trout fishing help?

[neecolle]

okay well im finally going fishing with my dad this weekend
and we're going to fish some trout but...
i dont know what kind of equipment to take, such as hooks, weights, bait, etc?
please help, need to know asap.
thanks!
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[lskiles]

That is an extremely difficult question to answer given the information available.
It is like asking what music is best at a wedding...country, of course!
If you are fishing a lake, from the shore/dock I would bring rooster tails and sinking flies, like bead-head wooly buggers. The sinking flies are rigged with a clear bobber half filled with water four feet above the fly, just cast it out and retrieve at various speeds.
You can also fish with worms on a #8 bait holder hook with some split-shot 12 to 18 inches above the hook with a bobber or on the bottom. Some will tell you to use Power Bait or one of the other of the prepared dough baits, but I have no experience with them, ergo, no opinion.
If you are in a boat that means you can access a lot more water. Look for places where creeks come into the lake and if you can locate springs. Some folks like to troll, but trolling is not the kind of fishing I enjoy, but if you do try a Flatfish or that Wooly Bugger.
If you are heading out to a river it can vary so much that one would have to know just what kind of river you were fishing. Let us assume you are fishing a slow moving river that is only 30 or 40 feet wide. Look for riffles and cast at the top and drift through it if you are using bait and find pools or eddies if you are using lures.
There is a fantastic trout lure called the Trout Magnet that I have purchased at Wal Mart. If you want to see how they work and what you do to use them just do an internet search for them and read up on it.

Of course, this is the way I roll...others will advise you differently.

Fill in some of the blanks.
Where are you? State, county.
Boat or bank?
River, lake, creek, reservoir, pond, etc.?
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[bassmasta]

I completely agree with Iskiles, I prefer using flies for all my trout needs, but on the subject of powerbait, I think the rainbow ones work, (they've worked for me). I don't frequently use them tho, so I think you should take Iskiles advice on the fly with the float attached (you never know what powerbait will be working on the given day).
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[neecolle]

Oh sorry i wasn't specific.
Im from California, USA
Bank
Lake

i heard power bait does help if you shape it up as a worm or something, also night crawlers work too. I just wanted to know what kind of hook to use as well, i have those live bait hooks that are size 10, treble hooks size 10 also and a bait holder hook size 6.

For bait i have worms, salmon eggs, rainbow power bait, and berkley gulp salmon eggs

What kind of weights?

As you can tell im new to fishing so i have no clue what to do [blush]
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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Hi neecole and welcome to the BFT. If you are going to use power bait be sure to bury the hook completely within the bait. Since power bait will float using a Carolina rig can be very effective. Here is the setup. Good luck.[/size][/#008000][/font]
[inline "carolina rig.jpg"]
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[kochanut]

^ that set up is your best bet right there. what lake in cali? i fished a bunch of them north of sac for a few years while i was stationed out there, Englebright being my favorite.
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[FrankN4]

For lake fishing, I also think the Carolina rig is the best setup if you are going to lake fish and use a floating bait like Berkley. I don't lake fish for trout, but the Berkley Power Bait in corn yellow and flo orange has caught many stream trout for my kids, and now grand-kids. The big pink shrimp scented salmon eggs also work very well. For live bait, wax worms are hard to beat.

For non floating baits, it is great to have an ultra light open face spinning rig with 2 or 4 pound line. Use the swivel just like the Carolina Rig but do not use the sinker. In one of the eyes of the swivel, tie in a short, 2 inch is fine, piece of 2 pound mono. On this, lightly crimp the smallest split shot you can get away with. I have a couple ris that will cast a wax worm or salmon egg without any split shot. Whenever I get hung up in a stream, it is always the sinker going under a rock, not the hook. With this setup the split shot will easily pull free, you don't loose any line, hook, or have the trouble or retying, just crimp on another split shot and go.

With any kind of bait, I like #8 and #10 bait holder hooks. I have a special pair of pliers that I use to bend over the barb on the hook since I do not keep all that I catch. Hemostats easily remove the hook with little damage to the fish.
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[BulBob]

If you are going to fish in a river or stream you can try the BulletBobber. It makes it easy. Link to video.http://www.bulletbobber.com/shorefishing.html
[#800080][#000000][size 4][url "http://s84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/BulBob/?action=view&current=RIVER.flv"][/url][/size][/#000000][url "http://s84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/BulBob/?action=view&current=RIVER.flv"][/url][/#800080][url "http://www.bulletbobber.com/shorefishing.html"][/url]

[basskicker234]

use a mepps spinner you can never go wrong with it use 8 pound line and a med action pole. good luck
Dan
p.s u can email me at hihi5882000@live.com with any questions
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[BigFishingShop]

Hi neecolle, I do have much history with powerbait (Not expertise), one thing I will say about it initially is I do find when using, will more likely catch trout than other species for whatever reason and I like it because it's stable, can keep a jar in my box for years and it's at the ready whenever.

