You’ve probably heard me mention the best all purpose round valley fishing rig a few times already. Here are some pics and detailed information to give you a better understanding of the fishing rig I use trolling, anchored or drifting on Round Valley Reservoir to target rainbow trout, lake trout and smallmouth bass.
Start with the following tackle:
You can use circle hooks or regular hooks, whatever you desire. Although not pictured above, I try and use the Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hooks to lessen the chance of gut hooking a fish. I like these particular hooks because they are light-weight or thin compared to other hooks I’ve seen. This allows my bait to be presented more naturally. Use a size 6 or 8 hook when targeting trout. A 4 or 6 when targeting Bass.
The barrel swivel serves as a connection for my main line to my fluorocarbon leader AND as a stop for my barrel or egg sinker (pictured below).
I use about 3 feet of 6lb test fluorocarbon leader which is attached to my hook. Fluorocarbon is much less visible than mono-filament and it does not stretch like mono.
Here is how the sinker / barrel swivel setup looks:
I use an improved clinch knot for all connections. I have used this fishing rig to drift the bottom for Lake Trout, troll for Rainbow Trout, drift for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, fish anchored for Rainbows and fish from the sandy shores for Spring stocked trout. On the hook you can use live Herring or Shiners hooked under the chin and out a nostril OR night crawlers OR mealworms with small marshmallows.
If you want to live-line a herring or shiner, simply remove the barrel sinker and barrel swivel and tie the leader right to your main line using a Seaguar knot or Double Uni-Knot.
hit the boat launch dock and fished three rods for 2 hours at night with powerbait…a fish jumped but i caught none…the egg weight worked great…one rod i used regular weights and my line got tangled…it was a warm night and wonder if the trout are staying deep…tried a pheobe, rapala and fat rap…will get out again soon…may be a while till the ice comes…
the night time is the right time…for me…days are busy…thanks for the weather heads-up…I’ll be sure to bundle up!!!
You don’t have to be out at night for this technique to work. You will freeze your butt off!
thanks…got my powerbait and now just need the energy to go out at night…caught a solid 15 inch rainbow in the South Branch on a gold spinner this morning…20 minutes of casting then had to go…really would love to get one of those huge breeders they stocked…got to be in it to win it!
The only time i’ve used shrimp was at night, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work if a hungry rainbow was in the area. Give it a shot!
Traditionally, in the fall, winter and spring shore fishermen fish powerbait and mini marshmallows on the bottom or worms and this setup is perfect for that. You can use a long shank hook to fit two marshmallows and the powerbait on the hook easier. (the marshmallows act like a float keeping the bait off the bottom of the lake)
great tips…i’ve got to get out there…i did lots of nights in the spring…do you think that shrimp would work from the shore too?