Trout Fishing Terms
Below you will find a glossary of the most common trout fishing terms. Many of these definitions apply to other types of fishing as well.
A.C. Plug: The brand name of a large trout imitating lure. It’s made of wood and is a top water variety.
Acidity: This refers to the degree of “sourness” of the water. Acidity is measured in a pH level, with a measurement of seven (7) indicating neutrality — neither overly acidic or alkaline. Two (2) indicates the liquid is a strong acid.
Action: This is the measurement of the rod performance. It ranges from slow to fast, describing the elapse time from the point when the rod is flexed to the point it returns to its straight configuration. This term also refers to the strength of the rod: light, medium and heavy. Light is a limber rod and heavy denotes a stout rod.
Active fish: This term refers to fish in the process of feeding heavily and striking aggressively.
Adipose fin: This is the fin on some species of fish, located between the dorsal and tail fin. It’s usually considered to be a fatty fin.
Air bladder: A gas filled sac, located in the upper part of the body cavity. Found on many bony fish. It’s right beneath the vertebral column. The task of the air bladder is to offset the weight of the heavier tissue, such as bone.
Algae: A single cell plant organism commonly found in water.
Alkalinity: This is a measurement of the amount of acid neutralizing bases in a liquid.
Anal fin: An unpaired fin, it lies along the midline of the body, just below the anus and is normally found on the back half of the fish.
Angler: The term normally used to describe a person who uses a rod and reel to fish.
Angleworm: Any live earthworm placed on a fishing hook.
Angling: This term refers to the sport of catching fish with a rod and a reel.
Anti-reverse: This is a system which prevents reels — most commonly bait casters — spinning in reverse and causing tangles.
Apache trout: One of two native trout species found in the state of Arizona. The body color is a goldish yellow. The dorsal and tail fins have dark bold spots on them. The body itself is barely spotted but what’s there normally extents below the lateral line. Considered an endangered species, though limiting fish is legalized.
Artificial lures and flies: This refers to devices, created by humans, intended as bait for fish. It doesn’t include, obviously live bait or dead organism.
Attractant: A scent — which can be found in either liquid or powder form — applied to fishing lures to lure more fish.
Back cast: A term normally used in fly fishing, it refers to the portion of the casting action in which the fly rod and the fishing line are moved from the front of an angler to the back of it. There can be a series of successive back casts occurring when the line is being played out to increase the distance as well as the accuracy of the cast.
Backing: Line that’s used to partially fill the reel before the main fishing line is placed on it. Most commonly this is done in fly fishing.
Backlash: An overrun of revolving spool reel, like bait-cast reel, which causes the line to billow off the reel and tangle.
Back trolling: This term refers to a method of controlling your boat using a motor and a series of maneuvers in the presentation of lure or bait. Most commonly, the back-troll method uses a front-mounted trolling motor in order to propel the boat backwards. This causes the lure to be dragged or trolled in front of the boat. Many times, the back-troll methods apply a slow stop-and-go technique.
Back wash: This term refers to rough water as a result of boat wakes rebounding off stationary objects, like canyon walls, docks or even nearby anchored boats.
Backwater: The shallow area of a river — sometimes isolated — and many times located behind a sand bar or other obstruction in the river. See oxbow.
Bag limit: Term which indicates the maximum number of fish an angler may keep, generally on a daily basis.
Bail: This is the metal, semi-circular arm of an open-face spinning reel that engages the line after a cast.
Bait: Refers to both live and artificial bait.
Baitcasting: When an angler uses a revolving-spool reel and a baitcasting rod. This type of rod is distinguishable for its reel mounted on the topside of the the rod.
Baitwell: A well or livewell in the boat that holds bait.
Bankfishing: Fishing method that involves casting from the back of the body of water.
Bar: A long, shallow ridge in a body of water.
Barb: The sharp pointed projection of a fishing hook which holds the fish.
Barbless: This term refers to a hook that has no barb or one in which the barb has been purposely cut or filed off, or flattened.
Bay: A major indentation in the shoreline of a body of water.
Bead-headed midges: A type of fly in fly-fishing.
Bell sinker: A fishing weight shaped like a bell.
Belly Boat: The brand name of a rubber inner tube boat used for fishing quiet waters
Bobber: This term refers to a float attached to a line under which a hook or sinker hangs. It holds the bait or lure at a certain depth. It also signals the strike of a trout.
Brook trout: A species of fish also referred to as brookie.
Brown trout: Also called German brown or brownie.
Brushline: The inside or outside edge of a stretch of brush.
Caddis fly: Aquatic insect characterized by swept-back wings. Any insect that goes through a complete metamorphosis like the butterfly. A caddis worm is the larva of a caddis fly.
Catch and release: This refers to a method of fishing in which you catch the fish and immediately release it back into the water. In some areas, this is mandated for trout fishing.
Channel: Term which refers to the bed of a stream or river. A channel can also be a submerged stream or river channel in a reservoir.
Cover: Either a natural or man-made object on the bottom of a lake or river. It refers especially to an area in which fish find refuge.
Cutthroat trout: A specific species of trout characterized by a red or orange slash under its throat.
Depthfinder: A sonar device which reads the bottom structure of bodies of water including determining the depth. In some instances, these devices are also capable of locating fish.
Dorsal fin: A median fin of a fish. Located along it’s back, it is usually supported by rays, which sometimes makes it look like a fan or sail.
Earthworm: Refers to any of the many varieties of fishing worms, including nightcrawlers, garden worms, leaf worms and red wigglers.
Eutrophic: Waters that contain an abundance of nutrients and are warm. They have many shallow basins in them.
Eyelets: This term refers to the line guides or rings of a fishing rod. The line is passed through these.
False-casting: Fly fishing technique used to increase the length of line and perfect the accuracy.
Fingerling: A young fish, about a finger long. Usually refers to one that is at least 2 inches in length.
Fly-casting: A method to cast flies for fishing purposes.
Fly line: A specific type of line designed for fly fishing.
Fry: The term refers to the immature fish from the time they hatch until they become large enough to be fingerlings
Hellgrammite: Term refers to the larvae of the dobsonfly.
Hump: This term refers to an island that is completely submerged in water. It can be a great place to find fish.
Icthyology: The science of studying fish.
Jig: Any hook with a leadhead usually dressed with hair, silicone, plastic or bait.
Larva: This term refers to the subsurface stage of development of an aquatic insect.
Livebox: Any box or container used to keep bait or caught fish alive.
Mono: Shortened term referring to a monofilament fishing line.
Nares: The term means the nostrils of a fish.
Otolith: The fish’s ear bone.
Parr: Small, young fish of the trout family, characterized by parr marks, wide, vertical bars on the sides of the fish.
Rip-rap: Heavy stone facing found along the banks of some shores. It protects the nearby upland against wave scour. It’s a favorite place for trout to hide.
Starboard: This term refers to the right side of a boat or ship.
Thermocline: The narrow band of water where the temperature drops radically. This is usually found between 30 and 70 feet.
Treble hook: A hook containing either a single or bundled shaft that has three points.
Trolling: Towing one or more lures behind a boat.
Zooplankton: This term refers to microscopic organisms that drift freely in the water column.
