Keeping it simple

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
I thought I would share how I usually fish when I am not on my boat. I like to make quick runs to local waterways at least once a week, especially when I know I won’t have the opportunity to take my boat out. I usually end up at my local little reservoir that I’ve mentioned many times but I have a couple others near me that I like to hit once in a while also.

Tomorrow I’m aiming for a stream first light but I know flows are low so my “pack” has some extras in it, in the event I end up at that local little reservoir.

A pic of all of my tackle.

IMG_2921.jpeg

The inline spinners are for the stream but the spinbaits are just too fun to throw so they might as well come along, especially if I end up at the reservoir.
The 3” worms, 1/0 EWG Hooks and 1/16 ounce tungsten nail weights are my backup plan. They catch in the toughest of times and are weedless if I once again, end up at that reservoir and the spinbaits do not work.

Other than some boots in the bed of my truck, that is it. All bundled up and waiting for me in the morning.

IMG_2922.jpeg

I love these “little” trips, I learn a ton! Keeping the tackle simple teaches me to really explore every way of fishing what is in my leftover and now tackle “rage” pack. ;). High, low, fast, slow, etc. When it is the only thing you have, you have to make do with what you have right?

If this were early spring, none of that tackle above would be with me but the tackle would be just as sparse. The same goes for late fall / winter. All of these “little” trips have taught me about how the lake changes during the year and what fish want to see…..or at least what I have learned to use to dupe them during those seasons.

Anyways, I thought I would share my learning approach. On shore or on boat, limit yourself at times so you can really focus on technique with just one or two baits and no backup. The byproduct makes you focus on the environment more and you pick up on nuances you may have not previously noticed, helping to develop a pattern. It is especially gratifying when you see something that most won’t see, cast and catch. It is hard to explain but when you see it, you know it, and you are only surprised when you don’t get bit.
 

Don

Well-known member
I thought I would share how I usually fish when I am not on my boat. I like to make quick runs to local waterways at least once a week, especially when I know I won’t have the opportunity to take my boat out. I usually end up at my local little reservoir that I’ve mentioned many times but I have a couple others near me that I like to hit once in a while also.

Tomorrow I’m aiming for a stream first light but I know flows are low so my “pack” has some extras in it, in the event I end up at that local little reservoir.

A pic of all of my tackle.

View attachment 6363

The inline spinners are for the stream but the spinbaits are just too fun to throw so they might as well come along, especially if I end up at the reservoir.
The 3” worms, 2/0 EWG Hooks and 1/16 ounce tungsten nail weights are my backup plan. They catch in the toughest of times and are weedless if I once again, end up at that reservoir and the spinbaits do not work.

Other than some boots in the bed of my truck, that is it. All bundled up and waiting for me in the morning.

View attachment 6364

I love these “little” trips, I learn a ton! Keeping the tackle simple teaches me to really explore every way of fishing what is in my leftover and now tackle “rage” pack. ;). High, low, fast, slow, etc. When it is the only thing you have, you have to make do with what you have right?

If this were early spring, none of that tackle above would be with me but the tackle would be just as sparse. The same goes for late fall / winter. All of these “little” trips have taught me about how the lake changes during the year and what fish want to see…..or at least what I have learned to use to dupe them during those seasons.

Anyways, I thought I would share my learning approach. On shore or on boat, limit yourself at times so you can really focus on technique with just one or two baits and no backup. The byproduct makes you focus on the environment more and you pick up on nuances you may have not previously noticed, helping to develop a pattern. It is especially gratifying when you see something that most won’t see, cast and catch. It is hard to explain but when you see it, you know it, and you are only surprised when you don’t get bit.
That collection is my go to most of the year though I've never caught a targeted fish on a Ned rig. I am determined to get it going right. For instance this morning I noticed, in the pool, that I've always been retiring too fast. Whether with a slow or a multi second dead stick period, I noticed in 4-5' of water that the Ned often didn't touch the bottom, and scooted along much faster than I had thought.

Where will you involve the the tungsten nail weights.

I'm enjoying the learning process of Baitcasters. I have a bunch of folks helping me sort it out on a big forum. The members have been most helpful.

I wish you great success.
 

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
As expected, the stream was a bust. I was hoping for some kind of flow but nada, it looked like a swamp. Off to the little resevoir. It only took about 10 minutes for me realize that spinbaits were not going to get it done so I switched to the 3” worms and it was game on. I landed 6 of these guys.

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With this one being the winner of the day.
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I made some friends too! ;)
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They would only hit on the fall today, no trickery hopping or twitching helped. There are very defined weed lines here and if I casted to just the edge of a change with plenty of slack for a straight fall, they reward me.

I dropped one about 10’ from the shore line and missed almost as many as I caught. I’ll blame a 4am allergy attack that made me groggy after taking a pill. LOL. I sprayed lawn weed control yesterday evening, it always gets me and I should have remembered to take a pill last night….as my wife was sure to remind me when she seen me this morning. ;)

I am enjoying the level of the lake right now. Just enough shoreline is exposed to make getting around it easier than this spring but deep drop offs right off the shore. Several smaller bass were cruising the shoreline, a stark difference than just a few days ago after a night time rain and seeing nothing. What a difference a day…or few make.
 

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
That collection is my go to most of the year though I've never caught a targeted fish on a Ned rig. I am determined to get it going right. For instance this morning I noticed, in the pool, that I've always been retiring too fast. Whether with a slow or a multi second dead stick period, I noticed in 4-5' of water that the Ned often didn't touch the bottom, and scooted along much faster than I had thought.

Where will you involve the the tungsten nail weights.

I'm enjoying the learning process of Baitcasters. I have a bunch of folks helping me sort it out on a big forum. The members have been most helpful.

I wish you great success.

You really have to work the neds slow. Not to say they won’t hit it fast at times, they do, but my best success is letting it hit the bottom until the line goes slack. When on bottom, with a bow in your line, lift your rod tip slowly 12” or so, drop the tip and reel in the slack but leave enough slack that there is still a bow, wait 5-10 seconds and repeat.

I use the tungsten nail weights to insert into the plastic.

I caught that post over there. I enjoy reading other points of view.
 

HenryDavid

Well-known member
I always wondered what the Ned imitated, something that's natural? Doesn't look like anything particular to me.
 

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
I always wondered what the Ned imitated, something that's natural? Doesn't look like anything particular to me.
To me it looks like a small fish eating algae off of rocks with the method I described above.

Maybe a half eaten worm that another fish had attacked? Telling the fish it’s worthy to bite?

I don’t understand the larger goose poop looking ones. It looks like crap! lol Do they eat that?
 

Don

Well-known member
Where did you place those weights? If you used the worms Ned style it would seem there is no place for them. Were you using them wacky style?
 

truecrimson

Well-known member
Ned imitates anything small feeding on the bottom. Small fish, different worms, anything that goes face down in the mud and brush to eat.
 
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