Rooster Tail Question

dsmith

I'm currently using Rooster Tails on ponds to try and catch Bluegill and Bass. My question is: Does it have to be any particular time of the year, or do Rooster Tails work year 'round, provided you can reel them, and the water is not iced over?

I know with flies, you have to use them during the hatch, unless your fly looks like something else, like a minnow.

blugill

Get some red worms and wax worms. Number 8 long shank hook with one small split shot.Get a nice slim bobber and start flippin out with either bait. twitch your bait a little reel it in and twitch. If you dont get a bite change the depth of your hook{slide your bobber} until you start gettin bites.With temps around seventy the Gills are just off the bank in 5 to 6 ft. of water Good Luck

dsmith

Didn't realize bluegills were that close to land in warm weather. Do you have any experience with rooster tails for bluegill/bass?

I have had good luck with those small lures from Rebel. I like the ones that look like crawfish and frogs.

That is a good suggestion, though. I always got a lot of bites using nightcrawlers, especially for bluegill. I have tended to move away from live bait, but still use it on occassion.

I know that a lot of places don't have live bait this time of year. What do you think about the (real) preserved meal worms that come in the plastic bags?

blugill

Something about red worm smell and taste makes bluegill take them better than crawlers. What I catch a bunch with is a very small ice fishin jig tipped with a wax worm . They will bite almost anytime on this bait if they are feeding

dsmith

Blugill, are you talking only about ice fishing season?

Also, would the (dead) wax worms that you buy in the plastic bags work on bluegill, or would they have to be the fresh ones?

blugill

I caught 23 nice gills last week using ice jig and live wax worms. I dont ice fish.These little jigs seem to work any time. I have never caught a bluegill on any kind of rooster tail or road runner or any thing with moving parts, When the weather warms up and after the gills spawn, the best bait is live crickets but they are a pain to use.

shoff14

quote:Originally posted by blugill
I caught 23 nice gills last week using ice jig and live wax worms. I dont ice fish.These little jigs seem to work any time. I have never caught a bluegill on any kind of rooster tail or road runner or any thing with moving parts, When the weather warms up and after the gills spawn, the best bait is live crickets but they are a pain to use.


I do the same. They also work well on crappie year around.

Glock23Expert

Ya never fail to catch anything with crickets.

iwannausername

I do better with the small spinners where there is a lack of a forage base.... and all the fish are stunted. Works ok there, but where lots of food is available, it may be too much work to get the rooster tail.

TooBig

Plain ole can corn works great try it you will like it[:D][:D][:p][^]

dpmule

JFYI, don't get caught in Wyoming with even a can of corn in possession while fishing you will be ticketed. Lotsa places it's legal but not in Wyoming