rapalas/kastmasters

[KurtO]

How well do these work for dumb brained stocker trout a few weeks after stocking? If the do work, how do you rig em? Thanks.

[kuttkilla]

How well do these work for dumb brained stocker trout a few weeks after stocking? If the do work, how do you rig em? Thanks.

Kastmasters work really well. I use a 6' leader on a light spinning rod with a swivel connecting my main line to my leader. Then I tie on the cast master (gold/red head) and cast away. I add a couple snap on weights about 8 feet up from the lure and the trout can hit on every cast...I've had it like this at Lk. Alice evey year they stock it.

[gpc]

Rapalas might be a little too much for the stockers, but you might be able to pick up a holdover or 2 with the rapala.

Kastmasters might be my favorite lure. You can really launch those things. For the stockers I prefer the 1/8 oz rainbow trout pattern, but just about every color in that size or a size bigger or smaller will nail the stockers. I rig them up on my ultra light pole tie them directly to the main line. No need for wieght on 4lb line.

[Fisherman_max]

for kastmasters listen to exactly what GPC and KK told you! try a gold Kastmaster in the secound to smallest size at Battleground lake for holdover cutties. try a silver kastmaster or a bronze at lacamas lake for holdover browns and rainbows.


rapalas work exellent for dumb stockers! you might need a boat to fish with one because they can be hard to cast far enough out (at least in my experience) use floaters or countdowns both work. i use f-7 mostly in the black/gold pattern but most patterns will work. you can use smaller countdowns but those are super hard to cast. just try a bunch of things until you get something that slays them! i have never had much success at battleground lake with rapalas but maybe that is because i have not really tried

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

Hint:

Chrome and blue kastmaster + Lk Samm at mouth of Issaquah Creek during the smolt release = cutts over 20 inches

[Fisherman_max]

Hint:

Chrome and blue kastmaster + Lk Samm at mouth of Issaquah Creek during the smolt release = cutts over 20 inches

can i ask you when the smolt release is?

[A9]

Kastmasters are a very effective lure when the fish are in the top portion of the water column. Since they are a weighted spoon, I like to cast them at all the surfacing trout. I've never loved trolling kastmasters, but 1/8 or 1/4 oz with a single siwash hook to replace those trebles has caught me a fair share of trout. I like the plain silver, plain gold, and silver with a blue stripe...

Rapalas will do well on the bigger fish....Troll that when you get tired of hitting all the stockers...

Try and get that to troll deeper then the stocker trout are...

[Fisherman_max]

Kastmasters are a very effective lure when the fish are in the top portion of the water column. Since they are a weighted spoon, I like to cast them at all the surfacing trout. I've never loved trolling kastmasters, but 1/8 or 1/4 oz with a single siwash hook to replace those trebles has caught me a fair share of trout. I like the plain silver, plain gold, and silver with a blue stripe...

Rapalas will do well on the bigger fish....Troll that when you get tired of hitting all the stockers...

Try and get that to troll deeper then the stocker trout are...

i am surprised at how similar our trout tactics are.

although i have caught small stockers on rapalas they are mostly browns. kastmasters have done jack squat for me when trolling, i think casting is the way to go.

[A9]

Kastmasters are a very effective lure when the fish are in the top portion of the water column. Since they are a weighted spoon, I like to cast them at all the surfacing trout. I've never loved trolling kastmasters, but 1/8 or 1/4 oz with a single siwash hook to replace those trebles has caught me a fair share of trout. I like the plain silver, plain gold, and silver with a blue stripe...

Rapalas will do well on the bigger fish....Troll that when you get tired of hitting all the stockers...

Try and get that to troll deeper then the stocker trout are...

i am surprised at how similar our trout tactics are.

although i have caught small stockers on rapalas they are mostly browns. kastmasters have done jack squat for me when trolling, i think casting is the way to go.

The reason I don't troll them is that they are weighted. So unless you are really scooting when trolling, the kastmaster seems sag down a little big and doesn't run parallel with the surface...It kinda looks like it's trying to swim up...

[kevinb]

I love my Kastmaster, I've been using and talking about them so much, I think Acme Lures owes me a check or a ton off free stuff.
If anyone reading this ever fishes Lake Kachess or Cle Elum,I'm telling 'ya.Use a Kastmaster,the kokes go crazy for them.

