Absolute beginner

[Believer]

I am an absolute beginner--with question about spring trout fishing on the big lake or in the bays south of Tibbets Point.

1. Can brown or lake trout be caught by straight-line trolling (no downrigger)?

2. I presume spoons and minnow baits (like rapalas) would work. But what size/weight spoons? What color? What size minnow baits?

3. How deep do you have to get to catch fish in April-May?

4. What weight mono line do you recommend?

Thanks for any help.

[Shade]

Believe,

Any questions you have will be answered on this site but first search the headings and most of them are already answered.

Start with heading - Questions about Trout and Salmon trolling. There is a post on Perferred temps and scroll down to Trolling for Trout.

Heading - Tackle and Techniques - Topic - Rapala's for browns

Heading - Tackle Discription - search topics

Goto - www.attheoak.com and search topics there as well.

As far as running just flat lines you will need as part of your arsenal - 10 color Leadcore line, copper line (30#), steel (30#) and braided lines. Also need snap weights, dipsy's (spring size O or silver dollor), and rods with 12 - 17 lb. test mono.

Water depth anywhere from 5' out depending where the warmest waters are.

I am not an expert on trout but this is what I have learned.

Shade

[Silver Fox]

Use 8 - 12# mono. Get some rapala's (j9 & j11 sizes), bombers (long A) or any other stick baits. If you use spoons be sure to let them out slow or you will hook bottom. I usually only run spoons off the boards no further than about 60' because when you make a turn, your slow side will sink to the bottom.

A new guy to trolling should use the K.I.S.S. method.(keep it simple stupid). 8-12# mono using stickbaits run 80-200 behind the boat in the warmest, most stained part of the shoreline. Usually 5-15 feet of water.

Hope this helps.

[larry]

Yes, you can catch browns and lakers in April and May close to shore as well as Coho, Kings, bass, perch, rainbow steelhead etc. Everything that swims is looking in the warming near shore waters for forage. You don't need a sophisticated arsenal to catch fish during this period. If you're in real close 1'- 6' of water, small or lightweight spoons, (Nk-C5, D2's, Southports, northports, pirates, stingers) will flutter above the bottom allowing a shallow water presentation with lead lengths of 80'-200'. Size isn't as important as the speed you run it but typicallly the smaller spoons will work better this time of year. Often times the extreme shallows may hold the only warm or stained water and will work well. Planer boards or wally boards will increase the width of your spread and allow you to get a lure very close to the shore without putting your prop in danger. Color choices for stained water are the bright variety chartruese, yellow, green orange and red all stand out well in muddy or stained water. When the water is clear black and silver or gold, copper are better choices. Best chance is on the edge of the color change. Beyond 6' of water you can start to run body baits, typically these will dive at least 7' so you will contact the bottom and snag up if you run shallower or go by a rock ledge. The floating body baits with diving lip offer more action than spoons at the slower trolling speed you'll running in spring and are the easiest to deal with since if you do hook a fish and have to slow down or stop to fight it they float up and don't snag bottom whereas the spoons will sink and catch ( check the bait in the water for proper running side to side motion if it rolls up on its' side you may need to tune the lure by bending the eyelit where the line attaches, this is especially true for rapalas). As far as line choice for a beginner, 12lb-14lb should be plenty with light drag setting on the reel, either camo-green or flourocarbon will keep the line from spooking fish. Good luck out there and be safe.

[Believer]

Thank you Scott and Larry. I like the KISS method. It accords with everything else I do in the outdoors.

[kremer01]

just remember to kiss and tell!

[Dance the Tides]

Believer,

The info you just got from ScottB, Larry and Shade took me 20 years to accumulate. It is all dead on target. Use it well and tell us how it works.

Paul

[bottom-feeder]

spring browns can be readily caught by flatlining

depending on water clarity any where from 50 to 250' behing the boat

a set of inline planer boards can easily add a couple more lines to your arsenal

spoons can range from black/silver to watermelon..... same with stickbaits......again depending on the day being sunny or overcast

10 lb mono will serve you fine until FLEA season

also check the ....open seat//trade a trip section to hook up with other guys from your area

if your on the east end of the lake send me a PM and we will go sometime

[FISHINMAN]

Some Seagur flouro leaders will help too!

[LongLine]

What ever plug you pull, make sure it runs true in the water & doesn't just wobble to one side. Watch it on one side of the boat with a few feet of line out, then watch it on the other side of the boat. The eyelet can be bent (just slightly) to correct any variation from running true.

You're already a Believer, so you've already have a big part of the challenge licked.

Tom B.

(LongLine)