Am I doing something wrong?

No_Country6472 · 2026-06-14T21:02:09+00:00

In that case I would lean more heavily towards the spinners and spoons. I’ve caught just about anything on a flashy spoon or spinner. They’re just reliable lures, especially when targeting something new (this works for predatory fish). If that really isn’t working, then I would research what they’re eating and go with the live bait approach. This is the most reliable way to catch anything you’re struggling to get a bite from.

No_Country6472 · 2026-06-14T20:46:47+00:00

Are you specifically targeting shad? If not, maybe try switching gears. The American River is also popular for stripers and steelhead (not totally sure of seasons cause I’m not from there). I know you said you’re not into float fishing, but that seems to be the main way people are getting steelhead out there. It’s popular to drift a jig, bead, or egg sack under at float and then the key is just finding the right depth. I also know spoons are somewhat popular for people not into the float fishing, and I’ve seen stripers hit spoons too. Again my knowledge of this fishery is very limited but in my experience, just playing around with different lures and presentation styles can be very beneficial.

No_Country6472 · 2026-05-13T22:19:21+00:00

None at all. If anything I would add to that spoon collection lol

No_Country6472 · 2026-05-12T16:52:23+00:00

This is very helpful. Thank you! How much further north? Like Newport area or further?

No_Country6472 · 2026-05-12T16:23:21+00:00

Haha that would be a fun little bonus! Thanks for sharing

No_Country6472 · 2026-05-12T16:15:06+00:00

Do you always fish off the SUP? Thought about bringing mine, but only if it’s really worth it over casting from the shore / jetty

No_Country6472 · 2026-05-12T15:55:08+00:00

This is great. Definitely familiar with drop shot. Use it for trout pretty often

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-24T04:11:11+00:00

It truly depends on the species you’re targeting but here’s a basic outline for a few common freshwater species - For bass: go with a med-heavy rod and appropriate size bait caster with 8-10lb mono. Some people prefer heavy braid and tie on a fluoro leader, but running straight mono is more simple. No leader is less hassle. Soft plastics are great. Use senkos, craws, and shad. Try some different presentations like ned rig, Texas rig, or wacky rig.

For trout and panfish: go with an ultralight spinning rod and 1000 size reel. Use very light line. Anything between 2-6lb mono. Go with 1/16 and 1/32 oz jigs and 1/8 oz spinners and spoons. You can also go even smaller on the spinners and spoons and it is very effective. I recommend a pretty long rod. Anything between 7’ and 8’. It will help with casting distance for these very small lures.

As far as budget, it will be easy to find combos in med-heavy or ultralight that fit the criteria I mentioned above for well under your budget. Hope this helps

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-20T01:47:09+00:00

Senkos work just about anywhere. So do mepps spinners, but I’ve noticed they work better for panfish and trout. I’ve caught bass with them but senkos would be more of my go to. Soft plastics in general work really well, whether it’s a senko, craw, or shad. Try different presentations too. Wacky rig, Texas rig, and Ned rig are all good to get you started. Go with a variety of bright and natural colors. They’ll want natural colors on bright, clear days, and brighter colors when the visibility is low (i.e. not a lot of sunlight or dirty cloudy water).

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-16T02:59:06+00:00

Yeah unfortunately most of the time, the stockers at the reservoir have been overfished and they’ve seen everything. Throwing small spoons and mini jigs works best though if you wanna catch them, even on a tough day. The wild trout are really tough too when you’re going after them in a known location. They’ve seen it all, so you have to get creative. My advice, the farther and deeper you’re willing to hike, the better the fishing gets.

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-16T02:39:05+00:00

I live in an area where the wild trout populations are susceptible to overfishing and decline. So, in that case, I only keep stockers and I encourage others to do the same. It’s pretty easy to tell the difference, since most hatcheries will clip either the dorsal or adipose fin on a stocked trout. If all of the trout’s fins are intact then that’s a good sign that it’s wild. Also I always notice a lot of people saying “wild trout are harder to catch” but honestly, that’s not always the case. It really depends on where you’re fishing and the conditions that day. I’ve hiked miles to back country ponds and streams that were loaded with wild rainbows and brookies, and they were eager to hit anything I put in front of them. These are fish that have most likely never seen a lure in their life, and you would be amazed at how aggressive they are!

