Wading with artificials

[Jdmarshall]

What do I need to know to set up and work plastics, spooks morrow lures etc but mostly curious on how to get plastics to land some trout.

i threw a 5" chicken on a chain shad on a 1/4"oz jig head today with nary a bump but landed 5 keepers with live on a cork. Guys around me were throwing plastic and putting fish on the stringer around me.

my set up or technique must be lacking?

[plugger]

Did you use the same jighead and plastic as the guys catching fish ? If so , it was your presentation that was the problem . If these guys weren't buddies you were fishing with and couldn't tell what they were throwing , I still think the problem was your presentation . Use a 1/8 oz jig head unless the water is fast moving ..... a little more time hovering in the strike zone . Try different retrieve rates ... Slower , faster .... And try to work the entire water column... Near the bottom and near the top in a S on its side pattern . That's just one retrieve style . Then lure size is next in importance ,in my opinion . Generally in spring the hatch is small and so should be the bait . Then color , in general bright sky and clear water ... Light color / natural color baits , overcast sky and off color water , dark baits . This is a simplistic , generalized overview and I'm sure more knowledgeable anglers will give added advice .

[Jerkyourcroaker]

Plugger gives you some good advice. a 5" paddle tail like the Saltwater Assassin Die Dapper is a heavy bait. Add a 1/4 oz jig head and it will move very quickly through the water to the bottom. Hard to keep it suspended and moving slow enough for spring trout.

Like Plugger, I would advise you move to a 1/16" to 1/8" oz jig head and a 4" paddle tail like the Sea Shad or a 5" assassin (rat tail). Chicken on a Chain is a great all around color - one of my favorites. Plumtreuse is another very good color for West Bay.

We've all had those days when everyone around us is catching. Keep at it, change baits, change weights and vary your retrieve and you'll find the formula.

JYC

[H.Maier]

Come fish with me or scumLORD, although I think he may be a corky twitcher.

[BigRed27]

Plugger and jerkyourcroaker nailed it with the smaller jig heads, smaller baits, and presentation. I I went out yesterday and caught trout on a yozuri swim bait, and a buddy nailed them on a small plastic swim bait (I think storm swimbaits). He caught more on his 4 inch swim bait than I did so I would throw something small with a lot of action.

[trophytroutman]

Like plugger and jerkyourcroaker said. I personally throw strictly 1/16. Ill fish 1/8 if fishing in deeper water. I prefer darker colors but its a confidence thing. I will throw lighter more natural colors at times but mainly darker colors. You'll get the hang of it. Good luck.

[H.Maier]

Had a semi-eventfull day off the dike yesterday. Four decent trout I had to hunt down over a couple hours. Silver Johnson sprites culminated the action.

[SCHU]

Nice catch, Harvey. Wait...spoons don't catch fish anymore! I didn't throw anything else for at LEAST 20 years.

[H.Maier]

Still one of the quickest fish finders on the market. Cheap too.

[mgstei1]

Still one of the quickest fish finders on the market. Cheap too.

Back in 60's sivler and gold sprites in the surf were fish getters. We wrapped them in dollar bills to shine them before using them.
Always had to have a piece of surveyers tape on the thing too for blind trout.
Do they still sell them things ?

[Jdmarshall]

Hey fellas, thank for all the tips. I did rig up 1/8oz 4" chicken on a chain SW shad today. Only had a few bumps but today was a grind on lower west bay. Only pulled in two keepers on live shrimp and a popper. Thought today would be on fire but 6 hrs of grinding away only produced 2 fish where yesterday was an easy 6.

Go figure. Accu cast said. Fishing would be a 9 today. Lol

[SCHU]

Fish dont read the paper. it has been said that 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. If everyone caught a limit each time they went fishing, there would soon be no fish left. Welcome to the site and enjoy your fishing.

[Jmont7777]

I think it'll be on fire very time I back the truck up lol. Food advice on here only suggestion is presentation and changing those jig heads to fit your style

[JT]

I think it'll be on fire very time I back the truck up lol.

Absolutely.. you can disregard about 95% of all the other wisdom, knowledge and techniques you hear. Good attitude to have in everything.

[Chuck06R1]

Just like anything else, you really can't "teach" fishing. It takes time and practice to get the proper feel for any bait you use. Don't get frustrated and pay attention to what you did when you get strikes.