Apr. 12, 2003 - Lake Cachuma - Trout

[LeapinBass]

Finally got a chance to go up and experiment a bit more with swimbaits for trout. Back in February we tried trolling trap-rigged 3 inch Big Hammers and ended up having great success. When the day was over the 2 swimbaits we had been trolling out-fished the 4 Rapalas we had out with them.

This time it was all swimbaits. We experimented with many different colors and trap rigging techniques. Tried using a needle to thread the line through the bait instead of just letting it hang. At the end we even tried using line up to 15 lb. test and the baits still swam fine but I didn't get a chance to test it against a fish.

We trolled the area around the West side of the island from about 8:00 am to noon. In those four hours we had over 40 hook-ups including one fish that would've easily went over 4 lbs (jumped and broke the leader). We were having problems keeping the fish on which always seems to be a problem trolling for trout but it was worse than normal. One problem is the 4 lb. test we were using for the leader from the main hook to the trap kept breaking - especially when the fish would jump (how the 4+ pounder was lost). A few more trips and some more experimenting and I'm sure we'll have this technique pinned down. Finding the perfect trap hook (we are using a size 6 octopus hook), using heavier line (or maybe heavy flourocarbon) for rigging the trap, etc.

We did however prove to ourselves that the first trip was not a fluke. The trout really seem to like the 3 inch Big Hammers. Pepper Trout and Dorado were the hot colors yesterday with Silver Sardine a close second. Last time Mackerel and Sea Wolf were the hot colors.

We were using 1/4 oz. heads on 4 & 6 lb. main trolling line. With all the hookups we had it was obvious that they were getting down deep enough. Larry's boat is also not the best boat for trolling for trout since it is too fast (even dragging a couple of buckets) - also another reason we may loose more fish than we should. We were using both Super Shad and Darter Heads. Only one fish so far (both trips) has been hooked on the front hook - all others have been on the trap.

[center][image]http://www.swimbait.com/gallery/photos/001-06.jpg[/image][/center]
[center]Pierce's First Rainbow Trout[/center]

[center][image]http://www.swimbait.com/images/trap-rigged-hammers-01.jpg[/image][/center]
[center]Trap Rigged 3 inch Big Hammers[/center]
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[Tavvi]

Very interesting. Has any ya'll tried shore- casting with these for trout?
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[LeapinBass]

I've tried them shore casting but haven't caught any trout yet. Tons of bass though!
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[TubeDude]

[cool]It's been a few years since I lived in Santa Barbara and launched on old Cachuma. But, I used to have some great early morning action along the wind drift lines coming off the points across from the marina. The shad would be cruising the line picking off bugs in the line and big rainbows would be hanging a few feet down, ambushing the shad. In those days (before Hammers), I pitched silver Phoebe lures...looked like little fishies. Let them sink about ten or fifteen feet and then burned them across the drift line. Those rainbows hit hard and fought well. Every once in a while a stray LMB would be up in the water column there too.

You might try hitting the water as soon as you can launch and working the wind lines with the Hammers. I'm betting they would work. The active 'bows usually went down as soon as there was much boat traffic or the morning easterlies died down.

By the way, are there still smallies in Cachuma. Used to love those little darlings.
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