whens the last time they "hammered" them in the grass? 1997 bassmaster top 150?

I remember the last time I got on a good trap bite in the grass. I think it might have been about 5 years ago in pophers creek. I actually burned up a pflueger that day and swore id never touch another one. It didn't matter what trap you threw that day just certAin area had a major school in it. I jumped off one that I will never forget

The trap bite has been spotty at best for me the last couple years. Still catch big ones on it but I have to mix it up in prespawn.

If its like up here, the lake being so low for a long period of time then rising a bunch and fast floods the green vegies that grow on land and eventually they rot and put off amonia which vacates the oxygen. The fish leave and are slow to come back to the shallows.

It has sucked for the shallow guys on most of the lakes up here all year.

Point being is that everybody relates Rayburn to Traps. And for the most part they assume if you can't catch them on Traps then the fishing is tough, even during this time of the year. They consider that Traps are the ONLY way to fish on Rayburn. Most locals know that Traps are not the ONLY way to catch Rayburn fish. It has to do with "unadaptablility for seasonal variations". (The new catch phrase! )

You just got to hunt. It isn't that bad but it ain't "Rayburn". Still wouldn't pick another lake to fish! Ther than falcon.......

Go read what Will Kirkpatrick posted on his website about tournaments and TPW.

I wish I new how to catch fish on a trap in that lake

All he was saying was if you dont catch them in the grass which we all know theres not alot of then you cant catch them in that lake is what most people thinh. They relate Rayburn to a trap only bait for the lake and alot do so they think they cant catch them any other way. If you fish the lake enough you know theres plenty of other ways than a trap.

I would agree with this answer.

I watch the FLW tour on Lake Champlain the other day and almost every one of the guys was talking about catching 50 to 70 a fish a day in the 3-4-5 pound range!

BigDozer66

No offence to anyone here but getting caught up in and associating Rayburn with the "trap" bite can be a big mistake. I know alot of guys that get caught up ripping lipless cranks through the grass when a slower, bulkyer and more subtle presentation is needed. Sure there are fish to be caught using this methode and can produce alot of fish in a short time (at the right time of year) but it is not my prefered methode and it definatly does not produce the bigest bites on the lake, (maybe for quantity but not quality IMHO). Just because the trap bite is off doesnt mean the fish arnt biting.

I guess i havent fished it enough

just go fish the spill way point by the dam and catch some big spots so u dont get skunked and feel great about you day...

You will top 10 any tournament right now doing that

Some of Champlain's success may be the fact that is is over 278,ooo acres compared to Rayburn's 114,000 ( when it is full) Champlain stays frozen for at least 3 months of the year so the fishing pressure is most likely lower.
Food for thought.