What do you guys think about pretty big swimbaits in lakes that don't have small trout? They stock 12 inchers every once in awhile in this particular lake, so I don't personally think they dine on trout very often, or at all. Is it still worth throwing the big baits? I try to order my swimbaits in a little smaller sizes because of the fact that these fish probably arent used to eating huge trout. There are however, big populations of pretty good sized prey. Such as: Herring shad, bluegill, lots of perch and baby bass. What swimbaits are best to imitate these guys?

ps: I ordered 2 of those skinny slammers for a friend and I. Thanks Rob for posting about them.

Attachment #1, (.txt file)

They can definatly handle a 12" bait.And if they stock only large trout,match the hatch with a 12" slammer!I have caught fish as small as 2lbs on 12" of wood.Good luck,and happy hunting!

Bass are very mean fish. They like to eat anything that they can get even half way in their mouths. I think it's just instinct.

When I first tried throwing trout plugs it was at Santa Margarita lake. I used a 7" bait because because anything bigger than that seemed way too big. At that time ( 1997/98 ) a big bass in Santa Margarita was 6 pounds. In three years of fishing there I only caught two over 6 pounds. But what I did learn over time was that you can catch some relatively small bass on some really big baits.

Mike Shaw got my head in the right direction in this regard. We went out fishing in my boat and he threw 9" like it was no big deal and stroked the fish ( 2 to 5 pounders ) Mike told me that while fishing for stripers he caught bass regularly at Margarita on the 12" plug. After that I started trying 12" and there were times when they actually ate 12" better than anything else. The very last day I fished Margarita before I moved I missed two fish that were about 8lbs on 12" and I caught one about 4lbs. Small fish WILL try to eat big baits. It doesn't matter that it's illogical, it's just instinctual on their part I think.

So don't be too concerned about the size of the lure or the size of the trout they stock. You can bet if a 5lb bass sees a 12" trout that looks tasty, it's going to at least run up and bite it to see if it can stun it and get it headfirst and start eating it. Aren't bass cool!!!!

I concur, bass are cool. That's why I spend all my money on lures that get their attention! I will definatly get the bigger lures so I have a variety of sizes for when they are in different moods. I catch some big smallmouth and spots on these lures and I know they only bit because they are so mean. Gotta love bass. They see that big injured fish and it doesnt matter what they usually feed on, they are going to put it out of its misery.

Attachment #1, (.jpg file)

can you do me a small favor and put a link to your picture in
your signature file instead of uploading it with each post? 
To do this, do the following

Copy this link:

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/1700.jpg

Then go to user menu -> edit your profile

and put the link in to your signature file (down at the
bottom).

It saves me server space to do this vs. posting it each time. 

Yeah, I thought about that after I did it...

go here if you want to see some cool catch and release photos:

http://www.mountainbass.4t.com/photo6.html

TOLD YA SO...lol...i know you are gonna have somethin smart to say back to me later...by the way...there is a keystroke to put like parenthesis around your link to make it come up in the message itself and it wont have to add another page i dont believe. maybe rob knows more about what i am talkin bout...i think they are called formatting codes...
-patrick

________________________
Assalt Lures
http://www.assalt.com
Big Hammer
http://www.swimbait.com

Catch and Release!

THERE it is. you have to put these keystrokes. there isnt a way to describe it directly without it trying to post a picture instead of the text...o i think i have got a way... < i m g >image URL here< / i m g > do that but take out all the unnecessary spaces, so its just img, and /img in the 2 sets of braces... well when i post it i had to edit it...it is showing that you use these: < and >, when you need to use the braces, not the arrow things, they are located just under and to the left of the backspace key. i dont know why they dont post but they wont, hope you see what im talkin bout...
thats how ya do it...
i always loved this little fatty...OH FLUKE! lol...
http://www.youngpros.freeservers.com/images/dzlitem2055.jpg

________________________
Assalt Lures
http://www.assalt.com
Big Hammer
http://www.swimbait.com

Catch and Release!

What is the best treble hook to replace the standard trebles on the slammers?

Also, what is the coldest water temp, that anybody has caught a good sized largemouth bass on the wood near the surface?