Northwest Fishing Reports

I have only been fishing for the past 2 years and have been mostly teaching myself how to fish. I look for tips online, but find that most advice is for fly fishing or trolling or bass fishing, anything by bottom fishing for trout. I am landlocked and forced to fish from the shores and docks available to me in western washington. What I have picked us is from watching those around be and asking questions. The answers are diffrent and I don't understand if there is a method or reason for why some people do some things and other do something else. I know enough to be able to catch a few fish, but it seems like those next to me on the dock/shore have more success than I do, and I don't know what is/isnt working because I don't know why I am doing what I am doing to begin with. So if you would please induldge me, I am going to ask a few questions and I would like to know your though process in makeing your decission. Also, I hope that this can help other novice anglers out there. (i was using bobers and he stock 6 inches of leader that came with the hooks for the first half a year before some nice person explained how to bottom fish)


What line weight do you use?

What size hook for trout?

How much weight?

How much leader? (i have seen so much diffrence on this and have no idea why some use 1 foot and other use 7)

When you are aiming for a place to cast, are you trying to get it in as deep water as possible or are you looking for something else?

What color bait? Power Bait or Power Egg or something else and why?

How does weather/temprature effect these choises?

How does the season effect these choises?

What the heck else do i need to know?

If bobbers come with every beginner kit i have ever seen, what are bobbers for?

I feel like i am at that point where i know just enough to really confuse myself. Thank you for your reply? Now i look like an idot, but hopefully I will learn.

CaffOMHW wrote:
What line weight do you use?

What size hook for trout?

How much weight?

How much leader? (i have seen so much diffrence on this and have no idea why some use 1 foot and other use 7)

When you are aiming for a place to cast, are you trying to get it in as deep water as possible or are you looking for something else?

What color bait? Power Bait or Power Egg or something else and why?

How does weather/temprature effect these choises?

How does the season effect these choises?

What the heck else do i need to know?

If bobbers come with every beginner kit i have ever seen, what are bobbers for?

I feel like i am at that point where i know just enough to really confuse myself. Thank you for your reply? Now i look like an idot, but hopefully I will learn.

No worries about starting and feeling lost. We've all been there. You've came to the right place to get your fishing career started.
I suggest heading out to Pine Lake out in Issaquah. Lots of fish in there, so your chances of hooking into one is pretty good. Plus, lots of other folks out there so you can see what they are doing and what is working.

I'll give a stab at answering all the questions

lb test: 6lb test usually handles all the trout just fine. Plus it's plenty limp if you need to cast lighter weights.

Size hook: I like size 8 for about anything. Egg hooks, lures, etc.

Weight? If I'm plunking powerbait off the bottom, 1/4 oz works fine for me.

How much leader? Some say cloudy days=long leaders, sunny days=shorter leaders. I like anywhere from 2-4 feet.

Place to cast: I like dropoffs and deeper water. It depends on where I am in the lake. I like deep holes in the summer but 20-30 feet of water in the spring.

Color powerbait: This is gonna be different for every fishermen. I like red/pink, chartreuse, orange and rainbow. I love pink power eggs.

Weather/temp effect? Sunny days fish will be closer to the bottom it seems. So go with a shorter leader. Cloudy days the fish seem to be more spread out in the water column. When it gets really hot in the summer, expect most of the fish to be hugging the bottom for colder water. Trout like water in the mid to upper 50's range, so they'll be where the water is that temp.

Season affect choices: This is pretty general. Winter= fish are going to be slow, inactive and right off the bottom. Spring= water is warmer, so fish will probably be up top in the water column where the water is closer to being in the mid 50's. Summer. Surface temp of water is often higher then 70 degrees on our lakes. So the fish will be down deeper were the water is colder. Fall=alike spring.

What the heck else do I need to know? I'm not sure, but feel free to "PM" (private message) me or post any more remaining questions.

Bobbers:meant for suspending your presentation. For example, they are set 5 feet above your worm so your worm sits 5 feet below the surface.

Good luck, shoot away with your questions either on this forum or via PM's. Hope you hook into some fish shortly....

What line weight do you use?

For trout I use 6 pound test.

What size hook for trout?

I use a size 6 or 8 bait holder.

How much weight?

