Check regulations first. Many trout streams are catch-and-release or fly-only. Worm fishing is fully legal on most general-regulation water, but state and stretch rules vary — confirm before you cast.
The setup:
- Light spinning rod, 4-6 lb test main line.
- A size 8 or 10 baitholder hook with two barbs on the shank to keep the worm anchored.
- One or two #BB split shot 6-10 inches up the line from the hook. Add more in faster water, less in slower.
Hooking the worm matters. The goal is a hook that's mostly hidden inside the worm but leaves enough wiggle for it to move. Two methods:
- Threaded: thread the hook in through the head, slide it down the shank, and exit the side. About 1-2 inches of worm dangles past the hook bend.
- Pinned: push the hook through the worm's collar (the thickened band 1/3 down the body) only once. Lets it wiggle a lot but tears off easier on the cast.
Cast slightly upstream, let the worm dead drift with the current. The split shot bumps the bottom; the worm rides slightly above it, swimming. When the line stops or moves sideways, set the hook firmly — trout often inhale a worm and you have a small window before they spit it.