Fishing Forum

[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]I read this site and another fishing forum and the information is helpful. Today I was reading about the member’s favorite spinner for trout and I will definitely get myself a panther martin or two as recommended. I do not know what color/size to get? Should I retrieve it slow or fast or itermittently both?[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]This brings up a larger question for me.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]I have only caught one fish on a moving lure and it was a brown trout on a wooly bugger.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]I have tried a lot of times with different lures, spinners, spoons, crank baits, etc. with no results. So I always just give up and go back to worms under a bobber, but in Washington State if I want to catch more than five trout in a lake/pond or two in moving water I can not use the worm (artificial lures, no scent or flavor) after my limit to C&R. I really need to work on the whole artificial lure technique. The biggest problem I have is that I always go fishing alone and so when I try something new I try and use it the way the fellow in the store told me or what I have read on line for different tactics, but practice does not make perfect, practice makes permanent. If I am doing it wrong in the first place it will not get better.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]I really do not know exactly what I am asking for here. Maybe more detailed explanations of technique? Maybe video of how one “swims” a rapala (I have heard that term and have no idea how to do this). Perhaps if you know of a web site or sites that have videos of how to cast, retrieve and play a lure.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Any help would be appreciated.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Sore Lip ‘em All,[/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Lewis[/font][/size]
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I have an aquarium in my house. It's filled most times with blue gills, perch and other pan fish that sneak into the minnow trap. Most times we have no idea what kind of fish they are when we throw them in the tank because they are so small and just look like a strange minnow. I keep them in the tank until they get large enough to go throw out in the pond at my father in-laws house for the kids.

Anyway... to the point. I've found having the aquarium has been a great fishing learning experience for me. Learning and seeing how these small bait fish interact, move around and eat has given me a better understanding on how to better imatate their natural movements when working artifical lures. Most people only ever see the fish when it's at the end of the line splashing around in the water ...definately not natural. It has been a great learning experience for the kids as well and teaches them good conservation values in doing there part in re-stocking grandpa's pond.
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Thanks for the great idea. We are fixing to move here in a few months so I think it will be a project for the new house. Since I do not have a pond or a grandfather I would have to look for some other way to get rid of the fishies when they get big. I live in Washington state...I know we cannot use live bait, but I think we can dipnet minnows to use as cut bait...have to look into that.

Thanks again for the reply,

Lewis
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No live bait? Really? Can you use nightcrawlers, worms, crickets? Why does the state of Washington restrict live bait?
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We can use crawlers, crickets and such. We can not use live fish is all. I e-mailed the Regulators and asked if we can use live crawdads, no answer yet. And after you catch your limit, even if you release them, if you are using any bait with scent or flavor you have to go home...well, I suppose you could go bowling, but you can not catch and release any fish. If you are using artifical lures without scent or flavor you can catch all the fish you want until you have retained your limit. The reason you have to stop catch and release after your limit is that if you damage a fish so that he may not survive you have to keep him.

The rules here are so crazy it is hard to keep up. The fisheries here have been leagaly and illeagaly planted with so many enemies of the native trout that almost every little lake and stream has to be stocked. Now they are bringing in Walleye and God knows what else. The bass fisherman love it, but I am not found off bass. Then there is the hippy-catch and release-no barbed hooks-selective gear-rich-college-boy-fly fisherman...ooo, wait. Am I ranting again. Well, I better go take my medication A.K.A. go drown a worm.

Sore Lip 'em All,
Lewis
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Try some small tube jigs, Maniac minnows and 1-1/2" cut'r bugs on an 1/8 oz head. You can jig them on the bottom, or swim them through the different depths, changing jig weights to get to the depth that you want to target. We have been catching everything that swims on these lures in open water on lakes and rivers as well as through the ice.
Good luck and good fishing!
James
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Maniac is right, I've been a die hard bass fisherman for years and have recently tuned into the trout world as the weather here in Utah has turned quite cold. The Maniac cut'r bugs work awesome for trout. I fish them no different than I would fish for bass. I'm no expert trout fisherman, just my opinion, but if you're looking for some artificial baits to catch trout check out the maniac website.
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just blatant advertising, is all
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[font "Pristina"][green][size 4]Hi there Iskiles - don't want to let the fly fishers on this site see your post. They might resent the rich college kid scenario. LOL[] BTW many fly fishers practice C&R as I do. When I lived in WA NW of Seattle I found a Clouser Minnow did well on the rivers as did many other flies. If you aren't having much success then perhaps you aren't casting your fly [or what ever] to an area where fish are usually known to hold. If this is the case it might be worth your while to read up on this subject. Good luck.[/size][/green][/font]
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You know, normally I'd agree with you... just blatant advertising. But, last winter I picked up some of his ice cutrs and was impressed to say the least. They really are tough, reliable soft plastics. I also use the maniac minnows quite a bit. I've caught tons of trout through the ice with both of these. In addition I also caught quite a few smallies with these lures. Blatant advertising? Maybe. But, as long as the lures work I'd say lets allow it! LOL
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My favorite lure for trout are blue fox and for the size I use # 2, They come in all colors and every color works great for me.
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This is my first post and it's an old thread,but a good thread. There are times when artificial lures work better than bait. I fish creeks and rivers and what works for me is:
1) Thomas special spin
2) gold Thomas eel (spoon)
3) 1/32 gold panther martin
4) silver #1 willow leaf mepps
5) gold phoebe (spoon)

These work for smallmouth too. I carry several of each. It seems that the flash of these lures works well in some instances. I'm still looking for that soft plastc that will work for smallmouth and trout.
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Fishing techniques can be overwhelming in the beginning, and learning them is a lifelong endeavor. For very good general and specific help that will show you the effective way (because there really is no "right" way for many techniques) I will recommend three very valuable internet sites. I would suggest bookmarking them. Here they are:


[ol][li][url "http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/tips/tips.htm#trolling"]http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/tips/tips.htm#trolling[/url][/li][li][url "http://www.luhrjensen.com/techreports.cfm"]http://www.luhrjensen.com/techreports.cfm[/url][/li][li][url "http://www.luhrjensen.com/techsheets.cfm"]http://www.luhrjensen.com/techsheets.cfm[/url][/li][/ol]
Take your time when you are calm and patient to explore them. Back when I was learning the "basics" I printed out alot of info. and took it with me fishing. You have no idea how much that helped me. Even now I have small, compact printouts of things I forget like lure diving depths and tune-up instructions for different lures. By opening up, you will learn to enjoy fishing that much more.

Happy explorin'.[]
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