Trolling for Trout with nightcrawlers

Looks like my local lake is finally scheduled for some planters next month...

Would that be Lex or SCR?

  I'm gonna say if it's between the two you listed, it's going to be SRC as Lexington is WAY down. No way for truck to get to water, unless they were stock from the air.

Troy

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you, 

I like to give a fighting fish a fighting chance.

Michael

I must admit I've never quite understood this. A fighting chance for what? To snap the leader and swim around with a hook/lure in it's mouth trailing some fishing line? Worse still it's gut-hooked, or snagged?

Unfortunately I can't justify the quote, it's just a motto I believe in.  You make some good points about the lure or hook remaining in the fish after leader failure, but I've been lucky in that regard.  I've had very few fish break me off.  I can't remember the last one and maybe a handful of times in my life so it's not something I overly stress about.  When it has happened or should it happen again, I choose to believe that hooks rust out.  Should it be gut hooked and break off, well then, the fish will die and serve a purpose as a different part of the food chain than it had previously.  Not to sound so blase, because the idea would bother me for awhile, but it wouldn't disrupt my daily lifestyle.

(I won't come on a message board for one: I mean, please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not picking a fight, I just would rather horse the fish in so I can either release it quicker or knock it on the head sooner).

Peace & Love brother!    See, I'm the total opposite in that it's not about horsing the fish in.  For me, much of the reason I enjoy fishing is for the fight.  That said, I don't "play" a fish 'til exhaustion or until it goes belly-up, but I will let it make a run or two.  I've never liked tightening down the drag and winching them in, just isn't fun for me.

LOL.. Mission accomplished... I fully intended on starting some squabbling.

This is a little bothersome, but to each his I guess.  I'm not a pot stirrer - just not how I roll!  That said, I had a feeling it was a baited trap and I fell for it hook, line and sinker (pun intended) so I accept full responsibility.

Michael

Just kidding friend.. not really what i set out to do, but it does seem to get people stirred up every time someone brings it up.  I think it was you who brought up quality and age of the line back on page one.. to that i must say AMEN.  Old line is broke line...

  If I'm out for trout and looking to score dinner, then I don't waste time landing the fish.  If I'm not looking for dinner, most fish are released. (Unless bleeding, then there dinner)  I will allow them a some runs as Dilbeck mentioned.  And if they throw the hook at the yak thats fine.

Troy

Here is one tip.....I use a size  10 to 12 treble hook...I use a big sewing needle.  I cut the worm in half and then string the treble hook on a leader.  I use the needle to thread the leader onto the worm.  I have the worm with the biggest end nearest to the hook.  I pull the worm over the hook and it may take a few times to get the leader over the half worm.  But, what happens is that the trout can only bite the hook before the worm.  I use a Sepp Rainbow Dodger.  The smallest or next to the smallest...2" or 3" and I have a downrigger.  Works at Lexington, Stevens Creek, Loch Lomand, Topaz, Bridgeport, Eagle, Del Valle, Chabot, Los Banos Creek and New Meloneis.

Ken kickfish

Down side is the trout you catch will be yours.  They usually get the hook so deep that you can not release them.