Trout infested bass water!

[Rangerphil]

Ok I have this 84 acre lake that they stock trout in. The lake has always held largemouth since I was a kid (25 years ago). They have been stocking the lake with trout since about the same time.

Our state record in PA is 11 lbs 3 oz. I believe that the new state record is in there. The lake is around 30 feet in depth and has a fair amount of grass that goes out to around 12-14 feet. As for other cover there is hardly none, no wood or rock or docks.

My question is how would I go about trying to catch the bass that are 8 to 10 pounds and maybe a state record? I do believe it is there but have never targeted that size before!

I thought maybe some of you guys out west with trout lake bass fishing experience could help! I realize I am not going to go once or twice and catch such a beast, but I am looking for techniques that could help me catch some of the bigger ones. I would also like to still be able to catch 4-5 pounders so I am not looking for ( throw a 9 inch swim bait for 3 months and hope for the best) kind of answer. I know a swim bait might be the way to go, but maybe you can give me some ways of fishing it and different ones to chose from.

Just remember this PA and not California or Texas! But maybe I should treat it that way? Thanks to all who reply Phil

[J Francho]

Uhhh....you seen those trout swimbaits, right?

[Rangerphil]

Yes...lol but have no idea on how to fish them or where to target those really big bass with such a bait! Also this may be stupid but do you think they are eating trout a lot or only certain times of the year?

[bigfruits]

i do not have any experience with trout infested bass waters but i would try trout swimbaits for the fat ones!

[bradbass]

Get a trout swimbait and work it off the bottom try different speeds . Find any cover  that you can.

[GrundleLove]

Game. Set. Match.

http://www.mattlures.com/TrueTrout.htm

[deep]

It doesn't matter if you're in Cali or in the north-east. You just want to catch the biggest fish in that lake. If the biggest fish is 12 lbs instead of 22, it doesn't change anything.

Read Siemantel's book. Catching big bass is a mindset more than anything else.

Murphy's book is also awesome. But BBZ contains a lot more info about "swimbaits".

As with fishing for bass in general, location is everything. The biggest bass gets to choose the best location.

Read the two books.

Disclaimer:

I have a trout lake near me too. It's a little smaller, way deeper, much more rocky, and got very little grass as of now, compared to yours.

I've been pounding it with swimbaits since mid february. And all I caught were: a foul-hooked 1.5 lb-er on a mission fish, and a 3 lb-er on a punker. But that's okay. I probably was not fishing the right location at the right time.

EDIT:

If you do decide to get into this swimbait thing, let me tell you as a fellow novice, it's not easy. I use only little 6 inchers. But chucking them for seven hours at a stretch is not fun, to keep chucking them when you're hoping to get only one bite a day is even more challenging, and to keep chucking them when I feel I could catch some 2 to 3 lb-ers on a crank or a jig is excruciating. I haven't got my mind into the zone yet; but I'm working very hard at it

Good luck.

EDIT 2:

The baits I have are:

6" ROF 12 hudd trout, 7" and 8" mission fish (strictly for bottom-bouncing)

6" mattlures tournament series trout (some bottom bouncing and some slow steady retrieves)

mattlures soft bluegill, ultimate bluegill (some bottom bouncing and some slow steady retrieves)

BBZ 6" floater, Black Dog shellcracker (floaters)

6" lunker punker (walk the dog)

[Randall]

You might not want to hear it but slow roll trout swimbaits around the deepedges of that grass on good structure with deepwater nearby. Throw the bait out beyond the grass to the deepwater and slow roll the bait back into where the grass ends or bring the cast right down the outside edges. The outside edges of the grass near dropoffs into deep water will almost always be the key to catching the big fish in a lake like that.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I'd be down to help.   

Let me know.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Another way to catch some giants on the grass line is to rig a carolina rig and instead of using a hook and plastic, use a floating swimbait.  It will keep the bait in the strike zone for longer and allow you to slow down or speed up.

[fishingkidPA]

live shiners  ;D

[basslover12345]

Where in PA? My grand parents live in elk county with reservoirs them stocked with trout and lots of bass

[Rangerphil]

The lake is located in south western PA near the west Virginia state line.

I kind of thought that a swim bait would be the response, should I use braid? Also I have done some musky fishing with my buddy the past couple years so I know what it is like to cast all day with no return!!!

[bowfish12]

live shiners ;D

I was thinking live trout.  I know there's some guys here and in KY that use stocker trout for big stripers.

[WRB]

Ok I have this 84 acre lake that they stock trout in. The lake has always held largemouth since I was a kid (25 years ago). They have been stocking the lake with trout since about the same time.

Our state record in PA is 11 lbs 3 oz. I believe that the new state record is in there. The lake is around 30 feet in depth and has a fair amount of grass that goes out to around 12-14 feet. As for other cover there is hardly none, no wood or rock or docks.

My question is how would I go about trying to catch the bass that are 8 to 10 pounds and maybe a state record? I do believe it is there but have never targeted that size before!

I thought maybe some of you guys out west with trout lake bass fishing experience could help! I realize I am not going to go once or twice and catch such a beast, but I am looking for techniques that could help me catch some of the bigger ones. I would also like to still be able to catch 4-5 pounders so I am not looking for ( throw a 9 inch swim bait for 3 months and hope for the best) kind of answer. I know a swim bait might be the way to go, but maybe you can give me some ways of fishing it and different ones to chose from.