This depends on the size of the rod, wind, bottom structure and distance you want to cast but generally lake fishing I use a 3/8 oz sliding weight. If you are having a hard time getting your line tight add some weight.

How much leader? (i have seen so much diffrence on this and have no idea why some use 1 foot and other use 7)

I generally stick to about 2-4 feet I see guys flinging 6-8 foot leaders but to me it seems like a risk of tangles:-"

When you are aiming for a place to cast, are you trying to get it in as deep water as possible or are you looking for something else?

I look for a point or ledge some where that the water is making a transition from shallow to deeper water. In the summer look for the cooler deeper or shaded areas.

What color bait? Power Bait or Power Egg or something else and why?

I like to use the Nitro or power eggs and I have good luck with red, yellow through green. Clear water I use brighter colors. then I take that egg and slide it up the hook over the eye and knot. And take a half of a night crawler and put the hook through the cut side of the of the worm and slide it up so it will fit straight and not balled up (this is key). After that I take a worm blower (witch is a snuffer bottle with a needle) and inject enough air to cause the bait to float. Don't forget the Smelly Jelly special mix for scent:-"

How does weather/temprature effect these choises?

I would fish this way unless the fish were actively feeding at the surface then I would look to a bobber and worm.

How does the season effect these choises?

It doesn't really.

What the heck else do i need to know?

The #1 mistake I see made by a great number of beginner fisherman is pre-tied leaders and swivels right above the hook#-o You want to take your main line slide on your sliding weight then add a bead to protect your knot that attaches the swivel. After you secure the swivel you take your 4 pound leader and tie it the swivel You tie on your own hook.(not a pre-tied)

If bobbers come with every beginner kit i have ever seen, what are bobbers for?

Bobbers are a fun way to fish for a great many species of fish but the main way to fish them is to tie a hook to your line and about 3-6 feet up you attach your bobber (It has 2 hooks one on top and one on the bottom. You clip the top one on the line first than the bottom one) so it floats the worm or bait below the surface. click here for bobber styles


I feel like i am at that point where i know just enough to really confuse myself. Thank you for your reply? Now i look like an idot, but hopefully I will learn.

Don't feel stupid fishing can be a hard art to master but I think if it was way easy it wouldn't be half as fun in the long run:cheers:

Ditto what Sam and bigbasstaz stated...in addition, if you are plunking (bottom fishing) you might consider using a corky (#12) to keep the worm afloat. Some people have had decent luck blowing them up...but the theory never made sense to me. Poke holes in a worm with a hook, then poke more holes with a blower needle and expect it to hold air. Maybe it does, I've never been able to get it to work...my blower turned out to be another one of those "tools" that rolls around in the bottom of my tackle bag.

Also something I am finicky about is my choice of worms. Some people have had good luck using maggots, meal worms, and even earthworms. But in my case I have managed to bag quite a few so far this year using nightcrawlers. In particular the no name branded ones. Those that can be found usually at most mom and pop stores around wherever I'm going to fish. They should come in a plain white styrofoam container with Nightcrawlers and a phone number printed on the lid. I've tried the one's found at Joe's, Sportsman's Warehouse (I think), and Walmart and they have absolutely no action like the others. They just kinda sit there and play dead...plus they die really quickly. Not very hearty at all.

As far as leaders go...tie your own, and use fluorocarbon...disappears nicely under water.

One tidbit to remember when using bait...pay attention to the regulations. Daily limit is 5 in lakes and ponds (different for beaver ponds and streams), however if your using bait anything you catch and either release/loose/whatever it still counts towards your daily limit. So in other words, if you catch and ice 3 and 2 others break your leader or you turn them loose...you've reached your daily limit. Just FYI...

Good luck and have fun!


Chad

leahcim_dahc wrote:... if your using bait anything you catch and either release/loose/whatever it still counts towards your daily limit. So in other words, if you catch and ice 3 and 2 others break your leader or you turn them loose...you've reached your daily limit. Just FYI...

...

Not exactly... the fish that you lose during the fight when using bait (they shake themselves off the hook, they break your leader, etc.) do not count towards your limit. It's the fish that you land and voluntarily release, which count towards your limit when using bait.

CaffOMHW - scented lures are also "bait"

All great responses above, and I won't confuse you by adding more, but I have some advice that can really help.

