Fished the Cooper from high tide till about 3:30pm. Short trip. Tried a new creek and found a few promising spots. Caught a couple small trout there.
Second drop caught and tagged 4 reds. 3 rats and one at 22.75" Wish I was in a tourney. Released them all.
Trout were not around in numbers but I did get three nice ones. Two were 18" and one was 20+. Lost it boatside as I was watching it shake its head in the clear water it shook the hook right out! Doh! Oh well she earned her freedom. Judging it in the water, it made the 18 look small.
Trout bite was mush, very light bite. I use my mentor’s (Ralph Phillips) setup: 10# green power pro braid, no leader, and a RP trout special rod to feel the bite. With this setup, there is no question when you get a bite, as long as you manage your line bow and are keyed in to the “feel”. Now, I don’t always react in time but I can often get one on the next cast or two once I felt a bite.
This day I used a 1/4 oz jig with the TT’s only because I ran out of 1/8 oz or I would have used those.
Totals:
12 trout (incl 3 > 18")
4 reds
Not a bad start to 2013 
Water was anywhere from 51-55F, 1 -3 ft vis, and “trout green” colored.
All fish caught on trout tricks
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
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