River trout with Bibbed Lures — Scott Gray

River trout with bibbed lures

Spinning with bibbed minnow patterns can be as simple or as technical as you like. Sure you can just tie on a lure and throw it around relentlessly until you get a strike, but by learning some simple techniques and carefully selecting your lure you can efficiently increase the number of fish you encounter and catch.

There are essentially 3 different models of bibbed minnows that I use regularly these include floating, sinking and neutral suspending minnows. Each model has a different application

Floating diving lures are fantastic tools to use in running water and are my favourite selection. These lures are ideal for fishing the shallower runs and riffles or on smelting fish in open pools. They can be cast upstream past a likely looking rock or log then floated over the structure and retrieved. As these lures dive when retrieved you can reach down into the deeper pocket water where the fish will hopefully be holding and search the water.

To work these lures simply dip your rod tip towards the water to help the lure dive and if you come across some shallow rocks it is just a matter of pausing on the retrieve and letting the lure float up and over the object. This reduces the likelihood of snagging significantly and allows you to thoroughly work the water. Alternatively to make the lure swim close to the surface simply hold you rod tip high in the air and retrieve. In the open pools, they are effective on smelting fish because they float, they won’t snag and all you need to do is cast out the lure where you see the fish moving, let it sit and wait until the fish comes up before retrieving.

While I spend most of my time targeting fish in the moving water by walking and casting upstream (as the fish face into the current) fishing lures downstream and across is also very effective as you can let the current impart action to your lure as it swings across the river. All you need to do is cast, hold the rod and let the current do the work. When the lure has finished swinging across the river you can slowly retrieve it back to the rod tip along the bank.

Sinking minnows can be fished in a similar way to floating lures, however, they give you the versatility of allowing your lure to sink. These models are ideal for fishing the deeper holes or drop-offs when you need to search the water column to find fish. They often weigh

more than floating lures too so they are ideal for use in windy conditions or where long casts are required.

Neutral or suspending minnows are ideal in the clear pools or to temp fussy fish and can be twitched to impart action, left to sit and then twitched again. This action can fire up the fish. Probably one of the best attributes of this model is giving the lure more time in the strike zone. If you pause the retrieve the lure won’t look unnatural by floating back to the surface and it won’t sink into the rocks or weedbeds and get snagged either.

Many suspending lures on the market these days also come fitted with a rattle which can make them more attractive to fish. This can be particularly effective when fishing in dirty or discoloured water and helps the fish find the lure a bit easier. The downside to this is that in clear shallow water ultra spooky fish may find this too noisy.

The Strike

Getting a good hookup on the initial strike is important because once the hooks have found their mark they should stay in. Most fish I lose these days are from fish jumping straight into the air on the strike and throwing the lure. There is not much you can do in this situation as it usually happens very quickly. Try and avoid lifting your rod tip too quickly into the air and if the fish is jumping erratically keep the rod tip down if possible. To get a good hookup ensure that your drag is set tight enough to set the hooks and it’s a good idea to test it before you head out. After a hookup, I always back the drag off a little while the fish starts thrashing around. You are always going to miss a few fish, but it is very important to get those hooks in properly on the strike.

Small clips make lure changes quick and easy. A perfect section of river to work with bibbed minnows

Lure selection

Matching the size and colour of the baitfish is probably the most important factor when selecting your lure. Colour selection is more important in clear water than discoloured water. When the water is dirty, I prefer a contrast between light and dark colours to create a silhouette as the lure moves. As a general rule though, if you stick to natural colours and patterns you will never go wrong!

Usually, the fish are more opportunistic in discoloured water so visibility and action are more important attributes. In dirty water, I prefer to use larger 7-9cm minnow lures and usually downsize to 3-5cm in clear water. If there are solid fish around I’ll usually persist with larger lures.

Customizing and Maintenance

When you buy a lure it will usually swim correctly straight out of the box, but if you think that the hook and split rings aren’t up to the punishment they are likely to receive then it’s a good idea to change them. There’s nothing worse than putting all of the time required into landing a good fish only to have your tackle fail. You are only as strong as your weakest link! If you do customize your lure just check to make sure the lure retains its action with the modifications.

Check your lure carefully after landing each fish or snag and if the lure has become tangled in the net there is also a good chance the hook may have been bent or blunted. I always carry a small sharpener, micro split ring pliers and pair of forceps to adjust or customize the lure if required. To tune the lure just use gentle pressure with a pair of pliers on the nose of the lure. Be careful as the adjustment can usually be made without any visible signs of the nose ring on the lure appearing bent at all. Test the lure to make sure it swims properly before casting.

Terminal connections

The use of braid in moving water for spinning has been revolutionary. It’s easy to cast light lures long distances, there is plenty of sensitivity and less drag on the braid in the current which ensures that your lure looks as natural as possible. For general use 2-3kg braid is ideal for spinning in the rivers and streams.

I always use a shock leader connected to the braid of about 1.5metres in length. I prefer fluorocarbon to monofilament shock leader for its strength and abrasion resistance. I’ll downsize the breaking strain in smaller streams with clear water or in open pools with little structure remembering that fluorocarbon is more visible to fish in freshwater than brackish or saltwater. Ultimately you need to select your tackle to the size of the fish you are targeting. Trout don’t have sharp teeth, but a big trout has a fair set of teeth that can damage fine leader when they role around when hooked.

To connect the shock leader to the braid I double the braid over and tie a back to back uni knot with at least 4 wraps in the fluorocarbon and at least 10 wraps in the braid. Once the knot is tightened it can be trimmed neatly and will run through the guides smoothly. Ensure you trim your knots properly as if they are a bit rough repetitive casting through the guides can lead to knot breaking due to friction. Make sure you don’t find out your knot has become weak when you hook-up!

Lure fishing is not rocket science, but by putting a few different lure models in your tackle box you have every situation covered on your next trip down the river.

Scott Gray