First, remember that 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. These are the guys/gals that have paid their dues, fished and learned a lot, and most of them are willing to teach the newbie. If you see someone doing well, take the time to visit them and ask questions.

Second, find a friend or mentor that will take you fishing. I am 49 years old but I take out a couple of guys 15 years my senior. They are now the 10% I talk about. Most of the 10% have rules for people that fish with them, like no smoking, no drinking, and never give up my spot (my rules), but most of the 10% also like company now and then. Find that mentor.

Third, learn one thing new on every trip. Try a different color, try a different lure, try ..............., check the water temperature and enter it into a log, whatever. Just try to learn at least one new thing on every trip. I have been fishing from the time I was in diapers, and I still find that it is easy to learn at least "one" new thing on every trip.

For the guys who are interested I am going to share some secrets to floating a NIGHT CRAWLER in the fresh water section to go along with this post.

My situation is very much similar to yours. I do 90% of my fishing from the shore. Once you get the layout of the lake figured out, things get much more simple. The basics of bottom fishing with floating bait are easy to figure out--fine tuning it for the lake, the fish, the temperature, the time of year, etc. is necessary constantly catch fish.


What line weight do you use?

Leader size NO LARGER THAN 6#.
Trout have pretty good eye sight, and can get wary of line. I have 8lb spooled onto my reel, with 4lb used as the leader. Why? The fish are less likely to see the leader, and with a stronger line on the reel I am less likely to lose *all* my gear if I snag up.

What size hook for trout?

I use a #8 or #10, single. I refuse treble hooks when possible.
Too large of a hook and your floating bait won't float. I've found that a typical #8 floats well with 1.5 powerbait "nuggets" and a #10 floats well with one nugget.

How much weight?

This will all depend (mostly on you). One thing is for sure, use a weight that is free sliding on your line (bullet sinker). I tend to go for at least 1/2oz, and generally will opt for a 3/4oz in most lakes I fish. More weight means I get my bait further out into the water (deeper). When distance casting isn't necessary, you can decrease the weight.

With a slip sinker, the line is free to move through the weight. When the fish strikes, it doesn't have to pick the weight up off the bottom (instantly knowing something is wrong)...It gives you a bit more time to react. The slip sinker is also more sensitive, so you can more easily detect lighter strikes.

I put a bullet weight on my line, followed by a small bead, and lastly a snap swivel (the bead protects the knot from the weight). Having a few pre-made leaders in different lengths makes for quick, easy swaps with the snap swivel.

How much leader? (i have seen so much diffrence on this and have no idea why some use 1 foot and other use 7)

Anything over 40" and you need to move to a slip bobber--it gets too difficult to cast.
My "go to" leader is 32" and I use that 75% of the time. When I'm not sure, I start with that.
On sunny/warm days, I'll go shorter as the fish will move to cooler (deeper) water.

Remember, In WA it is legal to have up to three hooks on a single line. This means you can implement a single leader, but have bait are numerous levels. If you're not sure what to use, rig up a 40" leader with a hook at 20, 30, and 40"
Not only does this leave more scent in the water to attract the fish, but if you pay attention to which one is consistantly hitting fish you will know what length leader is ideal.

Leader length can be very important. I hit Heart Lake last Sunday with my brother in law and I limited out, when he only got one nibble (and no fish). I was using an 18" leader, and he was using 30" -- We were both using the same bait, hook size, weight size, and fishing in the same spot.

When you are aiming for a place to cast, are you trying to get it in as deep water as possible or are you looking for something else?

I like transition areas. I like fishing smaller lakes, so I try to find an area of the lake that is 10-15 feet deep than transitions into the deep 25-30 foot middle of the lake....and put your bait right in the middle. In and around submerged "hills" or "islands" can be another great place. The fish seem to like to forage for food in these transitioning areas; they also seem to give the fish a comfortable place to "rest" or ambush prey. You can get topographical maps here on the sight for many major lakes in WA.
Once the lake is shaded over (pre-sunrise, post-sunset) it's really anyone's game, as lakes generally seem to really come alive all over during these times. If you're seeing a lot of fish surfacing, get your bait near the top of the water (bobber).

What color bait? Power Bait or Power Egg or something else and why?

