EQUIPMENT
1. 7' MEDIUM ACTION ROD
2. SPINNING REEL WITH 8-10 # TEST MONOFILAMENT
3. 2 1/2 - 3 FT. OF 20# TEST MONOFILAMENT LEADER TIED DIRECTLY TO YOUR 8-20# TEST LINE USING A SURGEON'S OR UNI TO UNI KNOT.
AREAS TO FISH
1. ALWAYS LOOK FOR GRASSY AREAS WITH WHITE SANDY POTHOLES.
2. WATER DEPTH SHOULD BE FROM 4-6 FT. DEEP
3. DURING THE WINTER TIME, YOU SHOULD FISH THE EDGES OF THE SAND BARS ADJACENT TO THESE GRASS FLATS BECAUSE THE TROUT LIE IN THE MUDDY BOTTOM WHERE IT IS WARMER. LIVE
BAIT
1. LIVE SHRIMP: HOOK THE SHRIMP UNDER THE "HORN" WITH A 2/0 HOOK. USE A POPPING CORK 2 1/2 TO 3 FEET FROM YOUR HOOK. YOU SHOULD ADJUST THE CORK DEPENDING ON THE DEPTH OF THE WATER.
2. WHITE BAIT: (SCALED SARDINE ) USING A 2/0 HOOK, HOOK YOUR WHITE BAIT UNDER THE PECTORAL FIN USING A FLOATING CORK APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 - 3 FT. FROM YOUR HOOK.
3. CAST YOUR BAIT AND WAIT FOR THE BOBBER TO GO UNDER. DO NOT SET THE HOOK UNTIL YOU FEEL THE FISH PULLING THE LINE UNDER THE SURFACE. THEN GIVE IT A SLIGHT TWITCH. REMEMBER, TROUT HAVE A VERY SOFT MOUTH. IF YOU YANK TOO HARD IT WILL JUST RIP THE HOOK RIGHT OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS.
ARTIFICIAL BAITS
HARD PLASTICS
1. SOME OF THESE LURES HAVE LITTLE PROPELLERS ON THE FRONT, THE BACK OR BOTH FRONT AND BACK. THESE PROPELLERS MAKE A NOISE THAT ATTRACTS THE FISH TO YOUR LURE. THEY THINK IT'S A WHITE BAIT THAT IS INJURED.
2. THE BEST TIME TO USE THESE HARD PLASTIC LURES IS IN THE EARLY MORNINGS OR LATE AFTERNOONS .
3. TIE YOUR LURE ON A 2 1/2 -3 FT OF 20# TEST MONO LEADER USING THE IMPROVED CLINCH KNOT ( LOOK AT THE KNOT SECTION ) ( THE IMPROVED CLINCH KNOT LETS THE LURE MOVE EASIER AND MORE REALISTIC WHEN TWITCHING IT.)
4. CAST THE LURE AND WORK IT WITH A SLIGHT TWITCH. DO NOT SET THE HOOK UNTIL YOU FEEL THE FISH SWIMMING WITH YOUR LURE. THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU SET THE HOOK.( NOTHING AGAINST BASS FISHERMEN). JUST GIVE IT A SLITCH TWITCH. THE HOOKS ON THE LURE WILL DO THE REST. DO NOT SET THE HOOK LIKE YOU SEE ON T.V.
5. IF THE FISH HITS THE LURE AND MISSES THE HOOKS, DON'T JUST WIND IT IN. LET IT SIT THERE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND MORE THAN LIKELY THE FISH WILL COME BACK AFTER IT.
SOFT PLASTICS
SOFT PLASTIC LURES ARE THE EASIEST LURES TO USE FOR TROUT BECAUSE THEY RESEMBLE A SHRIMP GOING THRU THE GRASS.
1. USE A 1/8 OUNCE LEAD JIG HEAD ON A PLASTIC TAIL THAT IS 4-6 INCHES LONG.
2. THE BEST COLORS SEEM TO BE ROOTBEER, RED, GOLD OR SILVER. BUT TRY OUT DIFFERENT OTHER COLORS IN YOUR AREA.
3. SOMETIMES YOU MAY WANT TO USE A POPPING CORK ( AS PICTURED ). AGAIN THE CORK IS APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 - 3 FT. FROM THE LURE.
4. CAST THE LURE AND RETRIEVE IT WITH A POPPING MOTION. THE CORK MAKES A SPLASHING SOUND WHICH THE TROUT CAN HEAR FROM VERY LONG DISTANCES. WHEN THE TROUT INVESTIGATES THE SOUNDS, IT SEES THIS SOFT PLASTIC LURE GOING UP AND DOWN ABOVE THE GRASS RESEMBLING A FLEEING SHRIMP.
5. MOST OF THE TIME THE TROUT WILL HIT THE LURE JUST AFTER YOU HAVE TWITCHED IT AND IT IS FALLING. WHEN YOU GET READY TO TWITCH IT AGAIN, THEN YOU WILL NOTICE THE TROUT HAS ALREADY TAKEN YOUR BAIT. YOU HAVE ALREADY SET THE HOOK SO DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY WITH YANKING THE HOOK OUT OF IT'S MOUTH
6. DURING THE WINTER, DO NOT USE THE POPPING CORK. LET THE LURE RUN ALONG THE WARM MUDDY BOTTOM. REMBER WORK THE LURE SLOWER BECAUSE THE FISH'S METABOLISM IS A LOT SLOWER THIS TIME OF YEAR.
SPOONS
1. TRY USING EITHER A 1/4 OUNCE SILVER SPOON OR GOLD SPOON FOR TROUT.
2. JUST CAST THE SPOON AND REEL IT JUST ABOVE THE GRASS.
