DO BIG BAITS = BIG FISH ?

[SALMOTRUTTA]

Will large Rapalas(f 18)and husky jerks land me a double digit Brown or should i match the forage size with smaller Rapalas?Is bigger better?I will be trolling a lake with smelt and alewives.

[raleigh]

IMO yes, fishing with bigger baits such as bigger rapalas will catch you bigger fish. You will just catch fewer fish. Last spring I was fishing with small spoons and blue foxes and was catching lots of nice but avrage sized splake and rainbow trout. In the afternoon I switched to a Shad Rapala and caught a 9 1/4 pound splake. Two days later went back an caught a 6 pound splake. So I think bigger the lure bigger the fish. Thats just my oppinon though. I am sure others have there own.

[Cider]

I don't think that is necessarily true.  When trolling for landlock salmon with live bait, the fish won't take the bigger bait.  They like the stuff that is 2" or less.  I have taken plenty of big lakers on small jigs and bait.  Same goes for big bows, brookies, and browns.  Don't get me wrong, I think that big bait can get you big trout.  But, I think with trout the key is to find out what they are feeding on naturally and go for the imitation.  Think about it for a minute.  During the Atlantic Salmon runs the rainbows are right there with them just gorging on the salmon eggs.  Those aren't very big, but the rainbows sure are!  It is all about their natural foods and imitating it.

I think if you want to talk about other species of fish such as bass, then maybe the bigger the bait the bigger the fish.  But not for trout.

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

[Jigwiggler]

    I think with trout it really depends, during certain times of the year they are feeding on a specific forage and really don't look at much else.  During that time I would match the forage and size as close as possible.  Other times of the year trout are much more opportunistic and will pound a large flashy bait.  Before NY passed its single hook law on the salmon river I used to get the majority of my salmon and big steelies on large Rapalas and other minnow shaped baits in the 6 - 8" range.  I used to get some great #'s also, but the majority of the fish in the river at that time were large, so that is what I targeted.  With the new regulations now that is a thing of the past.  Too bad I enjoyed that method of fishing much more than drifting tiny flies and was able to release fish with less stress.  I only ever injured and kept one chromer in all my years fishing plugs and that was because he inhaled the lure and was hooked badly in the gills.

                                                                   

[TroutFishingBear]

jigwiggler makes a lot of sense, I agree.

Also, I've caught some big rainbows and browns and brookies on small flies (size 26-28) and some big rainbows, browns, brookies, and cutts on an earthworm.

I've also caught some shrimpy 14" browns on a 3" brown  trout color countdown rapala on the roaring fork river. So, who knows?? I think its just depends on the forage and type of fish, remember, browns eat fish at a younger age and smaller size

FORAGE IS THE KEY

[Bigfish57]

big baits equal less fish, but smaller baits can also produce large fish, just not as frequently. All depends what your after and what they are feeding on. Smaller baits work much better foem me in clear watters

[Cider]

Black phoenix - this is completely off subject...  That signature line is great!  How did you do that or where did you find it?

[Bigfish57]

I did a bit of searching for fish related avitars and came up with this one. Now I just need a better image of a brookie.

[Jigwiggler]

    .  Before NY passed its single hook law on the salmon river I used to get the majority of my salmon and big steelies on large Rapalas and other minnow shaped baits in the 6 - 8" range.  e inhaled the lure and was hooked badly in the gills.

Why would you need anything more than a single hook....lol...

One single hook on a 7" lure that is made for 3 = many strikes and few hook-ups!  I realize that they passed these regs. to eliminate the "snagging" of fish on their journey up river.  But that is how most fly/single hook fisherman hook them anyway.  Why rule out an entire way of fishing?  NY's DEC has more than enough officers on their rivers and streams that time of year.  They just needed to enforce the laws they had in force.  Foul hooked fish are released immediatley.  I personally release all but one salmon per season and the steelhead mentioned above.  I did find a fly pattern that worked well on salmon last year, just don't enjoy it as much as I did crankin' plugs.  After playing a 30+ lb. salmon on 6 lb. test and a 10ft noodle rod forever, in the warm water of Sept.  The chances of that fish living to spawn are greatly reduced.  I used to fish plugs on my musky set up and could usually land a fish inside of 10 min. and have a sucessful release after causing the fish much less stress.

[Jigwiggler]

I did a bit of searching for fish related avitars and came up with this one. Now I just need a better image of a brookie.

Black Phoenix   -  Your fly fisherman is amazing, he never tires!

[vancouvercanuck]

I feel that I go into a trance if I stare at that too long. Me feeling dizzy..............

Anways, back on subject:

Use any size Rapala you want. Trout are predators and will eat anything that goes by there snout. I've caught small trout on huge baits, same goes other way around. Don't be afraid to switch it up though.

[devil-man]

Personal opinion-
Smaller, more subtle baits are better for any size trout. I fish small streams in WNY, and have caught very nice browns on miniscule offerings.
Speaking of which, a week from tomorrow is that holy day.
Trout Opener! I took April first and second off, of course...
We have the ritual trout tour all planned.

[stream walker]

iv'e always caught my biggest steelhead on dime size and smaller egg sacs.
when the waters real clear you can't beat a single egg

[Mackdaddy21]

Nope, big baits just disinterest most smaller fish, so that keeps them away and only larger ones interested. You'll just catch less fish and the same average size with bigger baits.
Jigwiggler, you need to petition against those regs. People who support regs like that are few in number and are generally the type of fly fisherman who want flies only to be legal. Remember, no matter what anyone tells you, a petition with sufficient signatures cannot be ingored and has to be obeyed.

Tyler

[Jigwiggler]

MD21
     I agree that those regs. are wrong and need to be repealed.  All it took was a few well to do politicians that were also unsucessful fly fisherman and needed the odds stacked in their favor.  By not being a resident of NY I don't know how sucessful I would be in petitioning against these regs.  It is worth a shot though.  I have no problems with fly fisherman and even break out the fly rod a few times a year my self.  I just feel that these regs. that were put into place to "protect" these fish on there upstream journey are in fact doing just the opposite.  Last year, the largest steelhead I landed had 7 assorted hooks and flys in its back and side.  Add this to the stress of long, drawn out fights on the light tackle needed to catch fish with the current regs. and you have a higher mortality rate than when the occasional fish was foul hooked and brought in quickly.  If they want to protect these fish, which I agree they should.  Why don't they put the 1 trout / day limit into effect that has been talked about, not ban an entire way of fishing.  I wouldn't care if they issued a tag and you could only keep 1 fish per season or even strictly C&R.  Just let people fish in the way they enjoy and not regulate everything to death.  Sh_t, you almost need a law degree to interpret the regulations book anymore.  Use this lure before this date, use this length leader after this date ...  no wonder their tourism industry is suffering. 

Anyone about the legality and effectivness of an internet circulated petition?  Or do they need to be handwritten signatures?