How To Catch Big Fish

[Mark]

Is there secrets to catching big trout or is it all luck? Fellow posters Snap, Delvis, Terry, and I, as well as others that we bring along to the Eleven Point, have had this discussion many times. My theory is that we have been coming to the Eleven Point for about 12 years and besides doing alot of fishing ourselves, we have introduced several more fisherment to the river, and none of us have ever caught a wallhanger, so we must be doing something wrong. My belief is since we are bait fishermen, we are not attracting the big fish or they are just too smart. We also tend to only fish the wadeable water and bypass or just drift fish one time as we pass the slow deep water. So I believe it's a combination of the bait we use and the water we fish. My compadres will always counter with seeing someone pull out a 7 lb. on corn. They say it is all luck and chance. Are our chances better using bigger spoons and lures, flies, etc? I find it hard to believe that in 12 years of coming to the Eleven Point, (and some trips we stay for up to a week), we have caught maybe a total of 4 fish in the 18-20 inch range in our group that sometimes numbers as many a 7-8 fishermen. Nothing bigger than 20 inches and maybe 2.5 lbs.

What say you more learned fishermen? Any tips for catching bigger fish? I would love to have just one lunker on the wall!! Or is it just a crap shoot?

[Gavin]

Location, Location, Location...Its hard to find big rainbows in a put and take fishery because most of the fish wont last long enough to grow to trophy sizes. Might try fishing Greer to Turner stretch with lures...There are more big fish up there because of the bait and size restrictions, or you can fish differently on the water you are currently fishing.

Buy some good polarized glasses and spend some time hunting for big fish instead of fishing your way down the river. Once you find the type of water they prefer, find similar areas on the river, and start refining your presentations so you can catch them..

Another hint..Fish at peak times and be there first or last.......Dawn, Dusk, peak moon phases.......Also, what kind of bait are you using? Sculpins, Minnows, Crawfish are the big bites that large trout prefer. Plus bigger baits keep the dinks off. Cheers.

[Mark]

Yes, forgot to mention we fish exclusively the White Ribbon Area.

[superfly]

Cherry Bombs!!!!

[brownieman]

Used to I would never share this kinda info but anymore I don't really care to help out...I have caught my share and am unable to wade the river as I did for years. I really enjoy seeing someone who has never caught a big one hang one, I'll be the net guy. I have only caught a few big bows, mostly browns ...guess it depends on what you call big, to me 5 and up is decent sized.

Unlike some I never have sight fished for trout...I feel they can see me better than I can see them.

Don't want to bore anyone so I'll be brief...pm me if you want more details.

Like Gavin said, fish undisturbed water, whatever it takes and pull your bait away from the dinks, catching them spooks a big one if there in that hole.

Use heavy tackle, I've even used steel leaders on some bigger browns due to their teeth...I never have used less than 12 lb. test with the exception of the early years and I got tired of being broken off.

Big bait = big fish...my biggest fish have come on great big minnows or 7" minnow immitations.

Most important to me are weather and water conditions...bluebird days I won't even waste my time anymore. Trout feed on overcast, low light conditions. The crapier the weather the better the fishing as a rule. Peak times are when the barometer is falling and a low pressure front moving in.

There is only one guarantee when it comes to fishing, if you aint there you aint gonna catch em, time on the water. Some luck into a big one but someone generally has to pay their dues. The more you are there just as with anything the better your chances are.

The bulk of my bigger fish have always come while fishing upstream...I feel the presentation is better and the fish don't spot you as easy...don't know of any fish that sits facing downstream.

One last thing, if you find a big one keep it to yourself and stay after it...I have had many a grudge match with several big ones...one of the biggest fish I have ever seen I told a buddy about...he hooked the fish on a 7" rapala and broke off, sickened me and probably killed the fish, never saw it again...learned a lesson on that one, the hard way.

Good luck and stay after em...you'll hang one sooner or later and yes, some are luckier than others.

