Month: October 2015

Fishing with Murphy

Ever had “one of those days” when Murphy’s Law (“If it can go wrong, it will go wrong”) prevails?

Yesterday, I had the good fortune to fish again with Ralph and Danny (Ralph’s brother).  Last time I fished with Danny was nearly two years ago, and it was a memorable one, with 100+ solid trout caught.  Danny hadn’t wet a line since January and had a small window to get out.  Danny is the only person I have ever met who has the natural “feel” of a trout bite like Ralph.  I guess its genetic.  Ralph always says that when you grow up poor and hungry, and you only have one cricket, you learn not to lose a fish…

Ralph Danny Boat

Anyway, we started out chunking plugs and had one mishap after another.  Braided line caught in split rings (multiple times), fish missed at the boat (big one), line wrapped around the reel handle (lost fish and plug), fish dragging lure into structure (break off), minor electrical problems, etc!  I’m probably forgetting a few but you get the picture.  But, you might notice the common theme was fish mishaps.  Yes, we were on a bite – the best one we have had since last spring, and what a feeling!  It was nice catching some heavy trout again.  We landed about 7 trout over 2.5 lbs and Ralph had the daymaker with one a little over 3.5 lbs.

Ralph Trout Dark

After the sun came up, we switched to a rig that has been working really well for us in the post-flood tannic stained water:  A Z-Man 3 in MinnowZ in rootbeer with a chartreuse tail.  Anything with a chartreuse tail has been working well, but especially the MinnowZ.  This is always a hot Fall lure, but I think the water color really makes this one stand out right now.

Rig

We found about 7 redfish and a couple flounder during the rest of the morning, and just really enjoyed the perfect weather and each other’s company.  If you can swing it, get off the couch and get on the water – it’s prime time!

Ralph 21 Trout 2

Ralph Danny Trout 1

 

Visit our Online Store for the best deals in TroutEye jigheads anywhere, and pick up a few TroutEye hand towels.  They are priced inexpensively and really help improve your catching experience.

See you on the water!

What to do when you can’t get your salt fix?

Hit the ponds 🙂

Last week we had supermoon tides pretty much all week, so Ralph and I decided to fish some sandpit ponds for bass for a change.  It was a real nice change of pace and an awful lot of fun.  There was a lot of vegetation in the pond and it is hard to work a jerk shad without catching weeds, so we experimented around and found the best way to make a presentation.

IMG_20150930_160502902

The first deadly combo was a Z-Man 3″ MinnowZ on a TroutEye jighead.  With this combo its easy to swim the lure just above the weeds, and the amazing action of the Z-Man ElaZtech made it a very effective offering.  Many big bucketmouths fell to this combo.  We also had a few crappie unable to resist.

IMG_20150930_150319653 IMG_20150930_144554802

 

Our bucktails are also a good choice since they are light weight you can keep them up in the water column a bit easier.  Bucktails are a classic largemouth bait and you can see why.

IMG_20150930_144132543

Lastly we used some floating diver plugs.  Crank them and they swim just under the surface, and on the pause they will float back up.  The biggest fish were all over these.  Ralph hooked the fish of the day (looked to be 5+ lbs) and lost it on a jump.

IMG_20150930_180311

While our flood waters recede, your best bet for something to pull on your line might be freshwater bass fishing in a local pond (or backyard!).  As always, look for structure, such as fire pits, Azalea bushes, barbeque grills, etc 🙂  We are just kidding, many in our area are in bad shape and our thoughts are with you, but sometimes you gotta step back and have a laugh.

IMG_20150930_144108056

 

What’s Old is New Again

This quote by Sandy Stuhr in a recent TideLine magazine article says it all.  Sandy has been fishing Charleston inshore for over 50 years.

Sandy Stuhr, another veteran inshore angler, bemoans the development that has taken place along the Wando River where he has spent decades fishing. But at the same time the proliferation of docks also provides structure and breaks for the gamefish to lie in wait.
“It gives the fish someplace to sit, particularly the redfish,” Stuhr said.
Stuhr’s favorite artificial is a bucktail jig, something that can be difficult to find these days.

The classic bucktail has proven the test of time simply because it works.  It’s probably because the supple deer hair tail moves effortlessly in the current, making it look alive.  It’s the same concept as a fly fishermen’s Clouser minnow.

We have combined our greatly successful TroutEye jigheads featuring an oversized eye with a bucktail trailer.  These work exceptionally well when a subtle presentation is needed, such as the fall and winter when our waters get cold.

The best way to fish them is like you would fish a MirroLure, but even slower.  A very slow retrieve with frequent pauses works very well.

Pick up a few packs and try them out.

Bucktail BLUE Bucktail BROWN

Show your school spirit by fishing with a themed bucktail.  See what the fish choose…

Bucktail CAROLINA Bucktail CLEMSON

 

TroutEye bucktails are available ONLY on our online store.