fishsniffer.com - Can see them but cant catch them

Stikman Modesto

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Can see them but cant catch them
Sep 21^st, 2009 at 2:37pm

I need some fishing tips. I am exploring night fishing with floating lights at one of our large lakes. I get tremendous balls of shad minnowsswirling under my boat. After a while I see larger trout or salmon show up and they dart into the shad balls and seperate them. They also swim right underneath the ball of bait in the same direction. I have dropped power bait balls, night crawlers and even large fresh shad minnows and have had them stop and put their nose to the bait but wont take it. Any advice, alternate suggestions? I use stren 10lb line and wonder if my line is a problem. Maybe a different bait .... I am all ears. thanks StikMan Modesto

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Reel Fun Gold Member Offline I Love The Fish Sniffer! Posts: 593 Elk Grove Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #1 - Sep 21^st, 2009 at 4:20pm Try to match the hatch!!!! Reel Fun
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hotdog

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Re: Can see them but cant catch them
Reply #2 - Sep 21^st, 2009 at 4:53pm

Ditto.
Try shad or minnow scents and try to use something very close to the size and color of the lake's bait.
Fish can be very finicky at times and only want what they've been eating. I've seen fish turn their nose up at golden shiner minnows when they wanted Japanese Pond Smelt even though they were the same size. Even crawdads that are brought into a lake won't work as well as the ones that you catch there. Just keep switching things until you turn your fishing into catching.

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TroutWagon Gold Member Offline Fishing isn't a hobby it's a way of life! Posts: 703 sonoma,ca Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #3 - Sep 24^th, 2009 at 1:48pm try jigging
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pyros46290 Junior Member Offline catch + release Posts: 84 east bay Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #4 - Sep 24^th, 2009 at 4:55pm catch the shad. hook thru the lips. let em swim
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Stikman Modesto Full Member Offline My comments are not compromised! Posts: 123 Modesto Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #5 - Oct 2^nd, 2009 at 2:12am I am gonna try again in about 1.5 hours when i get there. Let you know how I do. Thanks for advice guys! StikMan
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jfitalia Senior Member Offline I Love The Fish Sniffer! Posts: 353 sacramento Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #6 - Oct 11^th, 2009 at 2:18am downsize your line for sure!!! try 6 or even 4lb test, i promise you will hits.. 10lb is really heavy for trout and they can totally see it.
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Stikman Modesto Full Member Offline My comments are not compromised! Posts: 123 Modesto Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #7 - Oct 15^th, 2009 at 2:51pm I tried a few things without luck. Can't catch the shad as they are small and fast. My last trip up I could not draw the shad up under the boat. I saw bait balls down around 100'. I don't know what drove them down or if it is something else I am seeing.
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Stikman Modesto

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Re: Can see them but cant catch them
Reply #8 - Oct 16^th, 2009 at 5:12pm

Good News ... persistance pays off. I put 6lb line on a lreel and use live minnows to bag one very nice trout with very sharp teeth. I was giving up on trying to catch one. I couldn't bring the shad up under the boat but occasionally I would see a shad and occasionally the trout would cruise under the boat. When I wasn't expecting it ... my pole doubled over and the fight was on. He didnt fight as well as I expected but he did peel line a couple times. I will try to post a pic ... hes about 20" long and like I said he has very sharp teeth.
Thanks for the tips !

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jfitalia Senior Member Offline I Love The Fish Sniffer! Posts: 353 sacramento Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #9 - Oct 18^th, 2009 at 11:41pm Hey great work!!! That lighter line will always get you more hits! I cant wait to see a pic
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Steelyhead YaBB Newbies Offline I Love The Fish Sniffer! Posts: 21 Antioch, CA Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #10 - Oct 31^st, 2009 at 11:42am Definately lower line to about 4-6lbs. I use 4-6lb Flouro (best) or 5lb maxima for trout
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chartreuse moose Full Member Offline I Love Fishing Posts: 145 lakehead Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #11 - Oct 31^st, 2009 at 7:50pm What species of Salmon are in the lake your fishing?
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Stikman Modesto Full Member Offline My comments are not compromised! Posts: 123 Modesto Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #12 - Nov 2^nd, 2009 at 9:46am I don't know for sure. My dad always called them lake salmon and they were defiantely not rainbows. I would refer you to the experts in this board for whats in lake don pedro, melones and mcclure.
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twoelk48 Gold Member Offline I Love The Fish Sniffer! Posts: 1744 Merced, Calif Gender:	Re: Can see them but cant catch them Reply #13 - Nov 3^rd, 2009 at 12:35pm Those lakes have Kings in them. I have a very find net and can catch the shad when I have them up under the light, but haven't tried using them for bait yet as the ones I caught were very small. I have tried jigging with mini jigs and hoochies with some sucess and drifting anchovery tails. Kent
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Stikman Modesto

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Re: Can see them but cant catch them
Reply #14 - Nov 3^rd, 2009 at 11:04pm

Thats the ones.... about an inch long and half inch tall. Can slide right through my legal 3/8 bait netting. I have caught a couple but its very hard to do. I have not had any success pulling the shad up the last 2 weeks. I don't know if its simply the school is elsewhere or they are deeper. I presume elsewhere because the bass are busting them on top water early in mornings.

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