Just remember this PA and not California or Texas! But maybe I should treat it that way? Thanks to all who reply Phil

Northern strain LMB are not wired to eat large bait fish like FLMB are. You need to down size to a 6" rainbow trout Huddleston for example. Google Huddleston Delux and look at the Butch Brown video's for rigging and presentations. You may get lucky and catch a big bass during this upcoming pre spawn; if you spend several days on the water, sun up to sun down and work deep break line.

Tom

PS; check your regs before trying live trout for bait, it's illegal in most states.

[bowfish12]

Ok I have this 84 acre lake that they stock trout in. The lake has always held largemouth since I was a kid (25 years ago). They have been stocking the lake with trout since about the same time.

Our state record in PA is 11 lbs 3 oz. I believe that the new state record is in there. The lake is around 30 feet in depth and has a fair amount of grass that goes out to around 12-14 feet. As for other cover there is hardly none, no wood or rock or docks.

My question is how would I go about trying to catch the bass that are 8 to 10 pounds and maybe a state record? I do believe it is there but have never targeted that size before!

I thought maybe some of you guys out west with trout lake bass fishing experience could help! I realize I am not going to go once or twice and catch such a beast, but I am looking for techniques that could help me catch some of the bigger ones. I would also like to still be able to catch 4-5 pounders so I am not looking for ( throw a 9 inch swim bait for 3 months and hope for the best) kind of answer. I know a swim bait might be the way to go, but maybe you can give me some ways of fishing it and different ones to chose from.

Just remember this PA and not California or Texas! But maybe I should treat it that way? Thanks to all who reply Phil

Northern strain LMB are not wired to eat large bait fish like FLMB are. You need to down size to a 6" rainbow trout Huddleston for example. Google Huddleston Delux and look at the Butch Brown video's for rigging and presentations. You may get lucky and catch a big bass during this upcoming pre spawn; if you spend several days on the water, sun up to sun down and work deep break line.

Tom

PS; check your regs before trying live trout for bait, it's illegal in most states.

I checked the PA regs and as long the person stays within creel and size limits gamefish can be used.

This is what I found,

To use gamefish as bait except when taken by rod and reel or handline in conformance with seasons, sizes and creel limits or when purchased from an authorized bait dealer.

http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/violations.html

Edit: This was under the unlawful acts section, but what it's saying is you can't use gamefish unless you actually caught them or bought them from an authorized dealer.  Here's the part that says you can use game fish.

http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/bait.html

[SPEEDBEAD.]

There are some bait shops that sell them.  Raystown is a pretty well known striper lake.  That is one of the most popular baits on that lake.

[hitchhiker]

Find out the stocking schedule and have a variety of different sized swimbaits in different sink rates.  Those newly stocked trout are going to be dazed and confused and swim slowly around in tight schools, making them an easy target for the bass.  Once they acclimate to their new surroundings they'll spread out, get caught , and get eaten. (by people)

Get them while the prey are at their most vulnerable.

[topwaterbob]

Rangerphil, I have caught one of those trout fed bass in one of Pa.'s trout lakes. It was over ten pounds. I had a old spring scale that went up to ten pounds and the bass burried it. I don't have a live well on my boat so I put her back. The lake is also in west Pa. I caught her on a t-rigged creature bait. I caught her mid summer. She might have gone over 12lbs with eggs. There is also a pond I fish that has some over 10lbs in it. My best out of the pond is around 8. My buddy caught one of the 10's from that pond. I also caught one over 10lbs from the Yough River just below the rt. 70 bridge. I'm 58 years old so in all those years I have caught 2 bass from Pa. waters that are over 10 lbs. Good luck, they are out there.

[Rangerphil]

Rangerphil, I have caught one of those trout fed bass in one of Pa.'s trout lakes. It was over ten pounds. I had a old spring scale that went up to ten pounds and the bass burried it. I don't have a live well on my boat so I put her back. The lake is also in west Pa. I caught her on a t-rigged creature bait. I caught her mid summer. She might have gone over 12lbs with eggs. There is also a pond I fish that has some over 10lbs in it. My best out of the pond is around 8. My buddy caught one of the 10's from that pond. I also caught one over 10lbs from the Yough River just below the rt. 70 bridge. I'm 58 years old so in all those years I have caught 2 bass from Pa. waters that are over 10 lbs. Good luck, they are out there.

In the yough river??? That is awesome!!

The lake you caught the bass was it dunlap, because that is the lake I am talking about!

[deep]

You could also pick up some tiger/ lindy tubes.

[NateFollmer]

Swimbaits or if you're going to be fishing within the next few weeks, I carolina/texas rig the biggest lizard bait you can find. Bedding bass hate lizards... And if you think "there's no creatures that look like lizards in this area" it will still work

[mrbassky68]

I started fishing some trout lakes in Kentucky and while I haven't done it long I think I got some insight. First off people tend to worry too much about bait size. I like a 7in trout imitation at least. Last fall after the lake I fish was stocked with trout I caught several bass on a 7in Osprey and several of the bass were only in the 14-15in range. Also don't go cheap on tackle get a rod heavy enough to handle the bait your fishing. I think the reason some people give up on swimbaits is they are trying to throw them on flipping sticks. I use a Okuma swimbait rod and a calcutta 400. If your going to use a smaller reel use braid with a floro leader but for the rod get one big enough or don't waste your time on big swimbaits.

But I think the biggest key is knowing when to use big swimbaits. I found that the key for big swimbaits is low light conditions. If its calm and sunny don't bother just use them early and late on those days. In the spring and fall are prime seasons and even winter if its not frozen. What I look for is trout up in the water column and prime feeding conditions those are the days your likely to catch a big fish.