light biters.....

[mauser06]

anyone have advice for catching trout that are picking up lightly?? waters 40 or so still and theres a lake open to trout fishing and the fishing is great during march....then it closes till the 17th of april when trout season starts and they are taken out too smart and waters too warm soon after and they dont hit as good.....ive been getting 20 some hits a day and only catching a few of them.....3 was my best so far....but i was messing with circle hooks for an hour or so before getting mad and switching......i use a slip sinker with a small shot about 18 inches above the hook......with powerbait....it floats up about 15-18inches when the slip sinker is on the stop.....very little resistance.....they either hit it and when i set the hook i miss them or take it very lightly and i set the hook and they are gone or i get lucky and have them on.......any advice?? i get a strike about every 10-15 mins tops....but miss to many.......i use regular hooks and set it straight back and up......im on the bank too.....line is slackless and not out far at all....the fish are holding in a weed bed and i find open pockets and put my bait in there or cast just past the edge of it....the fish are there and hitting i just cant get them all.....any tips?? thanx alot

[thundermug]

From what I have heard from pro fishermen is there are a few reasons for fish biting lightly. Once you find that reason you can correct the problem of not being able to set the hook.

One of the things you said was the trout are pretty smart. They could be used to people fishing and are only nibbling at the bait but they feel you on the other end of the line (you also said you didn't have slack in your line). Give some more slack and wait a little longer before trying to set the hook.

Another thing to try is a different bait...smaller hook...larger hook...sharpenin your hooks...longer leader between the bait and the weight, go as long as 5 feet...thinner diameter line, if you have 10 pound line go to 6. Remember #6 test line will catch a 6 pound fish. You can catch a heavier fish on it also, just remember to adjust your drag and have fun! let them take line then rell them in some, let 'em take some more and reel 'em in some...

Have fun!

[leffler]

basically i would say make everything smaller therfore more sensitive

[mauser06]

im fishing some heavy weeds so i cant go tooo small.....im down to 4lb test....which is working....and size 10 hooks...which is the smallest ive ever used...except when im keeping them i use a size 18 treble....i found the way to get them is the first few seconds they hit it......and if my leaders long it seems to be harder to get a good hook set.......so i cant fish real deep either....and i found out to use less powerbait.....i was using a ton compared to what was needed.......dad caught more then me but he let them swallow the hooks too.....which is never good in troutfishing......90% of my hook sets were in the bottom of the mouth.....where our tounge is......dont know why.......dont know how.....should be in the top jaw.......theyd have to be feeding upside down.....i dont know.......but i am getting a little better.....maybe tomarow ill head back out......big weather front moving in late tomarow nite....they should be biting......hopefully.............thanx guys.......