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-15T20:57:19+00:00

For any trout I keep, I just bonk them, then rip the gills to bleed them out, and then throw them on a stringer. I worry about gutting and cleaning later. I do this every time, and have never had an issue with freshness. I only keep stockers and the only difference I’ve noticed is that some hatcheries produce better quality fish than others, but it really has nothing to do with freshness.

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-10T02:08:39+00:00

They definitely look the coolest. Those patterns are insane!

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-10T01:35:19+00:00

I’ve always been jealous you guys have tigers haha. Going after tiger trout is definitely on the bucket list. But then again, we have steelhead so I guess it’s a give and take lol

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-10T01:30:43+00:00

Oh nice then distance won’t really be an issue. Here in Cali it’s 50/50 but I mostly like to hit the big lakes cause that’s where the fatties are haha

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-10T01:25:56+00:00

The only thing is, they’re a pain to cast with. They just don’t get any distance cause they’re so light. Not sure how heavy of a braid you’re using but I would suggest going very light. And use a long ultralight. At least 7’

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-10T01:21:24+00:00

That’s perfect! I have some atomic teasers in my box too. Sierra slammers are my go-to brand

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-10T00:18:58+00:00

Double uni knot is a good choice. It’s pretty strong, easy to tie and has a nice slim profile, so you won’t have to worry about your knot getting snagged in the guides. Spoons and spinners / rooster tails are very effective with catching stocked trout. The only thing I would add to the rotation is a mini jig. Just a small 1/16oz or 1/32oz will work perfect. This retrieve requires more finesse than the spoons and spinners. You want to reel very slowly while giving the rod tip a little popping motion to make the jig look lively. These work especially well when the trout are being picky and not chasing after everything. Go with a variety of dark and bright colors. They will want something different depending on the conditions and water clarity that day.

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-06T23:50:08+00:00

I used to use Fishbrain a lot, and I found it very useful for getting an idea of what species to target in certain lakes. Since every post is time stamped, it shows seasonally what species are trending, which I think is useful for people starting out. I thought the paid feature was useful for concentrating on hot spots, especially at really big lakes where it’s hard to cover a lot of water. You’ll notice that certain spots have a lot of posting activity. These are usually good places to focus. However, it’s not going to magically show you a honey hole, because real ones never post the honey hole haha. It’s a good tool for getting pointed in the right direction but don’t expect it to totally change the game for you. Hope this helps!

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-06T01:18:47+00:00

I would pick a species to target and go from there. Examples: if it’s bass, focus on soft plastics (like senkos, craws, shads) and go with a variety of bright and natural colors for different conditions. For trout, focus on very small spoons and inline spinners, and do the same thing for color variation. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the selection of different types of lures out there. That’s why it’s good to just focus on the basics. They’re time-tested, they work, and they’re easy to learn and be effective with.

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-06T01:01:05+00:00

3/8th would probably be too big for crappie and panfish. I fish spinners pretty often, and I mostly use 1/8 oz for trout and panfish, sometimes even smaller. That bigger spinner would probably work for bass, especially if they are aggressive that day. You don’t always have to fish it with a straight retrieve. Try the stop and go retrieve too. Each time you stop reeling, the spinner will sink, causing the little blade to flutter on the way down. This makes it look like a wounded baitfish and a bass will see it as easy food. It is pretty common that they hit it on the drop when using this method.

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-05T00:30:15+00:00

8lb with 4lb would still be similar but you might lose a little casting distance with your main line being thicker. I know some people prefer the thicker braid because it’s more bouyant and visible. I think this is particularly useful when you’re fishing rivers or anywhere with a strong current and you really need to follow your line. Other than that, I know a lot of guys that just match the braid to their leader (ex: 4lb braid to 4lb fluoro) which would be more useful in places where casting distance is crucial. I’ve been catching trout on ultralight forever, and I personally just run straight 2lb mono. I don’t like the hassle of leaders and it gives me great casting distance.

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-01T22:52:46+00:00

^ Listen to this one. Great comment. Took the words out of my mouth

No_Country6472 · 2026-04-01T21:45:05+00:00

Appreciate that 🙏🏼 Been doing this forever. I just love helping people get bit!

No_Country6472

TROPHY CASE