[Brian Sloss]

The White Ribbon area does get some big fish, some hold-overs and brood stock from the hatcheries get stocked every year as well. Most of they bait guys I know on the river who are more likely to hang some 20+ inch fish are using live bait (ie minnows and crawdads). That doesn't mean a big fish won't ever get caught using power bait or corn, just that the bigger fish are more likely to take the live bait. The bigger fish tend to eat a lot of minnows and crawdads so that is what I would suggest. You can fill a minnow trap on the Eleven Point pretty quickly.

[Bman]

A lot of great advise.

Here's my 2 bits, carry a good camera and a tape measure. When you do catch that big one, get a few good pictures, a length and a girth measurement, and release the fish. You can get awesome replicas made now, and you will keep that big one in the gene pool. Maybe you will trick 'em another day.

btw, length x girth x girth divided by 800 = a very accurate wieght

[Brian Sloss]

Ditto Bman

[FishinCricket]

A lot of great advise.

Here's my 2 bits, carry a good camera and a tape measure. When you do catch that big one, get a few good pictures, a length and a girth measurement, and release the fish. You can get awesome replicas made now, and you will keep that big one in the gene pool. Maybe you will trick 'em another day.

btw, length x girth x girth divided by 800 = a very accurate wieght

May I second that motion?

Brownieman: thank you for sharing your valuable insight.. I, for one, greatly appreciate it.

Now stop giving away all our secrets! LOL

Great posts guys..

[laker67]

Is there secrets to catching big trout or is it all luck?

What say you more learned fishermen? Any tips for catching bigger fish? I would love to have just one lunker on the wall!! Or is it just a crap shoot?

Catching a large trout{lunker} is far from a crap shoot. Luck always plays a factor, but it is certainly not the most important thing you need to know. First off a lunker by most standards is a trout weighing more than 3 pounds. The phrase lunker was coined in the trout parks 40 plus years ago. Everyone has given you some good info like location, polorized glasses,and bigger baits. I have friends who consistantly catch lunkers on bigger flies, and lures. I am not so much on really big flies. A size 10 is about my max. I know that you prefer to fish bait and you can use the same principles in bait fishing as I do fly fishing. Unlike brownieman, I am a sight fisherman. I will walk the creek bank untill I find a fish that I would like to catch. The easiest way to catch a large fish is to know where he is located before you ever fish. I prefer to get close enough to the fish, to have a good visual on him while I am making my presentation. By close I am talking 20 feet or less. You need the sun to your back if possible and you may have to cross to the other side of the creek. At 20 feet from the fish, be 5 feet upstream of the fishes location. With bait or fly or spinning gear simply drift your offering close to the fish at "his level" in the water. Do not crowd him with your presentation. A good rule of thumb is to keep your offering at least 1 foot on your side of the fish. If he likes it, he will come to it. If not he will ignore it. Change offerings immediately if he ignores your presentation or acts like it bothers him. If you don't, you will most likely spook him off. If he ignores the first five offerings, those usually being your best, back out of the water and leave him alone for a couple of hours. But always come back. Just like Brownieman told you, always go back and try him again. I have had fish in the trout parks that I have spent as much as 3 months trying to fool. Some times you win, some times you don't. I caught my first lunker in 1975, and it is still as big a thrill right now as it was then. Every encounter with a big fish should be filed away in your memory banks for a future situation. I have always kept a log book for the big fish that I have caught. Over time you can look back in the log book and maybe see a pattern as far as flies, type of water and so on. Big fish are out there and they can be caught. It's all up to you on how much time and patience you are willing to part with. I have been fortunate in my lifetime to have caught several hundred lunkers. I have caught 3 pounders and I have caught giants, and each one is special regardless of size. Chances are in your favor to catch a lunker. Remember what Brownieman, gavin, brian, bman and the others have told you. It's the right advice you need for catching that lunker. You "better" let us know when you do! Good fishing!