01-04-2008, 03:20 AM
Brian,
Excellent post. Thanks for the tips.
My standard setup is very much like yours except I use Kastmasters instead of Rapalas or Swedish Pimples. I remove the treble hooks and tie 4" leader below to my small jig which is one of the ones in your picture. For perch, I often switch from mealworm halves to perch meat and cut a strip about 1/8" by 1/4" and am sure to hook it through the hide so that it stays on. I enhance scent with smelly jelly and typically don't worry about glow in the dark(although the pro guide smelly has glitter). I think the perch meat is important in cold weather when you can't afford to take your gloves off to put on more bait and can't monitor all your poles. Perch will find a way to pick your other outfits clean when your back is turned.
Obviously I could improve by using some of your tricks but usually I do well enough to keep busy anyway. I fish the bottom for perch and usually do better about halfway down for kokes and trout. For the latter, I often use pieces of nightcrawler but use half a mealworm for perch and the like. I have noticed waxworms as the best bait but they are too expensive and hard to keep compared with mealworms.
Sometimes for trout, I will launch a "free worm" where I send a tail hooked nightcrawler down whole with no weight or jig - just on a hook with enough line to let him swim around freely. With this setup, I will have it on a long pole with a berm to save the pole because big fish will sometimes take it fast and test your drag.
FR
[signature]
Excellent post. Thanks for the tips.
My standard setup is very much like yours except I use Kastmasters instead of Rapalas or Swedish Pimples. I remove the treble hooks and tie 4" leader below to my small jig which is one of the ones in your picture. For perch, I often switch from mealworm halves to perch meat and cut a strip about 1/8" by 1/4" and am sure to hook it through the hide so that it stays on. I enhance scent with smelly jelly and typically don't worry about glow in the dark(although the pro guide smelly has glitter). I think the perch meat is important in cold weather when you can't afford to take your gloves off to put on more bait and can't monitor all your poles. Perch will find a way to pick your other outfits clean when your back is turned.
Obviously I could improve by using some of your tricks but usually I do well enough to keep busy anyway. I fish the bottom for perch and usually do better about halfway down for kokes and trout. For the latter, I often use pieces of nightcrawler but use half a mealworm for perch and the like. I have noticed waxworms as the best bait but they are too expensive and hard to keep compared with mealworms.
Sometimes for trout, I will launch a "free worm" where I send a tail hooked nightcrawler down whole with no weight or jig - just on a hook with enough line to let him swim around freely. With this setup, I will have it on a long pole with a berm to save the pole because big fish will sometimes take it fast and test your drag.
FR
[signature]