Hi Folks,

I am hoping to try my hand at lure fishing for brown trout on some of the small streams and lakes not too far from my home.

From what I've been told the fish generally seem to be in the 1/2lb to 2lb range, and I've been advised to start off with Mepps in size 0, 1 and 2 on a 5lb line..

I have also been advised to remove the trebles and replace with single hooks using split rings..

Can anbody advise what size and type hooks for each size of Mepp? or should I just copy whats on there? Somebody else suggested using a dremel to trim off two of the existing prongs effectively turning the treble into a single..is there any reason not to do that?

The reason behind changing to singles is fish welfare as the majority of anything caught will end up being returned..

Regards,

Peter

As a side note, Cedar Rapids police arrested a man (whose race is completely irrelevant to the story so shan't be mentioned here) who made exit from the local Wal-Mart with thirty lures concealed in his socks. The story didn't say, but I am assuming that they were still in their original containers.

Hi Pete,

I haven't fished for brown trout specifically with lures, but I have used lures for grayling and rainbows. I like the Mepps Black Fury 00 for grayling as they seem to like most things black. The 00 is harder to find, but it seemed to work better for me than the 0 size. Harder to cast though.

I'm not sure what kind of lure selections you have over there, but I also like the tiny Len Thompson "Platinum" series spoons in a half silver/half blue color. Rooster tails are another one that works well, and they have some models that already have singles instead of trebles.

As to replacing existing trebles with singles, I would just look for singles that are the same size. I think it might be Mepps that you can slide the body up the shaft and the loop that the hook goes on opens up? I could be wrong but I seem to recall that. It makes changing the hook easier and no split rings needed.

SS

Hi Sam,

Thanks for that, I shall have a closer look at a Mepps and see how they are put together..

Re Lures, we seem to get a huge selection, although probably different brands to you..In fact the selection is a completely overwhelming for a beginner like myself..

Do you guys get Flying Condom style lures over there? They are another very popular lure, although mostly for Sea Trout and Salmon.

Regards,

Peter

Pete,

Never heard of flying condom lures, but I have seen "Happy Hooker" lures. Must be the same marketing company.

Forgot to mention the Panther Martin lures as well. They seem to cast pretty well.

Len Thompsons are a Canadian brand. Actually made about 2 hours from my home. You would want a size 6. Here is a link to their website and color patterns. http://www.lenthompson.com/fishing-lure-patterns.html

SS

Pete,

After having torn up the mouth of a nice albeit too small to keep lake trout with a treble hook, I've sworn off the damn things are replace them on every piece of tackle I use. Also the single hooks seem to get hung up on the bottom and on lilly pads less often.

As far as hook size, the gap on the single hook should be approximately as wide as the gap across the treble. The trouble is hook gaps very from manufacturer to manufacturer and between hook styles so its best to compare. I'd say nominally a #6 hook, but compare.

For trout lures my favorites are little cleo spoons in 1/4oz and kastmaster in 1/4 oz. I've found the generally outfish spinners.

Pete Try Panther Martins in size #2 and #4......trust me.

There is no finer trout lure than a #2 Mepps in gold...period. It takes some time to learn the feel of how it should be fished, but when you do it is deadly. The smaller versions work but don't spin as well in my opinion. Learning how to present it is the thing that takes practice. Cast a little up stream and let it sink a bit (depending on water depth and current), then take up slack and give a sharp little tug to get the blades spinning. Keep the line in contact with the lure as it drifts, you may have to reel slightly to do that. You will feel the spinner vibrate as it drifts, this is where you learn the "feel" of the lure- not too fast, not too slow.

You want to have the lure slide through "good" water as it arcs downstream (i.e.- behind boulders and other good trout holding water. Presentation is as, or more, important than the lure.

I favor Mepps, typically in gold or silver and #1 in size. I think a #0 Blue Fox or Panther casts and fishes better than a #0 Mepps, so if you are going small that is a consideration. Can't you just clip two of the hooks off at the bend with side cutters if you want a single?

