The most stable way to moor a boat is with its stern to the wind. This is more stable than mooring bow on, as the wind will still try and cut to one side of the bow or the other. The small face presented by the stern acts as a brake and effectively eliminates yaw completely. So I would tie the anchor rope off at the stern of the boat. This can be achieved at the point where the engine is attached, which is designed to handle the forces involved. With this set-up you then fish from the front of the boat - literally casting directly over the bows of the boat. Your seat board is positioned so that you sit facing forwards in the front of the boat and retrieve your line into the bows.

While fishing in Alaska once, I was taken by the totally calm water and lack of another soul to disturb me. It doesn't come much more peaceful than that wonderful morning.  No need to worry about holding on to the boat you might think. Not a bit of it! Just as I was standing to make an adjustment to my fishing rod, the boat was suddenly and mysteriously rocked from side to side. That hand hold stopped me going overboard. The cause of the disturbance? A forty foot whale had surfaced right next to the boat to say hello! As it stared at me with a black eye the size of a dinner plate my eloquent comment to the whale was "What the **** are you doing frightening me like that?". I think it must have taken offence, because it slipped back into the depths again! You might not meet a whale where you fish, but you should learn to expect the unexpected and hang on to the side of the boat when standing or moving about.

There can be nothing more satisfying (well nearly nothing!) than combining your fishing adventure with a boating expedition. Thankfully, many reservoirs and lakes now offer boat hire as a part of their trout fishing package. My advice is - if you can afford it, take the boat option every time. It can be so frustrating standing on the shore watching the boat anglers haul in the fish while your bag remains empty. It rarely works the other way around, where the shore fishermen get all the sport.