I have never like power eggs...not for me. Powerbait "paste" is too messy. I'm pro PowerBait NUGGETS.
If you finding me using powerbait, it'll almost exclusively be with chartruese...occasionally the yellow/green/orange rainbow color, and oddly enough white seems to be a keeper as well.
I generally don't bother with anything else, as I can't find anything natural that is bright pink or blaze orange that fish like to eat. I have caught fish on these brighter colors, but it seems like most of them come on to chartruese.

Another thing to note--powerbait all smells the same. Try looking into "off-brand" baits like "Mikes Trout Bait" and such. You can get different scents such as garlic or anise. You can also get liquid scents and dip your nuggets into another scent. IF everyone is using powerbait that all smells the same, and you are the lone guy using something a bit different, you just might be the only guy catching fish.

As mentioned, if you see fish surfacing you need to move to the shallower water. The best way to do this is with a bobber. I prefer salmon eggs and/or worms with a bobber.
Powerbait can be used on a bobber (yes, even the floating kind), if you move to a heavier hook that overcomes the weight's ability to float. For instance, a typical #8 with one pellet sinks...one pellet on a #8 or #10 treble will usually sink as well.
How does weather/temprature effect these choises?

I think I already covered this.

How does the season effect these choises?

Early in the season, the planted fish will stay shallow for the first few weeks. Longer leaders, or fishing off the surface is productive for freshly stocked fish.
Spring is my favorite time for powerbait. The fish are all over the water column and becoming more and more active....they also haven't got "powerbait wise" yet, so you catch plenty. As the season progresses into summer, and the water warms, you need to get to a little deeper water to find more fish.

What the heck else do i need to know?

It takes time to figure out what works best for a specific lake. Don't be easily discouraged. Try different combos until you get what works the best.
Bring a buddy along--bottom fishing with powerbait can be SLOW at times if you're by your onesy.
Wash your hands in unscented soap, or rub mud on your hands (and rinse) before baiting up. Fish can smell the salts/oils in your hands and don't like it...so keep it off your bait!
Have a good rod-holder! I've nearly lost a few poles into the water when big fish strike!
Use baitholder hooks, and inspect the little barbs because they are easily damaged whith pliers when unhooking the fish. Also, inspect your leader often as the fish's teeth will leave abrasions and weaked the line--it's good to inspect after each caught fish, and always replace after catching a larger fish.
Once you find the "honey hole" keep coming back...new fish will replace the ones you are taking out. Each lake has a honey hole or two -- and they've often already been discovered. Watch for area's where there always seems to be fisherman--or where the most fish seem to be getting caught--then try to beat everyone else there the next time around.

If bobbers come with every beginner kit i have ever seen, what are bobbers for?

Fishing near the surface (mostly). IF you see fish rolling on the surface, get your bait up there (you'll likely have better luck).
Bobbers are great for kids as well--it's much easier for them to detect a strike, and you don't have to be paying quite as much attention to things.

There are two types of bobbers--clip on bobbers and "slip" bobbers. The first are the traditional "candy cane" bobbers that clip onto the line in a fixed position. The latter "slip bobber" allows for some unique fishing, as the line is allowed to slip thr

I think answers will vary. Often a method will work great one day and a couple days later that same method might not be as affective. There are many on this site with allot of fishing knowledge, so you have come to the right place. I’ll take a shot at the questions as well before reading everyone else’s responses.

Q) What line weight do you use?
A) 6 pound test monofilament line. 3 pound test leader.

Q) What size hook for trout?
A) Size 8, make sure they are sharp. Buy yourself a sharpening stone and keep it with you.

Q) How much weight?
A) I use the minimum amount of weight necessary to keep the bait on the bottom. The less the better for me. For bait fishing, I like “egg sinkers” one small egg sinker will do the trick unless it is windy or you are fishing in a current. You might make sure to keep your reel spook full. This will allow the line to leave the spool resulting in more distance when casting.

Q) How much leader? (I have seen so much difference on this and have no idea why some use 1 foot and other use 7)
A) For me, this depends on the aquatic vegetation on the bottom. If the grass on the bottom is tall, I want a leader that is long enough to put the bait above the grass or plant life. Generally I use no less than 3 feet of leader.

