Getting close to February, it's once again time for boating and fishing. Right now is a great time for striper fishing, as well as going for trout in the foothill streams and rivers.

For trout, I enjoy using ultralight spinning tackle. I remember back when I was a kid in the 1960's, I had read something in a fishing magazine about a new idea catching on which was the use of ultralight monofilament on spinning reels in order to use poppers, flies, and ultralight spinners for fishing trout in the mountain streams and rivers.

Today, it's pretty common to see people fishing with spinning tackle for trout. Back then, there was no such thing as ultralight spinning rods and reels.

For trout, being a panfish, I usually like using my Daiwa Ultralight spinning outfit with 4 lb monofilament line. A #10 or #8 extra long shank aberdeen hook with a small live bug on it works best for me. Live maggies work fabulous, but so do live crickets. And, I have caught trout using small and medium minnows, as well. I prefer the medium minnows since they usually attract a larger trout. I still prefer live bugs or maggies, though. I think the trout like them better, too.

Small spinners work well. I usually like the tiny 1/24 or 1/32 oz spinners. The color just depends on where you are and how the fish are acting that particular day. If you use spinners, it works better on a strike than a popper, since once a trout hits it and finds out it isn't food, it lets go and it almost seems like he tells all the other trouts in the area. Since a spinner is being retrieved slowly but almost constantly, there's a better chance that you'll hook that first strike.

Spinners are also good right now (though the larger ones) for stripers. Although you can catch stripers from the bank, you can get to better places by boat. Near bridges and docks out near the channels are a good spot for using spinners for stripers right now. They're still a bit deep running, so you'll want to fish about 20' below the surface.

For stripers around this time of year, I usually use my Shakespeare Prius medium action rod and reel, spooled with 14 lb Remmington monofilament line, and I use heavier, 1/8 to 1/4 oz spinners. Some folks prefer the chartreuse colored ones, but I seem to do better with the reds and the orange ones.

I've been having some customers telling me that Crappie are still doing well down about 50'. Drop a jig all the way down til you feel it hit bottom, then pull it up about 2' and start jigging. You should get some pretty good strikes that way.

As soon as the weather breaks, I'll be back to my regular hours at my fishing shop in the garage, which will be Mon-Fri from 9 til 6. Right now, though, I am only open Wed-Fri from 10-5 and if it's rainy cold weather, I'm closed.

I'm going to start having some fun and exciting fishing tournaments, along with a fishing derby this year, which will include fishing tournaments for all kinds of different fishing... bass, catfish, bream, crappie, etc. Drop by and get the scoop. I'm thinking it will be a lot of fun.
It's nice right now, and 6 pm, so I'm gone.... fishing.