Spinning Gear Tips?

[steve l]

Will be down late June and will spend 5 nights on the river between Greer & 142 with my brothers. The yearly fishing trip in which the traveling trophy is up for grabs, with Billy Bass going to the low creel. Need it to travel my way (the trophy, not Billy as he is on display in my office right now).

I use spinning gear only - no fly rods. Looking for suggestions on lures and/or techniques in the trout water. Have typically used a 1/8 oz black rooster tail, which seems to produce (but alot of the hatchery "samefish"). A favorite technique is to "backreel" as we pass through riffles & shoals. Slows the presentation, and allows the spinner to get down a bit further. We also work areas over pretty good where we can get out of the canoe. My other rod is typically set with a husky jerk or rebel craw - they don't seem to produce as well in the trout water (although they do in the smallie water).

I use a light weight rod, and can go down to 1/32 oz. Think a spin-fly would produce? Other lure or presentation ideas?

Appreciate any input from those of you who know the river better than I.

[Phil Lilley]

Lite action rods and 1000-1100 model reels with 4 lb line.

Use jigs- 3/32oz to 1/32 oz in earth colors plus white. Deadly on trout and bass.

[Gavin]

The larger fish tend to hold bottom, so I'd go with jigs (brown, olive, black, ginger, white) and countdown rapalas in rainbow trout, black & yellow, and black & silver. Cheers.

[Brian Sloss]

On the Eleven point, bounce jigs more the size of 1/16 off the bottom through the shoals and into plunge pools at the end of the run. Also don't give up on the rebel crawdads. Use smaller sized deep divers, a lot of peop;e catch a lot of trout on this river with those.

[steve l]

OK, next weekend is the trip on the 11P. I have 1/16 jigs & small rebel craws ready to go, along with the ever popular 1/8 black roostertail.

Question is on line. I was thinking going to down to 4 lb in the trout water (will use 8 in the smallie water), but wondering if 4 lb test bouncing jigs is the best idea? Is the line enough to stand up to the rocks?

Stick with the 4, go to 6?

Thoughts?

[Brian Sloss]

I'd go with 6lb, but bring along 4lb just in case.

[snap]

I like low visibility green 6 lb test...I also do not use the fly rod...natural baits work well for a change...minnows are especially good for larger fish...fish were feeding in late May and early June on small live crawfish.

[Brian Sloss]

Snap,

You hit on the head. Crawdads are a major food source here all the time. I use a small crawdad fly all the time and it out fishes anything else most of the time.

[BrianK]

There are restrictions on live bait like the N Fork, right?

Can't use from Greer to Turner????

[snap]

You are correct...below Turner...any bait is legal. I usually fish below Whiten...rarely above Whiten even though the water is wonderful there. A presentation that works well for me and allows me to catch trout at any time of the day is, in the middle of the day, fish the water that is in the shade. I do not make a cast between 9 and 6 unless it is in the shaded part of the river. We also camp on the river 4-5 times a year....a tip to keep the critters away is to leave garlic cloves and onions on your coolers or food storage areas....has been working well since a coon clawed a cooler up years ago trying to get apples.