In Zone 1, feel free to use artificial, rubber worms. You can buy them at the new store, and they work great. Especially after the first fifteen minutes of fishing when the trout are tired of your spinner bait.

The key is to get a very small trout hook. I use either a size 12 bait hook that you can get in the main store, or even smaller size 16 hooks. Just stick the hook through the worm to form a “U” at the end of your line, and make sure the barb is sticking out of the worm.

Ask at the lodge which colors are working, then buy four or five bags of the rubber lures (they’re cheap) and switch off colors frequently. Work a fishing hole for a while, then if they’re not biting, try a different worm. It’s amazing how the trout will dismiss a yellow one, then grab a red and white striped worm on the next cast.

You can get some trout worms before you head to the river here if you want.

The other key to fishing with the worm is floating them. I don’t even use a weight, just the worm as its own weight. Make sure you use an ultra-light fishing pole, and rig it with two to four pound line (or at least a 6 to 8 foot leader of lightweight line), and you’re ready to go. The trout do see the fishing line if it’s too thick, so if you want to catch them, try the 2lb. test line.

Now, with the correct rig, you can cast all the way across the river. Just float it in front of the trout, jig it a little, and you’ll catch them. When they grab the worm, hook them fast. They’ll spit it out if you don’t.

Some people have good luck with a small weight on their line, and pulling/jigging/wiggling the worms through the river, getting the trout’s attention. This works, but personally I’ve had better luck with the floating technique.