tips


	Here are some tips and tricks that we use to get fish in the boat. Remember that by no means will these work each day that you are out. Fish appetites can change at any time. The real trick is to try and change with the fish. DOWNRIGGERS Try using cannon ball flashers when the fish are deep. You can use the flasher that has been made for this purpose or try using a set that you would put on your line when top lining. Some days the big blades work while on other days you’ll have more success with small blades. You can also put scent on to your cannon ball to leave a scent trail. We find that the Bait Butters by Pro-cure work well and the new gels. You will have to reapply them throughout the day. HOOKS Keep different size hooks in you box. If you are having trouble getting hook ups you may want to try a bigger or small size hook. What ever size you use be sure it’s sharp. I try to re-sharpen a hook after two fish. You can also try running a two-hook setup or switching to a single hook. BAIT & SCENTS Though this can produce a lengthy and sometimes heated discussion with those of us who fish, it offers some interesting options. Most of the time we use scents on our corn when Kokanee fishing. For Kokanee we use mainly Shoe Peg white corn which can be found at your local grocery store. It may be difficult to find at times, so we recommend buying several cans when it is available. When scenting corn, we use inexpensive, disposable plastic containers. Drain and divide the corn into three or four containers leaving one container plain and scent the remaining containers. We like Pro-Cure scents. They are some of the best scents on the market that we have used. We add about 1 tablespoon of scent to the containers three to four days before fishing and keep them in the refrigerator. Some of the scents that we like are Freshwater Shrimp, Kokanee Special, Predator, and Herring. Don’t be afraid to mix and match any of the scents that Pro-Cure makes. Be sure to label your containers so that you know what is working that day. Pro-Cures web page has many suggestions on what sent to use for different kinds of fish. Also try their Bait Butters on your lures. NEW for 2006 Pro-Cure has come out with a sticky gel. We have tested this product with great results. Put the gel on dodgers, the Wild Thing, spinner blades, or inside of a hoochie or hoochie tube. This gel will change the way you fish for the better. The gel will last about 30 minutes on your lures. The water temp dose not affect the gel like it dose with some other products. In the picture you will see two of the gels that we use and on the spoon I put some of the oil and some gel on it to give you an idea of how well the gel sticks. The oils work better for adding to your corn and other baits. The gels we use to add and change scents on the lake as we need. We also from time to time find that coloring your corn can help the bite. When we use the bait die from Pro-Cure some of the juice of the corn is saved. First put your corn in the container with the scent of your choice. If you want to make your corn firm up put in the Wizzard as directed on the bottle. By getting the Wizard with out the die in it you can use the Wizard by it self or add what ever color die you like. Put just enough of the juice back in so that you have some liquid to dissolve the die. Mix up the corn and let sit. It dose not take much to turn your corn colors. I died some corn so you could see some of the colors. From right out of the can then Lime Green, Hot Pink, and Dark Red. You can mix the dies to come up with what ever color you want. SET UP I have had some question on how to set up hoochies and spinners behind a dodger. There is no right or wrong way to do this. But we have found that running spinners behind a dodger or WILD THING use them right from the package. That is about 24" long. Now when using hoochies or tube hoochies shorten it up to about 12". A lot will depend on your speed and of course what the fish want that day. When using flashers I tend to keep the same distances on the leaders. But don't be afraid to try different things. Remember to let the fish tell you what they want on that day. These are just starting points to help you get started. I hope you find something of interest in these tips. If you have any tips and tricks that you would like to add, send us a note and we will try to get them up for all to read and enjoy. One last tip, keep a note book on what is working at each lake and the time of year that it is working for you. Include other information that you believe is pertinent to your success. After a few trips you will find that you will be going back to see what you did. Next year when you look at the book you might begin to see a pattern for the lakes that you fish. Good luck on your fishing trips and keep tight lines. Crystal Basin Tackle PO Box 250, Pollock Pines, CA 95726 530-306-4113 fishon@crystalbasintackle.com 2004 Crystal Basin Tackle©

TIPS

TIPS and TRICKS

Here are some tips and tricks that we use to get fish in the boat. Remember that by no means will these work each day that you are out. Fish appetites can change at any time. The real trick is to try and change with the fish.

