Are you even aware of what ultra light fishing is? Many anglers seem to think it's using fishing gear that's small enough for landing minnows, but this simply isn't the case. In my view, ultra light fishing is actually closer to what we describe as regular fishing. Foe example I was watching the FLW tour on television the other day and some joker caught a 1 ½ pound largemouth bass on eight pound test, and the announcer kept commenting on how that line was to light for bass fishing. In reality, the angler was simply ultra light fishing for largemouth bass. He was using gear that was matched to what he was fishing for. This type of thing is seen as taboo among most bass anglers who consider ten pound test to be "light line". Do you realize that ten pound test will hold ten pounds of weight before breaking? That's what ten pound test means.

The bottom line is that to me ultra light fishing actually means using line and lures that are matched to what you're fishing for without going into the range of overkill. Whatever the definition of ultralight fishing is, there are some tips that can help you.

The weight of your line - As mentioned earlier, you want the pound test of your fishing line to match the size of fish that you're trying to catch. For example, when I fish for trout in my favorite river, the biggest trout I would ever encounter would be six pounds (and that would be a once in a lifetime giant). Therefore I use four pound test monofilament. This diameter line is more than enough to land the fish I will catch, even big ones. I've caught five pond trout on four pound test many times.

The size of your bait - This is where ultralight fishing is different. Because you use line matched to you're fish, this them enables the angler to use lures and bait that are smaller. While these lures are smaller than most people are accustomed to, ultra light lures are actually the size of the prey the fish are used to. This fact is a big advantage for the angler.

The size of your gear - Again, this is where ultra light fishing seems different, because the rods and reels that are used are much smaller than many anglers are accustomed to. And again, I think the size of ultra light gear is much more in line with the type of fish that are being fished for. For example I use a five foot ultra light rod for most of my small river and stream fishing. When the water's really high, I'll use a six foot six inch ultralight rod for added sensitivity. My fishing reel remains the same. I land fish that are quite large (in the 5-6 pound class) with gear this size and people think I'm nuts. To me it's much more sportsmanlike to use fishing gear this size for fish in this size range. Obviously if I'm Steelhead fishing, I upgrade my gear to something heavier, because the fish that are caught are so much bigger.

In my opinion, the bottom line is that ultra light fishing is the most effective way to catch fish. Especially in Small River and stream situations. Ultralight gear and baits are all I use in such situations (unless of course Steelhead are the goal.) Many anglers think that large fish can't be landed on ultra light gear, but this simply isn't true. And I've said in this article, I catch large fish all the time. The other great thing about ultra light fishing is that you become a better angler. Ultralight gear forces you to play your catch, the way God intended, rather than just winching the poor fish out of the water. Remember, fishing is supposed to be a "sport", not a job.

Name: Trevor Kugler
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.jrwfishing.com

tkugler