Day 4: Help me catch a fish on a hard bait.

Over the last year or two the swimbait world has been hit with a hardbait craze. First the triple trout, and then, well, a bunch of lures that look like a triple trout :)

So far, however, the craze has left me out. I've tried the triple trout. Caught a few fish down south on it, have never got a bite here up north. I've fished the tail off the BBZ1 (twice actually) but aside from a 7 pound trout, it's remained fishless as well.

I may be headed out for a fact finding mission at Don Pedro tomorrow. Any tips before I leave? They're supposed to work at that lake.

The triple trout fits right into my arsenal. The only way I can get bit on it, or any swimbait for that matter, is to burn it as fast as I can without it coming out of the water. 2 problems. 1 is no fish over 10 pounds is going to try that hard to chase the bait down and 2, you miss alot of fish. But it does get bit, at least down south, up north I have caught way more smallmouth and spots on the TT then largies for sure.

Nico, I think your doing just fine with your Hud's :-) :-)

Believe it has a great deal to do with depth. Hardbaits don't fish well deep, they lose action. The heavy 10" triple trout and the fast sink BBZ-1 are the only two baits that jump to mind as being fishable much deeper than 10 feet. Triple Trout is a bait that gets big bites. BBZ-1 has not been a lure that I've observed people catching a lot of 10+ fish on. It seems to attract the 4-6lb bite more (please let me know if you are someone who is slaying 10+ fish on the BBZ).

So by in large you are relying on shallow fish. Which can be a way to catch real big bass, but perhaps less consistent than deep fish.

For some reason I've had the good fortune of catch three over 15 on hardbaits. Castaic Hardbait in 6-7 feet of water near the bottom, Slammer in 2 feet of water over 10' and Triple Trout in 4 feet of water over 12'. Wish I could attribute this to some skill but it's probably more to do with stubbornly fishing shallow for a few jillion casts.

I am a fan of the hard waking type baits. They seem to get bit best for me at many lakes and all times of the year. I agree with Rob and his depth comment. I try to get bit deep but many of the baits like to rise and not stay down. The line tie is too far forward on the bait to fish effectively in deep water.

With that being said I like the 3:16 hard baits and I am still playing with teh Triple Trout. My success is limited with the TT so far. The Spro BBZ has been so-so at some lakes, but nothing over 5 pounds yet. I like to run the wke baits parallel to the bank and cover for most of my bites. It works better over shallower water in my findings (less than 15 feet).

Nico you need to try one of my hard gills!

Rob,

The Nate Bait 11" Trout is another bait that comes in a fast sinking model that fishes well deep, much like the Heavy Triple Trout.

Nico:

The Triple Trout...I gotta believe a guy could do some real damage on that bait on the Delta.

Clarks Hill, although my tournament wasn't so hot, gave me huge confidence in a hardbait without trout eaters. I think you need to fish the 8" TT, and just go fish it for a day or two. Make sure its running straight and tracks right. When you get it running right, its like a spinnerbait or something. Lot of thump and vibe. You definitely gotta fish it pretty fast. In fact, the most burning I've ever done. 400TE, 25#, and a Med action 8 footer. I actually felt like I could understand KVD...just comprehend what he does for a second with the TT.

Delta and Clear Lake in fact. Fish that damn 8". Get the Chartruese Shad one or something a bit off the "trout pattern" spectrum. The TT, burned along the tules, the rip rap, or the grass around the Delta has got to be money.

I love the simplicity of the Triple Trout. Very clean lines, and when you get a good swimmer (most are), just keep spare tails. The tail is what will make that bait not run straight. Pay very close attention to the tail, the amount of rubber that hangs over the edge of the body dragging the bait thru the water. Thats my best advice. Be a tail watcher (hahahaha). Oh yeah, and 1/0 and 1 Owner Stingers, and hyperwires of course.

Matt

Matt,

I don't think there is a body of water anywhere that a Triple Trout couldn't do some damage. That bait has been my number 1 bait, hard or soft for the last 3 years.