Q) When you are aiming for a place to cast, are you trying to get it in as deep water as possible or are you looking for something else?
A) That is a good question. Trout can hold in any depth of water depending on water temp, natural feed, weather conditions, bottom structure, ect ect. When I fish from shore, I like to cast maybe 25 yards out. Not too far, not too close to shore. Unfortunately, if you are fishing from shore, you may not have had the opportunity to navigated the water by boat with a fish finder, so you might not not know what the depth is or what the bottom contour / structure looks like.

Q) What color bait? Power Bait or Power Egg or something else and why?
A) Have a variety of power bait with you, ranging in color. I like rainbow or chartruse the best but have caught them on orange or red. Sometimes a specific color works better than another. I believe they all have a similar scent. I’m not sure it matters if it is power bait vs power eggs. Also have a jar or Pautzke balls of fire eggs and some mini marshmallows to keep the eggs up off the bottom. If the bottom is sandy, sometimes eggs on the bottom works well. Don’t forget the marshmallow and worm combo.

Q) How does weather/temperature effect these choices?
A) That I am not positive about but I believe barometric pressure and water temperature affect how often and when trout feed. As the water warms, trout seem to feed less reducing your bite ratio. They also seem to hold deeper where it is cooler. Last week the surface water temp I was fishing was 60 one day and I limited in 1 ½ hours. Two days later it was 62 degrees and it took me 3 hours to limit. I was trolling the same lure both trips.

Q) How does the season effect these choices?
A) Not sure.

Q) What the heck else do I need to know?
A) Keep it simple, use fresh bait, have a good presentation, and be patient. I fish lakes from April to about now for trout on the west side of WA. Then as the water warms, spiny ray fishing gets good.

Q) If bobbers come with every beginner kit I have ever seen, what are bobbers for?
A) They allow you to suspend your bait below the surface and the bobber will go under the water surface when the fish is taking the bait. When the bobber goes under for a second or two, set the hook. Remember fishing with bait often means the fish is going to swallow the hook. This means you will unlikely be able to release the fish unharmed. So plan on keeping the fish you catch using bait unless you hook the fish in the lip area.

You called yourself an idiot. You are no idiot. We all learn from each other. I will read everyone’s replies and gain some knowledge as well. Remember, no one answer you read here will always the correct one for every circumstance. With fishing, things vary. Take some notes or print a few responses, and go fishin. Never be afraid to ask a question. That is what this site is all about. Good Luck Fishin and don’t forget to post your report.

Shad_Eating_Grin wrote:

leahcim_dahc wrote:... if your using bait anything you catch and either release/loose/whatever it still counts towards your daily limit. So in other words, if you catch and ice 3 and 2 others break your leader or you turn them loose...you've reached your daily limit. Just FYI...

...

Not exactly... the fish that you lose during the fight when using bait (they shake themselves off the hook, they break your leader, etc.) do not count towards your limit. It's the fish that you land and voluntarily release, which count towards your limit when using bait.

CaffOMHW - scented lures are also "bait"

Interesting...I've always understood they also count towards your limit. I could be wrong. Next time I see an FGO, I'll ask for clarification. Thanks!

When using bait; "All trout are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released."

Gotta love the unspecific regs. NOT! How hard would it be to be a little more specific? They use the word all, and then talk about whether kept or released which implies landing the fish and making a decision on how to proceed. As always, confusing.

[quote="Dave"]When using bait]

My assumption (I know, I know...never base anything on assumptions) is that this regulation was put into place because so many fish were being harmed during the de-hooking process by those using bait.
Many, many people still use treble hooks with bait...which only makes the problem worse. They are nearly impossible to remove without causing damage to the fish's internals. If you just cut the line and leave the treble hook, the hook will pretty much seal off the stomach leading to death.

As mentioned, fish have a tendency to swallow bait DEEP...which means the hooks are DEEP. More often than not, the hook is so far in it either cannot be removed, or has caused serious harm to the fish (or will, if you attempt to remove it).

That being said, my interpretation of the law is that any fish landed using bait must be kept (or released and counted towards your limit) because there is a resonably high likelyhood the released fish will die due to the harm done by the hook. Those that are not hooked, but manage to steal your bait, do not count because (in all likelyhood) the hook never got them....or at least didn't do much internal harm. A fish never landed cannot be "released" by traditional definition.

-Brett
BTW, I just sent a message to Dennis Nicks of the WDFW for clarification.

Just put your time in on the water. While you are there watch and talk to others. You will learn very fast.

