Del Valle 12-19-06

Got to the lake a little before 7am.  The temp gauge at the ranger station reading 31 deg.  Got on the water a 7:30am.  I drifted the boat launch for stripers with Jumbo Minnows.  No luck.  Had one take down that chewed up my minnow and split it out. 

Trolled for trout until I hit Swallow Bay.  Drifted again with minnows.  No Love.  Trolled back to the boat dock and archored with power bait at 2:30 pm.   Got a 22 and 1/2" (4.4 lb) trout at 2:45pm and a 19" (3.9 lb) at 3:30pm.  Off the water at 4:30pm.

Ken kickfish

Nice fish Ken!

I saw you in your gray kayak. I launched at 7 in my tube along with ken-fishinfool, We fished from the ramp to the campgraund area. I had 4 takedowns and only one ldr to show for from the trout. It took my Senko. Ken-fishinfool had 3 trout one about 4#'s. We both managed a LMB each. It was really slow. So much that we did not even get nibles from the black bass.

Is a black bass different from a large mouth bass?

J

P.S. ken, great fish, at least you got exercise before anchoring and using the powerbait!

jamirey,

Black bass is a generic term that can be used to refer to many kinds of bass. LMB, SMB and spotted bass are the most comon in our area. But were it is confusing is that some people refer to the LMB exclussively as black bass.

So how did you catch one LMB but not get nibbles from the black bass?   

So how did you catch one LMB but not get nibbles from the black bass?   

I had one nible from LMB and one solid take down that I boated. The other nibles were from trout most of it on my pwer bait rod. But one was on the senko rod(trout bite differently, they are more agressive). I usally get a lot of nibles from the black bass (sm and lm) but not yesterday. They were totally off.

Ken -

Nice fish. Amazing how consistent powerbait can be.

Scott

Amazing how consistent powerbait can be.

Think it smells like what the eat at the hatchery?

 Anybody try it for resident trout?

Nice one kickfish! I am guilty of planning to troll all day for trout,but as soon as I see a bassy lookin area,I stop and strart tossing bass lures...   one of these trips I'll stick to my plan.
Thanks for the pics&port.

Mickfish,

Pretty sure this is a "Home Grown" trout. 

Ken kickfish

Ken -

Nice fish. Amazing how consistent powerbait can be.

Scott

Wierd . .I have never caught anything on powerbait . .ever.  I was sort of thinking it just doesn't work.  I usually take a pea size ball of it and mold it onto a really small treble with a split-shot about 12 inches above it.  I haven't tried that many colors . .orange, green and the sparkly multicolored one.  Any tips on how to improve my power-bait chi?

I use 6 lb. main line and 4 lb. leader.  Use a small treble size 10 or 12.  2 to 3 ft. leader.  Small egg sinker (on the main line) and a swivel below it.

I use a lot of power bait.  Make a big ball that will cover the hooks and the trout will not feel the hooks.  I do something most guys do not do.  I let the fish run with the power bait first.  Sometimes I wait 10 to 20 sec before setting the hook.  I let the fish speed up and give it some line before setting it .  Make sure you have your drag set before hand.  Make is kind of tight.  But still loose where you can pull out line easy.

Also, after you get the fish on you can back off the drag and play the fish as long as you want.  Downside with this method you usually must kept the fish.  They swallow the treble.  I use Green and Rainbow with sparkles.

Also, carry an ice chest with ice on my Yak.  So, I can bleed and ice right away.

Ken kickfish

Nice fish, but those are without a doubt hatchery fish...the fins are a dead give away.

My shore set-up is all I have to offer.Same as Ken,but I use a very small circle hook and "shape" the PB in a "tear drop" from that covers the hook.I thought of this durring MANY of HOURS SITTING,WAITING for a trout to swim by my little offering.
Theory: It floats off the bottom and the teardrop(grubb/larve)looking thing,points downward and may be easier to swallow(less nibbles).

Ohh...the things you come up with when sitting and waiting.

Happy Huntin and post them pics!

Sean,

Look at the picture with the smaller fish.  Not the ones from the first thread.  You will notice the real nice fins on that one and the meat was red.

Ken kickfish