Pete--- I'm guessing you can find one like this over there. Called a Swiss Lure or Lemax ( made in France ? ) easy but be careful to change to single hook. Tie with swivel --- 9" leader line then the lure. It's a killer ---- Web

Lots of information on this thread.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...9960206/1/Some_guidance_on_spin_fishing_

I'm a Panther Martin guy myself.

If 2 lb Browns are on the menu, consider a jointed Repala.

I've had good luck with Mepps in the past but I'd say for spinners I use Panther Martins almost all the time now. Agreed on the single hook. You can cut off two of the treble hooks or order the single hook models direct from Panther Martin. The single hook models seem to have a little bigger hook but they both seem to work ok.

Thanks for all the feed back!

A local shop has a good selection of Mepps and Vibrax, so I'll give those a go intially..I've also been advised to get a couple of Abu Tobby's and Flying Condoms in case there is a run of Sea Trout.

Had a look at that Swiss Lure (never seen one before) and it seems they are vintage collectables..Some are even finish in mother of pearl..Definitely would not go chucking one of those into the river!

I am also going to try trotting a worm as I know that can work well...

Another vote for Panther Martins over Mepps. Have caught a lot of trout (including browns) with both, but prefer Panthers because they cast better and sink quicker. If single hooks look like the way to go, I just clip off two from trebles. It's a lot quicker and easier, not to mention cheaper.

Have also caught quite a few bigger browns on Rapalas, and not necessarily the jointed model somebody already mentioned, but do prefer the sinking versions, for the same reason I prefer Panthers over Mepps. Rapalas work especially well at night, if fishing after dark is legal.

Another good lure to try for browns is a small feathered jig, pretty much patterned after the fly called the Woolly Bugger. Synthetic-bodied jigs will work too, but browns will hit feathered jigs more readily when they're just drifting, without any action. Or at least that's been my experience. Black, brown, olive green and white have all worked well at various times, and a little Mylar flash doesn't hurt.

Mepps #3. Gold.

If you can't catch 'em on that, get drunk.




Travis

Pete-- Over 40 years ago a young man in my area that was noted for catching 4 and 5 lb browns out of small streams in the area turned me on to the Swiss lure - About $1.50 each at the Orvis shop in Manchester VT. He fished almost every day. Himself and 2 other well known fishermen in my area in upstate NY have often said. "The Swiss lure should be outlawed from fishing the small rivers and streams" Very hard to find now. Web

You need 5 lures

#1 is a #2 Mepps 1/6 oz Chartreuse Stock B2HC
#2 is 1/4 oz Panther Martin Gold/yellow
#3 is 1/4 oz silver/yellow
#4 is a rainbow rapala 2.5 "
#5 is a Hot steel shad rap smallest you can find

I sometimes cast with a wooly bugger on a 5" dropper..about 18" ahead of the lure......it should be outlawed

10at6, thanks; that was very helpful for me too.

I like Joe's Flies.

Black jigs with a safety-pin spinner work well too.

Thanks again guys, certainly plenty to mull over.

A couple of you mentioned fly's..

There is a technique over here that is generally frowned on by the fly fishing purists and viewed as a poachers method, but not actually illegal.

This is to attach a small bubble float on the end of your line, and then about 18" from that back start to tie droppers for fly's , usually two or three.

The weight of the bubble float (especially if half filled with water) and the fact this is used with a spinning rod enables a person to cast out far further than is possible with a normal fly setup..

This method is supposed to be very effective on lakes when there is a bit of wind and a chop on the water, and is fished into the wind...

Pete, I seem to recall that method being recommended under just such conditions in a Sports Afield magazine back in the 60s.

There are always the "purists" in the outdoor pursuits who can't stand to see (from their lofty perches)anyone enjoy themselves in a way of which they (the purists) do not approve.

Pete, that is pretty common in the west.. Or used to be..
It is nice for mt. lakes where there is difficult wading or little room for a back cast.. Haven't seen it used for a while, but then I seldom fish much where there are others around..
I have two fly rods set up with spinning reels for just this purpose..

