reflects a variation from the norm. Therefore, finding places related to any type of change is essential to finding fish. Once you’ve identified these key areas, you’ll know where to focus your efforts.

Another thing to consider is the sequence of events related to catching a fish. It’s kind of like a chess match. Everything is interconnected. For example, if I hook a fish here, what will happen next? Will he wrap me around a tree, take me over rock, or what? I have to be thinking several steps ahead to know how to handle the fight. It’s all part of a big picture, and putting those pieces together is essential to an angler’s success.

Another tip is to make your presentation look natural or appetizing. For example, if you’re fly fishing, you can’t have drag on your line. You’ve got to make the fly look like a tiny little mayfly floating through the water at the mercy of the current. Making your bait or lure appear as natural as possible is probably the number one thing an intermediate angler can work on to go from good to great.

Would you consider fish to be smart?

Kirk: Well, they have brains the size of nuts, so they’re not intellectual giants. However, their instincts are keen, so we’re trying to trick thousands of years of instinct, and that’s not always easy to do. But, trying to match wits with instinct is what makes this sport blossom. You’ve got to put your mind to work to outthink fish.

How does someone move to an advanced level, especially when it comes to fly casting?

Kirk: Practice is key. You don’t necessarily have to be on the water to practice. If we’re talking about fly casting, I like to set out hula hoops as targets about forty feet away. The trick is to get your cast to your mark in four seconds. If you can get it there in four seconds, you’ve got a real shot at catching a fish that’s related to a specific target. It’s just like any other sport. Repetition is critical to your improving your skills.

Additionally, it’s imperative for anglers to understand that inches matter in the sport of fishing, especially as it relates to positioning. When you set up to cast, you’ve got to be aware of things like shadows, for example. If you establish a casting stance in a spot where you’re going to create a moving shadow that a fish might notice, you’re inevitably hurting your chances of catching the fish. So being aware of subtle issues like positioning is critical to your success.

I did a neat study once where I put on gear and submerged under the surface of the water to observe fish reactions to some of my friends who were trout fishing nearby. The number one thing I noticed was that fish significantly reacted to shadows. Fish do not like seeing movement overhead. Errant or loud casts also elicited a negative response from fish. They often went into hiding as a reaction.

Are you seeing people use boats more to reach untapped water?

Kirk: I feel like the last two years with the pandemic and all of its implications have turned many people to water when they didn’t have their usual recreational outlets to turn to. T-ball was out, bowling alleys were closed, and movie theaters were locked down, so many people began to return to nature, and I think that’s been great.

I think it’s led to the biggest boat renaissance in history. Boats seem more popular than ever, and the reason is straightforward: they set you free. They give you the opportunity to explore places off of the beaten path. Boats have a liberating effect on anglers.

What are some of the best trout fishing destinations you could recommend for people planning to travel?

Kirk: I’m always a big advocate of fishing your home waters as much as possible. Getting out and hiking to remote spots is a great way to explore and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

As for travel, I believe the Great Lakes region will have a real renaissance. However, one of my favorite places to visit is Tasmania in Australia. It’s pretty amazing to combine trout fishing with sightings of kangaroo or wallabies in the wild.

Please be sure to check out the work of Trout Unlimited at tu.org. Also, check out Kirk’s remarkable body of work, which includes several great reads on trout fishing, all available on Amazon.