After much research myself, this is my tried and true rig

What line weight do you use?
4lb Berkley Vanish Fluorocarbon.

What size hook for trout?
size 8 egg hook or baitholder for floating worms

How much weight?
1/4 oz egg sinker

How much leader? (i have seen so much diffrence on this and have no idea why some use 1 foot and other use 7)
depends, start with 18" and adjust from there

When you are aiming for a place to cast, are you trying to get it in as deep water as possible or are you looking for something else?
If you are on shore you will have a hard time knowing what you are casting to underwater. So, what I do as cast as far as I can. I use an ultra light rod. Then slowly twitch and crawl the rig back in. That way you can search and not just plunk. Sometimes I'll use a splitshot instead of a swivel and egg sinker.

What color bait? Power Bait or Power Egg or something else and why?
I use pink floating worms. Actually, they are crappie trailers. They are cheaper than powerworms and work great. see here: http://www.cabelas.com/spod-1/0037308.shtml
They trick is to twitch 'em. This bait allows you to search and the enticing action you give it when retrieving draws strikes.

How does weather/temprature effect these choises?
it doesn't, since I am making constant adjustments and moving my bait around. If you just toss your bait out there and sit, you better have the right leader length and what not since you are only fishing a small area of the lake and water column.

How does the season effect these choises?

What the heck else do i need to know?
Get an ultralight rod. And, when twitching and crawling the bait in, run the line under your trigger finger so you can get a better feel of the business end.

If bobbers come with every beginner kit i have ever seen, what are bobbers for?

for fishing the best bait known to man, the nightcrawler. use several small splitshot spaced out under the float.

Caff -

If I were to answer, I would be repeating basically what everybody else has already said here.

I see you are in Seattle - if you want, PM me and we can arrange to meet at Greenlake. I can show you pretty much everything the folks here are describing (I know for myself, I learn from sight, much easier than text).

Thank you all for your answers. It is a big help.

I guess I have one other question. Is there any diffrence in the style of the weights? I've been using bullets and eggs interchangably.

Thankyou all again.

Either a bullet or egg shaped weight are going to do the same thing...the key is to have it "free sliding" on your line, rather than crimped in place.

I tend to opt for bullet weights because they tend to attract fewer weeds...the problem is I have a very hard time finding non-lead bullet shaped weights.


One thing I did not mention (and is sometimes the cause for debate) is snugging up your line once your bait is set in the water.
As mentioned, I like to use a heavier weight (1/2 to 3/4oz) to get my bait WAYYY out there most of the time.
The other reason I like heavier weights is that they will allow you to get the line a little more snug once the everything settles on the bottom. I like to have my line tight (enough to make a medium-light action rod tip bend slightly) so the wind and ripples on the water won't affect it.

A snug line seems to detect light strikes better as well. Another benefit of a tight line is for the occasional strike where the fish comes toward you...if your line is tight, you'll see it go slack. If your line isn't tight, sometime you won't even detect the strike.

Also as I mentioned, I'm anti treble hooks with this fishing method. To increase the likelyhood of hooking up, stick the single point of your hook sticking out of the bait slightly. Once powerbait gets wet it will become a bit harder and sometimes the fish will spit the bait (or you'll pull the whole wad) right out of it's mouth without the hook setting....leaving the tip of the hook exposed increases the likelyhood the hook will set.

Lastly, rolling the powerbait to more of a "football" shape seems to work better for me than a simple ball. I've also seen others use a pyramid shape on treble hooks to expose all three tips.

BTW, there is a $5 mail-in rebate this year on powerbait--buy three jars and get $5 back by mail. It can be printed off the berkely website. I stocked up and got 6 jars of powerbait for a whopping $0.78 per jar, after tax.

I find myself catching more and bigger fish with the night crawler with a corky or power egg setup than the dough bait fisherman. I also catch some nice perch and other species while bottom fishing. It is sure fun not knowing what you got but just knowing it is big

Another thing with fishing with this style is that you tend to hook about 75% of the fish in the mouth. You also don't have to pay the huge price for dough bait:cheers:

I will answer these qusetions for typical stocker trout. It is acctually a pretty broad subject when you get down to it. There are many diffrent species of trout in this state and many diffrent water types. For instance, if you are fishing a high elevation lake for 8" wild brook trout, then you would use a ste up with about 2lb test and a 5' pole. But if you are fishing Rufus Woods for 10lb trips you want the 14lb test and a 7' pole. So here is how I would fish for stocked rainbows


What line weight do you use?
I use between 4 - 8 lb test for trout. I rarely use 8lb and mostly use 4lb, but 6lb test is probally the best for rainbows

What size hook for trout?
If I am using a worm and mallow, or a gob of powerbait and a power egg I will use a size 6 bait holder hook. But if I am fishing a really small bait like a single power egg I prefer the size 14 or 16 egg hook.

