Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3804 Feb 1-15 2019 | Page 18

16 FRESHWATER Feb 1-15, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 4 Fooling Them With Minnow Plugs < Do you think only big browns hit minnow plugs? This big rainbow didn’t get the memo. Jeff Goodwin of Jeff Goodwin’s Guide Service was pulling a Bay Rat Lures Slash Rat at Lake Shasta when the big fish attacked! > When trolling Flatfish like the ones shown here work great when pulled at 1 to 1.5 miles per hour. They put off a ton of vibration and stay in the strike zone for an extended period of time, triggering strikes from lethargic inactive trout. < When most anglers think about plugs for trout they imagine long narrow baits, but don’t overlook traditional bass style crankbaits. Reservoir trout feed on threadfin shad and crawfish, just like bass. Trout Eat Other Fish, But Keep That Fact To Yourself! T hat’s right loose lips sink ships! Big fish eat little fish and trout be they browns, brookies or ‘bows living in streams, lakes or reservoirs all gobble minnows with gusto when they get the chance. But let’s keep this information between you and I or everyone and their brother will be casting and pulling plugs and scoring big trout. And after all we want those hook jawed, slob gutted minnow munchers for ourselves, right? At this point you probably think I’m talking about ripping big minnow plugs like size 13 and 18 floating Rapalas. While fast trolling big baits like these is a tried and true approach for hooking trophy size fish, that’s not what I’m focusing on. Fishing these magnum size plugs for trout is a bit like sturgeon fishing, the hookup and fights are awesome, but the waiting time between bites can be long and tedious. What we want to consider are smaller minnow plugs and crankbaits that will catch trout of all sizes. Plugs in the one to three inch range are small enough to tempt pansize trout, but when you come across a big girl these plugs are substantial enough that she just won’t be able to pass them up. In all seriousness, I don’t think any trout angler whether they fish streams or lakes from the bank or from a boat should be without a selection of minnow plugs, but they are only part of the story when it comes to trout plugs. Short thick bodied bass fishing style crankbaits and boomerang shaped plugs like Flatfish and Mag Lips should also be part of the well heeled trouter’s arsenal. I never seem to have enough room in this column, so let’s quickly go over lures selection, tackle and fishing tactics relating to the category of lures that I refer to as “trout plugs”. I like to fish my plugs on 8-pound fluo- rocarbon line. If I’m fishing a stream or casting at a lake I go with spinning gear. If I’m trolling, I use spinning gear at times, but most often I’ll be running with a Vance’s Tackle spiral wrapped baitcasting style rod, balanced with an Abu Garcia 5500 line counter baitcasting reel. For toplining that reel will be spooled with 10 pound moss green Trilene Big Game Line and tipped with a fluorocarbon leader or it will be set up as a hybrid leadcore rig. The hybrid lead core rig allows me to work depths down to 30 feet without using a downrigger. It’s important to use a rod with a soft tip. Trout have soft mouths and the soft tip helps to minimize lost fish. Most crankbaits have smallish hooks that can pull out easily if too much pressure is applied. My plug selection for fishing creeks and rivers is smaller than the selection I carry for lake and reservoir fishing. On the stream, I like size 5 and 7 floating Rapalas in rainbow trout, silver/black and firetiger or orange. For deeper work, slow sinking Yo-Zuri L Minnows in the 1 ¾ inch size have proven to be deadly in rainbow trout and chrome and blue finishes. For crankbaits, I use small Hotshots and Brad’s Wigglers in rainbow trout and orange over gold. When it comes to Flatfish and Mag Lips I like to have baits in red, frog and chrome/blue. While all of these baits imitate minnows, I fish them all differently. I use my Rapalas and Yo-Zuris to cover water quickly. I cast them across and slightly down stream, allow them to swing across the current on a tight line and then retrieve them slowly. FISH SNIFFER HOW – TO Yakima’s Mag Lip is a new take on the tried and true Flatfish. Mag Lips run deeper, can be trolled faster and feature an internal rattle. These are outstanding big fish lures. > presents by Cal Kellogg CONTINUED ON PG 21