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surfrookie · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:42 pm Post subject: trout question

hey all,I was curious about what the trout were doin to my topwaters this past weekend.I only managed to hook one trout the whole time but watched them again and again come up and like tailwhip the lure it seemed.This really kept me determined to keep after them but just could'nt get em to bite it. Is this a trout just not likin the the lure enough to bite or is it there not hungry and are trying to run the intruder off? Thanx , Tom

Big John · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:50 pm Post subject:

Fish can be territorial, and if not hungry may be defending their territory against intruders. Almost all of my aquarium fish would at times be aggressive about "their territory," and even little fish will go after larger fish.

One of my friends down here went fishing a couple weeks ago with croaker, and didn't catch trout one. When he thought they were hitting, he would try to set the hook. Turns out the "hit" was the trout smacking the croaker across the head. Everyone he reeled back in had its head split open! Shocked

The trout you caught may have hit your lure as an aggressive move rather than a feeding instinct. Either way, its still fun to catch them.
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Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke and hungry the rest of his life!

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Native Corpus Christian
Currently Displaced in San Antonio

Lat22 · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 4:58 pm Post subject:

Exact same thing happened to me this weekend. Blow ups on what seemed like every cast, but very few hookups. Don't know what it means but I'd rather have blow ups than not have blow ups.

Jason Slocum · Mud Minnow Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 40

I have learned over the past several weeks that if you stop/pause the lure before the fish gets to it (yes it can be done but you have to watch it like a hawk) the trout will bite more agressively. I also upgraded the hooks on my topwater and have a pretty good hookup ratio on the trout. Slow down that retreve, and let it lay before and after a strike. Hope this helps, Jason Slocum

The Troutman · Mud Minnow Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 32

The retrieve is everything, even though some days they will continue to miss no matter what you do. If they are blowing up and consistently missing, vary your action on the topwater. If I have a blowup and and a miss, I'll stop it in place and twitch it for a couple of seconds. Sometimes you can make them mad enough that they will come back and trash it. Also, I'll switch to a fast running underwater bait like a big spoon and rip it through where the fish are. This faster moving lure gives them little time to react and you can get more hook-ups, although not as exciting as topwater it's still catching versus missing!!

Later,

The Troutman
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"Love em and leave em", otherwise known as "Catch and Release"!

Odie* · Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:53 am Post subject:

What I have learned to do when they are smacking the lure but not taking it, is to tie on a DOA shrimp to the top water lure. Tie it on to the head hook so it won't mess with you walking the dog!
When the fish comes up to smack the lure and for what ever reason doesn't take the lure, on his descent away he will see this easy prey dangling there in front of his face!
This has worked almost evertime and has increased my chanes on catching when the fish are there but picky.

FlakMan · Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:26 am Post subject: Also Change Your Hooks

Put some good super sharp trebles on your topwaters. Use as big a hook as you can and still get the lure to work.

Owner, Gamagatsu and Mustad make some great treble hooks. Get some split ring piers and change your hooks out regularly.

Use smaller topwaters if surf is relatively calm. I use Rapala Skitterwalk Jrs. with No.1 trebles in very calm water to a big HeDog with 4/0 hooks in rough water.

I have never tried to use a trailing teaser on a topwater. It would be heck to cast and not tangle up on hooks.
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Ahh sand between my toes!

Guest · Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:41 pm Post subject:

THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE SLIDE LINING OFF BOB HALL PIER. THE TROUT WILL COME UP TO THE BAIT IN BUNCHES, UP TO SIX OR SEVEN OF THEM. THEY WILL CIRCLE THE BAIT BUT WILL NOT STRIKE, AND IF THEY DO, THEY USUALLY JUST KILL THE BAIT. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS TO SEE A BUNCH OF TROUT AROUND THE BAIT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET A HOOK-UP. LAST TUESDAY, THE TROUT WERE THICK IN THE FIRST GUT, WE SAW SCHOOLS OF UP TO TEN TROUT, SOME OF THEM IN THE 26-30 INCH RANGE. HOOK-ED UP WITH A COUPLE OF KEEPERS AND WAS ABLE TO CATCH ONE REALLY NICE 28-29 INCH TROUT. THE WATER CLOUDED UP SOON AFTER AND THE BITE WAS OFF....

nate1 · Guest

Different colors, sizes and sound pitch all very with lures. These (I believe) all lead to different reactions from the predator, with obvious parameters like current, bait, tide etc. contributing to this behavoir. Try different variations of colors and sizes from different manufacturers. Often times, chrome bellied he-dogs will get the slap response, when skitter walks will produce the solid hit, and the other way around. Sub surface or susupenders can also make the difference.

Just what I've experienced.

The most important things have been mentioned (other than locating the fish). Cant catch a thing without sharp hooks and a good walk.

nate

Lat22 · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:28 am Post subject:

They felt the hooks much better this morning. Too bad most of them were 14 3/4 inchers. Laughing

Bluffer · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:33 pm Post subject:

Dont that just piss you off!...just like a 19.5in red!
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topdog · Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:26 am Post subject:

This is my 2 cents. I have caught on topwaters that were foul hooked (tail hooked) and I remember a video I watched that said trout will sometimes slap at the baitfish to stun them. Now your thinking...a topwater bait imitates and injured bait fish, why the need to stun them? Good question but think about it, it's easier to catch when it's not moving.

Now, when the fish slaps at it and it stops moving, making it easier to catch, this is imitated by slowing the bait down. I think that this is why you catch more fish if you slow the topwater bait down.

OK THAT IS MORE LIKE 4 CENTS....but good info none the less.

surfrookie · Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:50 am Post subject:

thanx everyone! that is great info.I really never tried slowing or stopping the walk after getting slapped but it sure makes sense now.can't wait to try again. Tom