Trout fishing with soft plastics

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Dalleinf
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Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by Dalleinf » Sat Sep 24, 2016 1:38 pm

I target sea-run brown trout in small clear streams (approx 5 yards wide and 3 yards deep) and find the fish close to structure - often hiding by/beneath the bank. Most of the fish I catch are around 20 inches.
With regard to lures, inline spinners are very effective and I have used them for many years along with the occasional rapala (or similar) and the rare hair jig.

I catch plenty of fish - but something new needs to happen...just to shake things up a bit. Still, I don't want to "waste" several days without catching fish when I know my old method works, which is why I hope for input from TT.

I would like to try using soft plastics for trout. I have some fast to extra fast action rods (e.g. Volkey BFS and Loomis IMX CR721), which are not-so-good for spinners, but probably very suited for soft plastic fishing.

Many questions come to mind:
What type and size of soft plastics should I use?
What type and size of hook?
How should I rig them?
Weightless/Texas/Carolina/Wacky/Ned/Dropshot etc. --- so many methods, which I only have limited experience with.

Any input much appreciated.

toddmc
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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by toddmc » Mon Sep 26, 2016 1:50 pm

Start with the 3" Berkley natural colored trout worms. They can be fished any way that you want. The easiest rig is a split shot rig with a small split shot above the hook and an Owner Mosquito Hook #8-10. An even better, but more complicated rig is the drop shot rig with the same worm and hook, only a drop shot weight below the hook. I wacky rig (through the middle of the worm) on both setups. You may not even want to try other plastics once you try this gold standard. Even my young kids wont fish live bait anymore because they know the trout worms produce and are easier to use.
I start with the spinner and crappie jigs in more open water like you describe because they are a faster reaction presentation that is more fun in my opinion, but I never leave a spot without trying the trout worms.

Dalleinf
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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by Dalleinf » Mon Sep 26, 2016 6:40 pm

Great info - thx!
Berkley worms natural color just ordered. Looking forward to give it a try.

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Fishinfanatic115
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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by Fishinfanatic115 » Fri Oct 14, 2016 7:11 am

I did well, at least with stockies, with a dropshot rig. I used 6lb fluoro and a Lake Fork Live Magic Shad (the 2-3/4" version). They seemed to hit it pretty good, usually taking a few passes at it before actually committing. The same bait worked well on a jighead as well.

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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by toddmc » Fri Nov 04, 2016 3:12 am

Have you caught any yet? I managed to catch stocker rainbows, native rainbows, browns, brookies, and cutthroat trout on the worms all in the same weekend in the Eastern Sierras recently. I call it a "catch everything in the area slam". Nothing over 3lbs. though, but worth the trip.
I have also caught bull trout and steelhead on them. I rarely fish for salmon, but the next time that I do I'm going to see if they will eat the worms. I give it a 50/50.
Oh, I also caught largemouth, bluegill, and carp on the worms in the same weekend. Don't tell anyone about the panfish or carp because they weren't intentional and it might ruin my reputation! 8-)

Dalleinf
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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by Dalleinf » Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:09 pm

Sounds great.
Unfortunately, I have been too busy at work so I haven't used the worms yet. Before I received the worms (and after staring this thread) I gave small 3-4" senkos, ned rigs and 3" soft plast plastic swimbaits a go for an hour or two. I had 2-3 trout hit the swimbait but none stayed on. Conditions were not good on that day.
I look forward to giving the worms a try. Since the streams close down mid november, I may not get them wet brfore next summer.

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angry john
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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by angry john » Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:57 am

the smaller keitech swim baits were money for me in CT doing this same thing. The ayu in 3" on a small jig head was the best. I like the shad impact better than the swing for trout.

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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by toddmc » Fri Nov 11, 2016 4:52 am

The small Keitech swimbaits are really nice. I've been throwing the 2.8 inch Fat Impact a lot for bass lately. I don't get a chance to fish the swimbaits as much as I like for trout because I am mostly fishing small creeks. I would definitely throw the swimbaits more if I fished for trout in bigger waters for bigger fish.

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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by timsford » Fri Nov 25, 2016 2:37 pm

My most productive soft plastic for brown trout are the thin 3 inch "trout" worms fished on a drop shot or split shot rig. Berkley used to make powerbait plastic salmon eggs that came in a jar like the real thing. I don't know if they make them anymore but they are dynamite on the stocker rainbows. These 2 baits and the smallest size of the old yo zuri pins minnow and smallest sizes of panther Martin's and roostertails are the only artificial baits I use. If I can't get bites on these 4 baits then I go to a piece of rawler with as little weight as possible

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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by Big-Bass » Fri Dec 02, 2016 4:06 am

I've used a black grub (3" Mister Twister style) on a jighead with success.

Dalleinf
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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by Dalleinf » Fri Dec 02, 2016 5:05 am

Thank you (all of you) for the many suggestions! I think I have acquired all the soft plastics mentioned above (including the grubs)...looking forward to spring :-)

While I wait for trout waters to open, I have been using soft plastics for redfin perch with the biggest very close to 4 lbs. Great fun...

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Re: Trout fishing with soft plastics

Post by sofinesse » Sun Dec 04, 2016 2:00 pm

Kinda sorta mentioned above, its essentially a jig head with a grub, but the Johnson beetle shad 1 or 2 inch on the back of a 1/32 or 1/16 minnow jig head, has been awesome for me in tight-ish quarter fishing for stocked trout. I usually skip it parallel to the bank and jig/short stroke it back. also try crappie tubes/atomic teasers. either cast and twitch or shake under a bobber, has produced well for me.
Edit: I am skipping on spinning gear. If you intend to do this on BFS gear, I would step up to something like the sierra slammer 2 inch swimbait with 1/16 ounce head, the slammer has a bigger body to make it more castable/skippable if you wanna give it a shot.

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