VOL . 36 • ISS . 22

Oct . 13 - 27 , 2017

15

When

Bank fishing for trout doesn ’ t require a bunch of gear . Here we see Cal Kellogg ’ s bank fishing backpack . In addition to a tripod and some other photography gear , Cal carries a few lures , a small selection of baits and terminal tackle , two rods , two reels , snacks and a couple bottles of water . It ’ s a good idea to travel light because you might have to do a little hiking to reach the best spots . it comes to bank fishing for trout , author Cal Kellogg prefers a fast action spinning rod that is at least 7 feet long . He teams his rods with spinning reels such as this Abu Garcia Cardinal that feature a smooth drag and a line capacity of about 200 yards of 6 or 8 pound mono .

For a bait fishing session , the well prepared trout angler will have an assortment of bullet weights , octopus hooks , bait holder hooks , beads , swivels , a few split shot and some fluorocarbon leader material .

The team at Atlas Mike ’ s provides some of the deadliest trout baits on the market . Atlas Glitter Mallows can be used alone , but really shine when teamed with worms or salmon eggs . Zeke ’ s Sierra Gold Floating Trout Dough is a special blend of scents and amino acids that trigger the feeding response in trout . The dough comes in a long list of colors and has an elastic texture that molds around your hook and hangs on !

reservoir . For example , Lake Shasta is only down about 40 feet at this point and this is a lake that is generally down 100 plus feet when October rolls around .

With all the water we are blessed with , I can ’ t help but think that trout fishing is going to be fantastic later this fall and well into the winter . Trollers have enjoyed brilliant trout action at a number of destinations this summer while working deep water with downriggers . New Melones kicked out epic numbers of 3 and 4 pound rainbows and the situation was much the same at Shasta and several other deep water reservoirs .

Once the surface of our lakes chill , those big rainbows that had been holding 100 feet deep will come right up to the surface and cruise the shoreline looking for targets of opportunity . Sure , casting lures will catch these fish if they are fired up and in a mood to chase . The rest of the time , when the trout are in a neutral mood , soaking bait is a much better option for consistent success .

When bank fishing for trout , my typical outing goes like this . Early in the morning , I focus on big aggressive fish . On one rod , I soak an inflated worm or better yet , an inflated worm teamed with a pair of Atlas Mike ’ s Cheese flavored marshmallows . With my second rod , I experiment with Kastmasters , Cripplures , Yo-Zuri L Minnows and perhaps a spinner from Rooster Tail or Panther Martin .

At the point when the lure bite dies or when I determine there isn ’ t a lure bite , I ’ ll rig that second rod up for bait fishing and use it for soaking floating dough bait . I ’ ve caught a lot of winter trout on lures , but I ’ ve caught a lot more winter trout on

presents

worms and dough than on anything else . And of course , this brings us back to the title of this week ’ s How To column … Soak

Bait For Winter ‘ Bows .

For many of the trouters out there in Fish Sniffer Country this piece will be a review of tactics that you are already using , but you might pick up a tip or two that you can use to tweak your approach . If you ’ re new to bank fishing for trout follow along closely . The stuff I ’ m about to lay out isn ’ t glamorous or sexy , but following my recommendations will put you on the fast track to a pan fried trout dinner !

The Rod , Reel And Line

I prefer a 7 to 7 ’ 6 ” rod because it offers me to ability to make long casts when the trout are holding offshore . While a light rod is required , avoid models with a slow action . A fast action rod that features a flexible tip section followed up with relatively stiff middle and butt sections provides maximum casting distance , solid hook sets and the power required to wear down large trout .

With a pair of rods in hand , it ’ s time to think about spinning reels . Luckily for us trouters , the market is flooded with high quality reasonably priced spinning reels that feature smooth reliable drags . Go with a brand you trust and stay in the middle of the road in terms of price .

In terms of reel size , I like something that can hold about 200 yards of 6 pound mono .

I ’ ve gone back and forth on line selection . These days I do most of my bank fishing with 8 pound test moss green Trilene Big Game line . I think green line offers the best invisibility in terms of standard mono and I think 8 pound test walks the divide between stealth and power .

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20