What is your setup for Trout?

[Caveman Jim]

When you are short on time...

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Believe it or not, back in the day there were times when Caveman couldn't even buy a fish at Safeway…

 

[Caveman Jim]

All kidding aside.
As others have mentioned about the rod and reel choice is spot on but I don't take an ultralight rod on a stream.

The bottom fishing method works great most times but really depends on the vegetation on the lake bed. Rocky or sandy is great for a night crawler, 1 foot or more of weeds you need to have a long enough leader to float your bait of choice above it.

Streams I always brought a few baits and hardware with me.
Night crawlers & periwinkles are my first choice choice tethered to a bottom rig tossed into a seam (like steelhead) and bouncing along the bottom. WHAMMMM!!!
Spinners and small spoons work exceptionally well also. Just remember to bring enough tackle because you will definitely loose some.

Good luck rippin some trout lips.

 

[zluthi]

Definitely not an expert here but the winning ticket last week at Diamond lake was trolling between 1.2-1.8 mph using a ford fender leading a watermelon wedding ring. Both hooks had a kernal of corn that had been marinating in a bait sauce.

 

[Flymph]

On inflatables, whatever pump you get make sure to have a gauge so you know you're at the right pressure.

 

[Unicykle]

On inflatables, whatever pump you get make sure to have a gauge so you know you're at the right pressure.

If your a noob this is not a bad idea at all. The higher quality rig you get the less this is important. When it is important on days when you get a really large heat swing from morning to mid day and you find a nice fishing hole Or at pull out where you beach half the boat and leave it to bake and it no longer has the water to cool the tubes I've seen cheap boats burst, if you're leaving the boat in the sun for more than about 15 minutes out of the water you need to let a bunch air out. I just use a squish test on each chamber and if you start them just a little bit squishy usually in the heat of the day they're nice and firm. Winter use start firm firm the cold water will cool them to squishy.

 

[FnM]

Hi guys, I haven't been fishing in close to a decade and am looking to get back into it. I'd like to start off just going for trout and I'm wondering what everyone uses for their setup. I will mostly be fishing streams and lakes from the bank about equally, and have pretty much settled on a size 20 or 25 spinning reel, and a light power rod, but I am torn on what length. I am looking at rods between 5'6 and 7' but can't settle on a size, because I am trying to decide between ease of use (using around trees etc.) and casting distance. For those of you who fish from the bank, what length rod do you prefer?

Just enough 2" mesh gillnet to traverse my favorite streams

 

[FnM]

Hi guys, I haven't been fishing in close to a decade and am looking to get back into it. I'd like to start off just going for trout and I'm wondering what everyone uses for their setup. I will mostly be fishing streams and lakes from the bank about equally, and have pretty much settled on a size 20 or 25 spinning reel, and a light power rod, but I am torn on what length. I am looking at rods between 5'6 and 7' but can't settle on a size, because I am trying to decide between ease of use (using around trees etc.) and casting distance. For those of you who fish from the bank, what length rod do you prefer?

Fly fishing for trout is an art form lost in marketing and sales from the 'experts & artisans'(corporate sponsored). If you are willing to low crawl and move with the stealth and silence of ninja then branch, line, locally collected bait, or crudely fashioned fly then you are likely to achieve much greater success than the Orvis Warrior Elitist.
Distance casting is for those who want to look cool trying to catch the fish they've literally just spooked from beneath their feet and believe the myth 'if you can't see them, they can't see you'. The latter only holds true 'temporarily' if you cast upstream, hide your silhouette, and distinctive pole tip during a cast.
More than you will ever need to master the pursuit of your favorite anadromous quarry can be learned and mastered in less than 50 pages(mostly cartoon illustrations) and less than $12. If you think yourself an angling aficionado your delusions may be at risk. But for the weekend warrior elites and to further my point about marketing, one of the countless Orvis cult niche novellas is a piggy back ad on amazon to waste $13 which could have bought fuel to your Curtis Creek( at least once…3 or more if that deadbeat in office is defeated).
Whether you love fishing(hate reading about) or hate it(love reading about it), this is 48 pages of illustrations you will find both highly entertaining and an invaluable tool for trouting.
"You can tie a crude fly with hair(I usually bring a blond for some lighter patterns)"
-Sheridan Anderson, author/illustrator 1978
My blood & scale encrusted copy goes with me on every trip. I'd sell all my rods, reels, & tackle before giving up that book.

 

[Certaindeaf]

A gunnysack of smashed green walnuts, same as ever.





Lol, just kidding

 

[Flymph]

If your a noob this is not a bad idea at all. The higher quality rig you get the less this is important. When it is important on days when you get a really large heat swing from morning to mid day and you find a nice fishing hole Or at pull out where you beach half the boat and leave it to bake and it no longer has the water to cool the tubes I've seen cheap boats burst, if you're leaving the boat in the sun for more than about 15 minutes out of the water you need to let a bunch air out. I just use a squish test on each chamber and if you start them just a little bit squishy usually in the heat of the day they're nice and firm. Winter use start firm firm the cold water will cool them to squishy.

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Also why it's not a bad idea to keep a pump with you. All in all you can get away with feel tests, but there is an optimal operating range.

Curious, I've had trouble with my pontoon spinning... curious if this is weight distribution or PSI difference in the toons. I'm tempted to get a drift sock! LoL Any tips on negating this annoying tendency to spin?

ALSO, I don't use a gauge personally.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Also why it's not a bad idea to keep a pump with you. All in all you can get away with feel tests, but there is an optimal operating range.

Curious, I've had trouble with my pontoon spinning... curious if this is weight distribution or PSI difference in the toons. I'm tempted to get a drift sock! LoL Any tips on negating this annoying tendency to spin?