How much weight?
As little anount as I can get away with, ussually about 3/8 oz or 1/2 oz. But last weekend we had to use a full oz of weight

How much leader? (i have seen so much diffrence on this and have no idea why some use 1 foot and other use 7)
In the dead of winter you want about 18" of leader, because the deeper it is the warmer the water is. Durring the dog days of summer you will want to use about the same size leader, because in the summer the deeper water is cooler. Leader is very important, so it could take some experimenting before you get it right, but it can make all the diffrnce in the world. Typically I use about a 5' - 7' leader. Oh and amke sure your leader is 4lb test

When you are aiming for a place to cast, are you trying to get it in as deep water as possible or are you looking for something else? If its the dead of winter or the dog days of summer aim for the deeper water. If its early in the morning or later in the eavining aim for structure. But for stocker trout it really dosnt matter

What color bait? Power Bait or Power Egg or something else and why?
All the main colors: orange, yellow, green, pink, rainbow. Get a jar of all those colors in powerbait and power eggs. Just go with Berkely. The Berkely gulp is a good product, but are more expensive. Eagle claw, troutkrilla and acouple other of the major brands cant even compare to berkely
How does weather/temprature effect these choises?
Good question, but I cant really answer it. All I can really say is fish before cold fronts, they will really start hitting a few days before they know it will get colder. But then the bite dies for a couple days.

How does the season effect these choises?
With stocker trout its pretty much a hit or miss. Just read they stocking report (it comes out every thursday). Most of the stockers are all gone after a month or 2 after they get released. They stock lakes 12 months out of the year, but I would bet that 75% of the stockers get stocked from march - may

What the heck else do i need to know?
- When trout fishing there is ussually old power bait or power eggs on the ground, thats a good place to start when trying to figure out what color bait to use
- The power eggs are very tough, when you are done using one, put it back in the jar, they can get pretty expensive.
- Krill scent. They flavor all the pellet food at the hatcheries with krill. It kills the stockers. The only one I use is the pautzke krill grease.
- I think you mentioned how you use the leader that comes on the hooks. It will work, but if you can try to avoid that. I still by those hooks, but I cut off the leader and tie my own. They use 8- 14lb test on those leaders, way too heavy for stocker trout. Gamakatsu ties some of their hook and leaders with 4lb test though.
- Study that stocking report. You can be doing everything right, but if the fish arnt there it wont matter.

Its almost impossible to cover it all in one sitting, so if have any more questions feel free to PM me

As you can see, there's lot and lots of preference.

I prefer to use a size #6 octopus hook. Been using Gamakatsu mainly.

Line, I use either 4-6lb fluorocarbon. The past couple of months, i've been using the new Berkley's 100% FC and it seesm to be very nice. #4 test. It's soft and limp. Casts like a dream. No problems with knots, twists or abrasion yet.

Leaders, i tend to stick with 4-5ft for pretty much all conditions....

I like to use 1/2oz egg or sometimes my tungsten weights. I like the smaller profiles of the tungsten, but man are they pricey. If i want a little more distances or it's very windy. I'll put on a 3/4oz egg.

My swivels. I found a variety that I like a lot. They appear to be very strong, and I have not noticed any leader line twisting like before with the other swivels.

I think they are called Vision or soemthing. In the smallest size, i think 10. Got them at Sportco.

Casting location. Well, since I'm shorelocked also, I tend to just throw it as far as possible. If nothing there in 15 mins, i throw another spot. Unless I'm lazy, I'll let it sit longer. But if i see a buoy or something out there, I try to cast close to that for a bit.

Knots, I like to use the improved clinch knot. Works well for me. Easy to tie and seem to be very strong.

I like to use PowerEggs because they are very sturdy and works well. Can cast without having to worry about the bait falling apart.