Two things:

1) I confess I'm a changed man on burning trout baits. That was the way to get bit on San Vicente and I got a few fish out of Perris, but that was all about the Eagle. You had to burn that bait, although I did catch a couple slow rolling. Bottom line, I don't subscribe to burning anymore. I've found slow/steady slow rolling and attention to swim much more important. Honestly, the Huddleston just opened that all up. My bigbait fishing changed dramatically when I got onboard with the Hudd. I still fish with a ROF 5 and ROF 12/16 rigged on my deck. I find the ROF 5 will get bit in certain calm conditions, when fished relatively fast (not waked, but pretty good pace). ROF 12/16 I'm fishing out deeper trying to get the bait to swim as close to the bottom or structure as possible.

2) Triple Trout. Without a doubt, Triple Trout can be burned and catches fish. I spent 4 solid months on the 8" Triple Trout in preparation for the Clarks Hill FLW. Now, I don't want to get off track about when to not throw and when to throw swimbaits in tournaments (save for other post on this forum)...But understand, with the exception of the tournament itself (even in the 4 days of official practice) I was on solid fish, every time I committed to it. My summer was basically a study in covering water and fishing fast. I fished a Loomis 965, 400 TE Calcutta, 25# P-Line, 8" Triple Trout in Chartruese Shad/Herring/Light Trout/Bone...There was a local mantra that you can fish your bait too fast on Clark Hill...so, that encouraged me. My first breakthru day was during a club event with a local who put me in the right water and they ate up the TT. I had 5 fish for about 12 pounds before noon, from the back of the boat...late June. I would basically fish it like a buzzbait...already on the reel before it hit the water. I actually felt like I could grasp how Van Dam or Dean Rojas cover water when they are on a reaction bite/practice mode. It was profound, really. You can wake the Triple Trout pretty damn well, but you have to have the right gear (400 TE reel, IMO) and a medium rod. You can lob the bait a mile and cover some serious ground. You boat about 80% of your bites too. I use Owner 1/0 Stingers in front and #1 in back with Hyperwire rings of course. I'm on the Triple Trout for the non-trout eater bite. I'm trying to validate it right now on Okeechobee (and Kissimmee and Istokpoga) to no avail right now. That's a whole other conversation, but I would pick the Triple Trout to go after fish on the Delta or Clear Lake for example. The only other bait I've consistently caught fish on the the non trout eaters was the 9" MS Slammer (Otay, before they stocked trout) and the Rat baits. I've caught a couple Hudd fish on non trout fed lakes, but haven't explored it to my satisfaction by a long shot.

Bottom line: Burning, not a great way to catch trophy trout eaters. Good way to catch solid tournament fish though. You just have to know when to put it down (ie, the first winter storm blows thru Clarks Hill!!!)

Don't knock burning until you've committed to it, and something I plan to explore a lot in 2009.



http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7200-SunTT.jpg


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7201-Hill5TT_2.jpg

southernswimbait.com
BigBait Fishing in the South

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