ALSO, I don't use a gauge personally.

Are you using or river (ie with current) or a lake with no current?

 

[Unicykle]

Also why it's not a bad idea to keep a pump with you. All in all you can get away with feel tests, but there is an optimal operating range.

Curious, I've had trouble with my pontoon spinning... curious if this is weight distribution or PSI difference in the toons. I'm tempted to get a drift sock! LoL Any tips on negating this annoying tendency to spin?

ALSO, I don't use a gauge

Almost all tubes are conical with a bow like a boat so if your tubes aren't perfectly straight up and down with each other your boat will have a tendency to spin also if you strap onetube down an inch or two further out in the frame it will have a tendency to turn. your side to side weight balance will obviously bury one tube further giving it more resistance and you'll have a tendency to spin and the shorter the pontoon you go the more square you are the more tendency it has to spin the under 10 foot boats spin Regardless, I've spent a lot of time fishing behind me

 

[PNW Partisan]

Go to Bimart and snag an Ugly Stik Elite either medium 7' or an ultra light 7'. They are on sale for $60 and are great for what they are. As for reel, 2500 or 25 size is great. You could go as big as 3000 or 30 and be good. I'd get an Okuma Ceymar if you want to buy one at bimart. Otherwise I'd actually order an Okuma Avenger bait feeder or a KastKing Sharky bait feeder. Put 20-30lb braid.

Snag some size 7-10 swivels. Some regular mono or copolymer line as leader (8-10lb). Get some size 6-10 bait holder hooks (preferably gamakatsu). 1/2oz egg sinkers and some 1/8oz pinch on weights. Powerbait extra scent. A few bobbers (clear torpedo and regular style). Snag some lures (spinners like vibrax or rooster tail and spoons like Thomas Bouyant gold 1/4oz or kastmaster 1/4oz). I would also toss in some small jugs and curly tail grubs or fake power worms. With that spread, you can do Carolina rig from the bottom. Worms on a bobber from the surface. Different weights a colors of spinners and spoons. A few ultra light options with the jigs. Plenty of other things you can get, but power bait, worms, spinners/spoons, and jigs will cover so much.

 

[Flymph]

Almost all tubes are conical with a bow like a boat so if your tubes aren't perfectly straight up and down with each other your boat will have a tendency to spin also if you strap onetube down an inch or two further out in the frame it will have a tendency to turn. your side to side weight balance will obviously bury one tube further giving it more resistance and you'll have a tendency to spin and the shorter the pontoon you go the more square you are the more tendency it has to spin the under 10 foot boats spin Regardless, I've spent a lot of time fishing behind me

Thanks for verifying my suspicions... I'll try to be more vigilant, as the pontoon is definitely under 10' long. I've started playing with the idea of putting on a rudder or water sock to help. Maybe a winter project...

 

[Xmark1]

Never buy a fishing pole less than 8.5 feet long.

 

[Yarome]

Never buy a fishing pole less than 8.5 feet long.

I dunno. It depends on what and where you're fishing. My typical rods are 12'-15', but I have a mini rod that I use quite often and only extends to just under 5'. It's ideal as a back pocket rod and in close quarter mountain streams where overgrowth can be a real issue. It's much more controllable and more precise bow & arrow casting than a longer rod. Fully collapsed it's about 8" and has pulled in some really decent sized fish.

 

[rybuj160]

I used to work over at Sportsman's Warehouse for a couple years, I'll let you in on an industry secret on how you can catch trout all day without fail:



Get yourself one of these bad boys (1oz weight minimum), tie it to some 60lb braided line, and cast it out with as much effort as possible (100+ yards is best), then violently jerk the rod to your preferred side and reel in the slack. Repeat the last step until the hook is back to you or if you have a fish hooked.

Note: Be aware of your surroundings, you may find a man in green pants taking interest in your activities as you fish with this secret technique, just ignore him at all costs and get yourself a hard earned trout dinner.

 

[scott_s211]

Hi guys, I haven't been fishing in close to a decade and am looking to get back into it. I'd like to start off just going for trout and I'm wondering what everyone uses for their setup. I will mostly be fishing streams and lakes from the bank about equally, and have pretty much settled on a size 20 or 25 spinning reel, and a light power rod, but I am torn on what length. I am looking at rods between 5'6 and 7' but can't settle on a size, because I am trying to decide between ease of use (using around trees etc.) and casting distance. For those of you who fish from the bank, what length rod do you prefer?

Casting rod with a spinning reel a slip weight above a swivel then if there's grass on the bottom of the lake need to use it like 4 ft of liter I usually tie my own egg hooks the little circle looking ones that power bait perfectly I usually use the green sparkly powerbait or rainbow do you live in Oregon or Washington ? I live in Washington and know a lot of lakes giant trout in the love powerbait let me know I'll let you know where they are

 

[fishfearme]

I'm no expert, but I've done well with 1/8 oz silver cast masters at high elevation lakes.

The rest of the time it's a simple worm on a hook. I know it's off the trout topic, but for me that slays the smallmouth on the Willamette every time

 

[rybuj160]

I'm no expert, but I've done well with 1/8 oz silver cast masters at high elevation lakes.

The rest of the time it's a simple worm on a hook. I know it's off the trout topic, but for me that slays the smallmouth on the Willamette every time

Those smallmouth are fun as hell to go after. If you want a good warm weather fishing experience bass is a great option, both large and smallmouth. I prefer the smallies because of their aggressive reaction to bites and their amazing color patterns.

 

[fishfearme]

yup they are a ton of fun. I take the kiddos out regularly for smallys during the summer for a day of catch and release