Kevin

[gpc]

I love my Kastmaster, I've been using and talking about them so much, I think Acme Lures owes me a check or a ton off free stuff.
If anyone reading this ever fishes Lake Kachess or Cle Elum,I'm telling 'ya.Use a Kastmaster,the kokes go crazy for them.

Kevin

That reminds me other companys make kastmasters as well, but Acme are true kastmasters and are the best. I havnt personally used the other brands of kastmasters, but they are shaped slightly diffrent. And if its aint broke dont fix it

[Fisherman_max]

its really hard to find the right speed trolling a kastmaster. like Sam said if you go to slow it sags down but if you go to fast the actions dies and it starts doing circles instead of the steady wobble you want.

[HillbillyGeek]

I love to fish with a small floating rapala early in the season when the water temps are in the 60s. Stocker trout really nail it when it's twitched erratically!

Little rapalas are tough to cast so I prefer a medium action ultralight spinning rod and 6 lb firewire. Bass will also hit that lure, and it can be very effective when fished over heavy cover. I've had the best luck with the perch pattern, but black & silver is also pretty good.

[kuttkilla]

I love to fish with a small floating rapala early in the season when the water temps are in the 60s.

When are water temps gunna get in the 50's...we've been stuck at 42-45F and with COOL weather recently, it certainly can't help our cause. The cutt fishery is directly affected by this cold, raw weather. Warm and mild = more bug activity, more jumping trout, more trout on the lure, more bait in swallow bays, etc.

[A9]

I love to fish with a small floating rapala early in the season when the water temps are in the 60s.

When are water temps gunna get in the 50's...we've been stuck at 42-45F and with COOL weather recently, it certainly can't help our cause. The cutt fishery is directly affected by this cold, raw weather. Warm and mild = more bug activity, more jumping trout, more trout on the lure, more bait in swallow bays, etc.

Surface activity is much better when temps reach mid-upper 50's...That's ideal temps for rainbows, and usually account for my best outings...At this point, using surface lures or fishing the top portion of the water column would not be my first tactic...

But kastmasters pitched at surfacing trout is a lot of fun when they are thick. Try and use a medium light 7' rod to get some good casts and whip outta it when your throwing those kastmasters...6lb test seems to do the trick and those trout will be all over it...

[skimpy]

I love to fish with a small floating rapala early in the season when the water temps are in the 60s. Stocker trout really nail it when it's twitched erratically!

Little rapalas are tough to cast so I prefer a medium action ultralight spinning rod and 6 lb firewire. Bass will also hit that lure, and it can be very effective when fished over heavy cover. I've had the best luck with the perch pattern, but black & silver is also pretty good.

I'm with HillbillyGeek on this one. I fish small Rapalas ( F5, sometimes F7's) for the stockers. seems to work for me.

[kuttkilla]

I bought the rainbow jointed rapala that is natural looking for the smolt that come out of the Cedar in late April and into May. I've never fished it before with these, and I can't wait!

[fishingmachine]

are u going to use that for the cutts

[FishingFool]

I've been throwing kastmasters all winter and caught several nice fishes.

I like the size of the 1/8oz. If I know there are big fish out there, I'll throw the 1/4oz one.

Right now, my favorite is the orange/chrome on 1 side, and the back side is chrome. Caught my biggest trout to date at Lake Meridian in mid Jan this year, off the dock.




I favor kastmasters, because I can cast them really far, for their size. Same weight with spinners and rapala lack the casting distance for me.

I just picked up a nice red with a white stripe down the middle kastmaster that I cant wait to use. Looks kinda like the daredevil color combo.

Must be new, because I dont even see them listed on websites. Found it at Sportco the other day.

[kuttkilla]

I've been throwing kastmasters all winter and caught several nice fishes.

I like the size of the 1/8oz. If I know there are big fish out there, I'll throw the 1/4oz one.

Right now, my favorite is the orange/chrome on 1 side, and the back side is chrome. Caught my biggest trout to date at Lake Meridian in mid Jan this year, off the dock.

[imghttp://uploader.ngsthings.com/files/2/lmf3.jpg[/img]


I favor kastmasters, because I can cast them really far, for their size. Same weight with spinners and rapala lack the casting distance for me.

I just picked up a nice red with a white stripe down the middle kastmaster that I cant wait to use. Looks kinda like the daredevil color combo.

Must be new, because I dont even see them listed on websites. Found it at Sportco the other day.

They work for cutthroat fishing, too. They are really a universal lure. Can't go wrong with a Kastmaster! That's for sure.