No need to shape like a worm lol, but is critical to mold around so as to hide the hook leaving just the points (Powerbait only holds well on your treble hooks). Treble hooks are trout killers and the way to go with powerbait but check you local regulations carefully as they are not allowed in some locations just for that reason. Trout in particular are very carefully managed and violations can be devastating anymore, here in Washington, they even have the authority to sieze all your gear, including your boat and vehicle that towed it there on top of stiff fines, that's how serious it is to know your regs (regulations).

I wouldn't concern myself with much else at this point at all, in fact, if you do find your location wont allow treble hooks, I wouldn't even bother with the powerbait for this trip as it doesnt hold well on a single hook.

As for the sinkers, pick up an assortment of Splitshot is simplest, they will pinch right on by hand and are the most inconspicuous, I give them a very gentle squeeze with pliers for a sure line grip, use just a couple and see if it sinks your rig well and that's all you need, if not simply add another, they pinch right off as well for use next time and are real cheap, 2 bucks or so for a 76 pack will last a long time. How far from the hook is a matter of opinion and conditions but at least a foot plus.

Salmon eggs require salmon egg hooks for optimum effectiveness and are excellent trout bait, as well as nightcrawlers on your #6 bait holders is a good size, your #10 stuff is too big for this.

Ask about a device that lookes like a horse syringe at your tackle shop to blow up your worms,I forget what their called. or use a horse syringe to inject air into the worm so it will float off the bottom if that's where they are feeding, DON'T be with all of this, all of us experiment, fish different levels, move around the lake etc. trout are fickle, there is no real rule if they are there, and they are feeding, you will catch them.

For me, fishing is more about going fishing than catching fish, that's just icing on the cake, don't get me wrong I love icing, but if I don't catch anything, I still went fishing, that's the recreation, have fun and again know the regulations, BFS
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[ilyago]

[quote BigFishingShop] "...nightcrawlers on your #6 bait holders is a good size, your #10 stuff is too big for this.
..."[/quote]

My 2 cents:
#10 hook usually is smaller then #8 and #6.
#10/0 is bigger vs. #8/0 or #6/0
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[BigFishingShop]

Your absolutely right, wasn't even thinking, just like sizing electrical wire, thanks, refreshes the cabesa, was picturing a 10/0 Mustad sea hook or something lol, I remember that too, hope she had a good trip. Take it easy,

BFS [fishin]
.
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[ilyago]

It was confusing for me also until I got it.
Good luck,
ING
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[BigFishingShop]

Hi ilyago, thank you, gonna need all the help I can get [laugh] ,

I went over to ebay and bought some equipment, and enough has arrived, going to try casting here in an hour or so, will vid, this should be funny.

Have been watching great casting vids & others, and doing a lot of reading and everyone here has been very much helpful, simple encouragement like your note here is priceless, thank you.

BFS [fishin]
.
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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Hey there BFS if you ever start tying flies, the thread size will get you going too. Like 3/0 is thicker than 6/0, 9/0 or even 14/0. Aren't you glad that the US never went metric even though then tried like heck to get the public to sign on. I can't imagine asking my golfing partner what club do you think it would be and he responds hit your 91 meter club. [pirate][/size][/#008000][/font]
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[BigFishingShop]

Yeah and I had looks in school talking about fathoms or marks lol, was a little messed up as a kid sailing always wondered why they called the Americas cup boats 12 meters [unimpressed]

BFS [fishin]
.
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[ilyago]

[size 4][font "Times New Roman"][#0000ff]I am thinking it is not about metric system which is looks much more convenient for me.
Numbering like ...#6,#8,#4,#2,#1,1/0,2/0,3/0,... has some advantages vs. numbering from 1,2 and up, because make it possible to introduce a new sizes of hooks or threads in both directions: smaller and bigger.
Theoretically could exist hooks small like #20 or smaller. With system from 1,2,3.... how you will designate hooks smaller then #1? In fractions or negative? It is also not convenient.[/#0000ff][/font][/size]
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