It's also legal in many "fly-fishing only" areas: The only thing that matters is catching fish on a fly, not how it's cast. But you've got to check the regs.

I would rather cast a fly with a spinning rod than some of the contraptions fly-casting purists use. If you're gonna use a bobber and a bunch of big split-shot, why bother with a fly rod?

We have murdered (and also released ) many a trout with spinning rods via small clear bubble and a fly.
The Lochsa, Selway and Kelly Creek were our fisheries.
I honestly haven't fished Cayuse or Kelley Creek in a long time.....but then the purists huddle up there.

Wanted to add. We only kept feesh in areas where it was legal.
Cayuse, Kelly Creek and the upper Lochsa are C&R.

Pete E, please excuse me here a bit.

Here's another question for the fly flingers.. I'll hopefully be in the Wind River Range mid-October elk hunting and be camped within hiking distance of several alpine ponds or small lakes.

I'm taking a 3-wt five-piece fly rod but am really a neophyte with fly gear. How about an UL spinning real and the lures mentioned above?

I should add I have two fly reels loaded, ready to go, and have several boxes of flys and nymphs so have all the stuff; I'm just a lot more competent with spinning gear.

I would ditch the fly gear and pack a small two or three piece UL spinning rig loaded with 4 or 6 pound test. A pocket sized box with an assortment of Panther Martins, maybe 12 or 15 lures total in small sizes and various colors. 3 or 4 small superdupers and maybe a couple of the smallest Little Cleo spoons I could find.

IME you'll catch Brookies, cutts, or browns until you get tired of reeling them in fishing beaver ponds in the high country with something in that assortment. When you land a half dozen in one pond and the others will follow but not bite, move to the next pond and let the first cool off for a half hour or so. When you come back they'll be biting again. Try to sneak up on them too, don't just walk up shoreside in your big orange vest, they'll see you and get shy.

Thanks TK. This thread got me to think along those lines. I think that's the way I'll go.

For those folks thinking of trying trout on a light weight lure and need a compact, easy carry set up, Mitchell used to do a combo called the Outback for reasonable money.



We don't see them too often in the UK, but they are often for sale via Ebay from sellers in the States.

There are more specialist rods specifically designed for UL lures out there now, but from talking to folks who have the Michell Outback set up, they say it works just fine with the small to medium weight Mepps style lures..

Pete, that's essentially what I have with a UL Pflueger reel with 4lb test but on a back packers, five- piece, 3 weight fly rod. I'm using the above poster's suggestions here for a Mepps, Panther Martin spinners, and the various small stick baits with a few other odds thrown in; for example, some split shot and some extra light line for a dropper line as mentioned above to fling a few flys.

I've also used the clear bubble you mentioned above to cast a fly with spinning gear to bass and panfish here in the Midwest.

I love elk hunting but am actually hoping I get to spend some time doing this.

George,

Wishing you good luck on that..It seems the place I was intending to fish has a season that ends in the next couple of weeks, so I don't think I will get a chance to get out now..

Plan B is to use the same tackle and methods on a local canal thats literally a few hundred yardse from my house.
This would be for perch and pike rather than trout, but the season runs through the winter on these and i will hopefully be in a possition to try for trout when the season opens again next March..

Regards,

Peter

Thanks Pete. Same to you. As the saying goes, "any day fishing is not a bad day." Or some such paraphrase of that.

BTW. I don't know if you ever got my PM some time ago but on MAPS, your "neck of the woods" looks fabulous!

Hi George,

I don't recall it, but thanks for that.

I have to say, for such a relatively small place, North Wales really does have some breath taking country side, with everything from rugged mountains to a gorgeous stretches of coastline..I think the only thing that lets us down is the weather, but if we didn't get the rain we do, we wouldn't have the rich woodlands and pastures ...

If that weather holds, I shall be out tomorrow chasing those perch, and maybe a pike, in the local canal..





Regards,

Peter

Good luck Pete. I have jury duty which I suspect will be decidedly less satisfactory than canal duty.