TEXAS TROUT FISHING 2009 PART THREE

One thing I forgot to mention in part two of this series on Texas Trout Fishing is that one of the most popular baits for stocked rainbows in Texas is kernel corn. Yes, that's right. Get the kernel corn in the can, not creamed corn, but kernal corn. Just put a few on a bluegill sized hook and fish at some different depths under a bobber until adventure calls.



When I don't have salmon eggs, which although we don't have salmon here in Texas to fish for there are lots of fishing stores in the State who sell them. I've never tried salmon eggs for any other species, so I don't know if they work on fish other than trout.



I have, however, often caught bass and even the occasional channel cat on a Mepps spinner in some of the coldest, nastiest, rainy weather I've ever been fishing in when I've been after trout.



Since the early 1980's, I always carried a large hand crank can opener in my "kit bag", which is sorta a larger doctor's bag looking sort of affair. Often times I forego a traditional tackle box and carry my kit bag. Back in the old days, and I'm talking from 50 years ago to who knows how many hundreds of years before that, when a sportsman went outdoor they often carried their kit bag. In fact, 60 or so years ago Smith and Wesson christened a line of weapons as "kit guns", which were small pistols usually in .22 caliber that one could carry afield on various types of sporting endeavors.



So anyway, I have a bag that I carry such things as the can opener and some extra gear, perhaps fly fishing stuff and maybe a few of the small pocket sized tackle boxes. I always have some sort of handgun with me (legally, of course) and it's usually in the kit bag, unless I'm in real snakey country, then it is more accessible.



But now many of the canned kernal corn that you can buy has the flip top lids like cat food cans do, so a can opener is no longer needed.



Unless the opening tab breaks off of the can and you need a can opener. So I still carry an old school can opener. I often forget to get corn in preparation for a trip, and I'm pleased to announce that many convenience stores sell canned kernal corn, so you don't have to make a big trip to a large grocery store just to get some in the middle of a trip in most cases.



I always like to have a can of kernal corn with me when I go fishing, just in case they aren't hitting anything else.