Spring Live Bait or Artificial?

[Batroun]

Guys--quick poll question. In April, live bait or lures? Shiners or Sawbellies? Spoons or Soft Rubber artificials?

[Colella]

I was out Saturday morning. Probably 6 to 7 boats out and everyone was trolling except for me. I was using shiners set at different depths. I had 2 run offs but landed 0. I am begining to think shiners are a waste of time when targeting browns and I am seriously considering trolling with lead core until the bait shops get sawbellies.

[fishlips]

Colella, I am getting out Tomarow (Tuesday) for the first time since last year, thanks for the report! I am one of those chronic shore guys you always see out there! lol
90% of the time I use shiners till the sawbellies come in with the exception of throwing some spoons to keep things interesting. Have had great luck on the shiners, just a little tricky keeping them off the bottom & active or swimming around unlike the sawbellies that are constant movers. Also letting a Brown run with the bait for the 15 sec count usually ensures a good hook set! 
Best to everyone this year & have fun! Looking forward to some good posts & pics!

[phishahn]

Guys--quick poll question. In April, live bait or lures? Shiners or Sawbellies? Spoons or Soft Rubber artificials?

   With the water so cold, shiners hardly move and go into a coma-like state, I would use spoons/stickbaits trolled w/boards and slowly. Sawbellies are always the choice over shiners, not even close there.

[phishahn]

I was out Saturday morning. Probably 6 to 7 boats out and everyone was trolling except for me. I was using shiners set at different depths. I had 2 run offs but landed 0. I am begining to think shiners are a waste of time when targeting browns and I am seriously considering trolling with lead core until the bait shops get sawbellies.

COL, did you use the bait-runners?

[phishahn]

Colella, I am getting out Tomarow (Tuesday) for the first time since last year, thanks for the report! I am one of those chronic shore guys you always see out there! lol
90% of the time I use shiners till the sawbellies come in with the exception of throwing some spoons to keep things interesting. Have had great luck on the shiners, just a little tricky keeping them off the bottom & active or swimming around unlike the sawbellies that are constant movers. Also letting a Brown run with the bait for the 15 sec count usually ensures a good hook set! 
Best to everyone this year & have fun! Looking forward to some good posts & pics!

Lips, that 15 second count is a guideline, I see every hit as a unique and different. Everyday, ever hit is a different situation. For example, if the hits are coming hard and an immediate run, I slam them right away. Then there will be other hits were the browns are a little more finicky and require more time and patience. You see browns will kill bait just for the fun of it and not necessarily take it down. When they are actively feeding you'll know and you will treat every hit as a"new" opportunity. I guess what it is don't use the same formula for every strike, PHISH.

[GTAngler]

I was out on Kensico with some buddies yesterday. We fished from shore with shiners and nothing. Gave most of our bait to a guy who said he was trying to catch a trout that had been swimming around our lines. Tried (and lost) a spoon. Tried for Perch using nightcrawlers in the shallow water by Area 12 but no luck. Coming back up in a couple of weeks. Does anyone know where would be a good perch spot?

[Colella]

I was out Saturday morning. Probably 6 to 7 boats out and everyone was trolling except for me. I was using shiners set at different depths. I had 2 run offs but landed 0. I am begining to think shiners are a waste of time when targeting browns and I am seriously considering trolling with lead core until the bait shops get sawbellies.

COL, did you use the bait-runners?

I did use them. They worked good. The two I had on were on for no more then 5 secs tho. My float dipped a couple times then got pulled down but was back up quicker then i could do anything. Brought it back in and the shinner was gone. Next time!

[phishahn]

I was out Saturday morning. Probably 6 to 7 boats out and everyone was trolling except for me. I was using shiners set at different depths. I had 2 run offs but landed 0. I am begining to think shiners are a waste of time when targeting browns and I am seriously considering trolling with lead core until the bait shops get sawbellies.

COL, did you use the bait-runners?

I did use them. They worked good. The two I had on were on for no more then 5 secs tho. My float dipped a couple times then got pulled down but was back up quicker then i could do anything. Brought it back in and the shinner was gone. Next time!

Love fishing floats,however that drag as they go under is a killer, I usually set faster than normal because of it.

[Togue]

Colella, were you fishing with some brown/yellow colored rods? And did you see 2 guys pass by you and fish next to you this saturday? I saw someone fishing 2 rods with shiners on floats, but don't know who I saw.

[antg10]

when you say you were fishing with floaters, you were just using your every day round bobber, nothing special?...and if that is the case how deep did you set your hook?

[fishlips]

Colella, I am getting out Tomarow (Tuesday) for the first time since last year, thanks for the report! I am one of those chronic shore guys you always see out there! lol
90% of the time I use shiners till the sawbellies come in with the exception of throwing some spoons to keep things interesting. Have had great luck on the shiners, just a little tricky keeping them off the bottom & active or swimming around unlike the sawbellies that are constant movers. Also letting a Brown run with the bait for the 15 sec count usually ensures a good hook set! 
Best to everyone this year & have fun! Looking forward to some good posts & pics!

Lips, that 15 second count is a guideline, I see every hit as a unique and different. Everyday, ever hit is a different situation. For example, if the hits are coming hard and an immediate run, I slam them right away. Then there will be other hits were the browns are a little more finicky and require more time and patience. You see browns will kill bait just for the fun of it and not necessarily take it down. When they are actively feeding you'll know and you will treat every hit as a"new" opportunity. I guess what it is don't use the same formula for every strike, PHISH.

PHISH, very true! Every strike is different, fishing from shore I usually judge on the "hit" as well how hard it pulls the line on an open bail.
Was out yesterday, a gorgeous day. Very slight breeze sunny and fairly warm on Kensico. Hit the lake a little late (about 12) and fished until 6:30. Abosolutely not one hit around the rt22 bridge on eigther side. Was using shiners first one on the bottom and one on a slip bobber about 10ft. Exentually switched to a free swimmer and using a couple of spoons. Notta thing....... 
A couple of guys that were out since the early morning had the same luck. Although another said he had seen one keeper Brown pulled out. Still great to get out & it saves more fish to catch next week!

[phishahn]

when you say you were fishing with floaters, you were just using your every day round bobber, nothing special?...and if that is the case how deep did you set your hook?

   I would avoid round floats, as the drag they would cause when being pulled down would send a bad signal to the fish and possibly a dropped bait. Try thills they are long and slender and come in many sizes to acomodate different size weights.

[Colella]

Colella, were you fishing with some brown/yellow colored rods? And did you see 2 guys pass by you and fish next to you this saturday? I saw someone fishing 2 rods with shiners on floats, but don't know who I saw.

No I got blue rods.

Phish, that is a good point about setting the hook faster with floats. Will do next time.

[Batroun]

opening day on Kensico Rye side. About froze my rear end off. Using shiners on 6lb line, no sinkers, jsut free-lining with the bail open. Tied up to the buouy and caught 4 nice lakers to 4.5lbs, keeping 3. The shiners worked well. Went out on Sunday morning early, April 5 and that was a huge mistake--wave action was actually dangerous. The wind was howling.