When most anglers hear the term “art” in relation to the term “fishing” they automatically assume that the style of fishing known as “fly fishing” must be the subject. In my mind this has never made sense, because more than twenty five years ago I had the pleasure of learning how to fish for trout from a man that many people considered an artist and this man was, wait for it, a spin fisherman. That’s right this “trout fishing master” was a spin fisherman or more to the point an ultralight spin fisherman.

The act of spin fishing for trout with ultralight gear has been my passion ever since I had the pleasure of learning from this man more that twenty years ago and in this article I will reveal some of the tips and tricks that he taught me and that I have learned through experience, so that you can add them to your trout fishing arsenal and begin your journey towards becoming an “artist” as well. The bottom line is that ultralight spin fishing, when taken seriosly, can be every bit the “art form” that fly fishing is considered to be.

The first factor to consider when you are spin fishing for trout is the size of the line that you use. If you want to catch trout consistently you need to be using very light fishing line. This means either two or four pound test. You can use monofilament or fluorocarbon line, but the bottom line is that it needs to be as light as possible. This is because trout have very keen eyesight and if the detect your fishing line under the water, they are much less apt to bite your offering.

Next, if you want to master the art of spin fishing for trout you need to spend as much time on the water as you can. Not only this, but while you are fishing for trout you need to be as mindful as possible, meaning that you need to focus on the task at hand. Make mental notes of what the trout are doing, what the weather is doing, what other anglers might be doing, what the trout are feeding on, what phase the moon is in, what time of day it is, etc. As you gather information, you can implement said information into the trip that you are on as well as fishing trips in the future.

As you do this, you will begin to notice little nuances in your technique which can be adjusted and/or accentuated, which will begin to make you a much better and more effective fisherman. Adding information, techniques, and strategies to your fishing arsenal will pay huge dividends in hook up rates and this all comes from the experience of having your line in the water fishing for trout. If you add these simple ideas to your personal trout fishing repertoire, you will be well on your way to becoming an artist yourself and mastering the art of spin fishing for trout.