Top five “live” baits for trout on opening day
Posted by PA-Smallies at 10:32 AM. Filed under: Articles
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This is the time of the year when Pennsylvania fishermen check and recheck their gear in anticipation of the first day of trout season that we fondly refer to as “opening day”. It is also the time of year when you’re buddy will ask “hey, what are you using on the first day”. Most fishermen are fairly tight-lipped when confronted with this question. Well, not me. I aim to let the cat out of the bag and list my top five trout baits for opening day!
I based my list on ease of use, availability, and effectiveness.
Salted Minnows- Salted minnows are great and certainly more convenient than trying to keep live minnows. In my humble opinion, salted minnows are just as effective at catching trout. I thread salted minnows using a minnow needle and rig them with a treble hook. When necessary I use a split shot a few inches up the line to keep the bait down.
Maggots- I know what you are thinking…YUK! If you are squeamish about touching these wonderful little trout morsels then you are missing out on some fantastic fishing! Maggots are widely accepted as fish bait in European countries but tend to get a bad rap here in the U.S. They are a little difficult to come by but I’m finding that more and more bait shops are stocking them. I rig one or two maggots on a size 12 baitholder hook. I prefer to fish maggots without weight on ultra light tackle. If the current is strong I use BB shot about 8-10 inches up the line.
Wax Worms- These tasty little larvae drive trout nuts. I fish wax worms on a size 10 baitholder hook with split shot a few inches up the line. Nothing fancy here. Trout eat wax worms like candy!
Meal Worms- “Mealies”, as they are called in my neck of the woods, are an outstanding trout bait. Due to the popularity of meal worms, most bait shops sell them. Many will sell them by the tub! To keep them fresh, I store them in a refrigerator. Meal worms can be fished on a size 10 baitholder hook with a simple split shot for weight.
Red Worms- Trout and red worms go together like peanut butter and jelly. They have been the staple of many a trout fisherman for decades. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, red worms can be gathered with a shovel in the back yard garden or under a compost pile. I hook red worms once through the collar with a size 8 baitholder hook or #10. This produces the most natural presentation. Split shot can be added a few inches above the bait as needed.
Well, there it is. My top live bait picks for trout. What do you think? Let me know by leaving your comments below.
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