DOWNRIGGERS

Try using cannon ball flashers when the fish are deep. You can use the flasher that has been made for this purpose or try using a set that you would put on your line when top lining. Some days the big blades work while on other days you’ll have more success with small blades.

You can also put scent on to your cannon ball to leave a scent trail. We find that the Bait Butters by Pro-cure work well and the new gels. You will have to reapply them throughout the day.

HOOKS

Keep different size hooks in you box. If you are having trouble getting hook ups you may want to try a bigger or small size hook. What ever size you use be sure it’s sharp. I try to re-sharpen a hook after two fish. You can also try running a two-hook setup or switching to a single hook.

BAIT & SCENTS

Though this can produce a lengthy and sometimes heated discussion with those of us who fish, it offers some interesting options. Most of the time we use scents on our corn when Kokanee fishing. For Kokanee we use mainly Shoe Peg white corn which can be found at your local grocery store. It may be difficult to find at times, so we recommend buying several cans when it is available. When scenting corn, we use inexpensive, disposable plastic containers. Drain and divide the corn into three or four containers leaving one container plain and scent the remaining containers. We like Pro-Cure scents. They are some of the best scents on the market that we have used. We add about 1 tablespoon of scent to the containers three to four days before fishing and keep them in the refrigerator. Some of the scents that we like are Freshwater Shrimp, Kokanee Special, Predator, and Herring. Don’t be afraid to mix and match any of the scents that Pro-Cure makes. Be sure to label your containers so that you know what is working that day. Pro-Cures web page has many suggestions on what sent to use for different kinds of fish. Also try their Bait Butters on your lures. NEW for 2006 Pro-Cure has come out with a sticky gel. We have tested this product with great results. Put the gel on dodgers, the Wild Thing, spinner blades, or inside of a hoochie or hoochie tube. This gel will change the way you fish for the better. The gel will last about 30 minutes on your lures. The water temp dose not affect the gel like it dose with some other products. In the picture you will see two of the gels that we use and on the spoon I put some of the oil and some gel on it to give you an idea of how well the gel sticks. The oils work better for adding to your corn and other baits. The gels we use to add and change scents on the lake as we need.

We also from time to time find that coloring your corn can help the bite. When we use the bait die from Pro-Cure some of the juice of the corn is saved. First put your corn in the container with the scent of your choice. If you want to make your corn firm up put in the Wizzard as directed on the bottle.

By getting the Wizard with out the die in it you can use the Wizard by it self or add what ever color die you like. Put just enough of the juice back in so that you have some liquid to dissolve the die. Mix up the corn and let sit. It dose not take much to turn your corn colors. I died some corn so you could see some of the colors. From right out of the can then Lime Green, Hot Pink, and Dark Red. You can mix the dies to come up with what ever color you want.

SET UP

I have had some question on how to set up hoochies and spinners behind a dodger. There is no right or wrong way to do this. But we have found that running spinners behind a dodger or WILD THING use them right from the package. That is about 24" long. Now when using hoochies or tube hoochies shorten it up to about 12". A lot will depend on your speed and of course what the fish want that day.

When using flashers I tend to keep the same distances on the leaders. But don't be afraid to try different things. Remember to let the fish tell you what they want on that day. These are just starting points to help you get started.

I hope you find something of interest in these tips. If you have any tips and tricks that you would like to add, send us a note and we will try to get them up for all to read and enjoy. One last tip, keep a note book on what is working at each lake and the time of year that it is working for you. Include other information that you believe is pertinent to your success. After a few trips you will find that you will be going back to see what you did. Next year when you look at the book you might begin to see a pattern for the lakes that you fish. Good luck on your fishing trips and keep tight lines.

Crystal Basin Tackle
PO Box 250, Pollock Pines, CA 95726
530-306-4113

fishon@crystalbasintackle.com