Cowbells

[keninaz]

I am pretty new to fresh water fishing. Grew up around salt water and knew most of the tricks there.
Here, landlocked in AZ. I see most people that seem to be productive consistently seem to use cowbells and they seem to work when almost nothing else does.
Reading about how the flashes emulate small groups of bait fish I can see why.
Do you use them and for what species?

 

[eavega]

We used to use them to troll for stocked trout in Reservation Lake up in the White Mountains. You would get tired of catching rainbows with them. With an electric motor, you troll them about 50-80 ft back of the boat, just fast enough so the tip of the rod would 'twitch every two seconds or so. tip the trailing hook with a worm and you will never fail to catch one.

E

 

[keninaz]

TNX, we have a new Sportsman's Warehouse here in town that I see carries them.
I will have to give them a try.

 

[Starcraft5834]

there is no water in Arizona!! LOL. Lake Pleasant? or in the north?

 

[keninaz]

Lake Powell and Havasu come to mind. You can catch 2-3# stripers all day long pretty easy at Powell and the record is around 60#.

And we do have our share or lakes too. http://www.arizona-leisure.com/canyon-lake.html

 

[poconojoe]

What's a cowbell? Is it some type of spoon?

 

[keninaz]

Here they are and they come in different types/sizes.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Luhr...35EHNEfXjW0LLFNHBIPanhoCFdHw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[gm280]

What's a cowbell? Is it some type of spoon?

Glad you asked because I have no idea myself. And since the link provided doesn't go anyway, I still don't as well. :noidea:

 

[keninaz]

Interesting, I just provider the link to the seller that sells them and everyone does.
Just google Cowbells for fishing.
I guess they don't want competition here?

 

[eavega]

No Title

 

[gm280]

So basically it looks like spoons strung on a line with swivels? :noidea:

 

[StarTed]

Cowbells were quite popular in the '50s for trolling. I don't recall down riggers being used in those days.

All we had was an old wooden row boat in those days that we left at Dog Lake until someone shot a hole in the bottom with a shotgun. :blue:

I still have some cowbells around here somewhere. Maybe I'll give them a try when I finish my boat.

That reminds me, got to get back to working on it.

 

[sam am I]

We use them for Kokanee and yeah, was told once as well they resemble a group of bait fish. aka "Jackaloyds" in these parts.......

We use them with Wedding Ring Spinner (aka kokanee killer.....red or red/green, mylar or metal blades) tied on ( w snubber sometimes) tipped with maggots (free range road kill or red dyed racing types) and/or white shoe peg corn (Green Giant of course)........limit out every time. This was a double.........

 

[gm280]

We use them for Kokanee and yeah, was told once as well they resemble a group of bait fish. aka "Jackaloyds" in these parts.......

We use them with Wedding Ring Spinner (aka kokanee killer.....red or red/green, mylar or metal blades) tied on ( w snubber sometimes) tipped with maggots (free range road kill or red dyed racing types) and/or white shoe peg corn (Green Giant of course)........limit out every time. This was a double.........

So that's what fish look like. It's been so long I didn't remember. :facepalm:

 

[sam am I]

So that's what fish look like. It's been so long I didn't remember. :facepalm:

gm,

You ever get up my way, there's a fishing boat moored at a covered slip on lake cda 8-9 months out of the year, it's full of rods and the keys are in it..............

 

[fishrdan]

I've rarely used the huge "cowbell" rigs, but have used a bunch of the smaller spinner trolling rigs with 1-2" spinners, really productive. Narrower "willow leaf" blade rigs will run deeper than wide Colorado blade rigs.

I rig them: main line - (sinker optional) - spinner tolling rig - snubber - 3' mono leader - 1/0 or 2/0 bass worm hook with barb smashed down - chunk of night crawler. The snubber will keep fish from throwing the hook and the smashed down barb will make releasing the fish easier. Even if using barbed hooks, use a snubber.

Depending on lake depth, I may add a sinker or two to my main line that attaches to the trolling rig. We troll 2 rods with different types of rigs/weights to cover different depths. I also have a lead core rod/reel to troll 30-40' deep.

 

[gm280]

gm,

You ever get up my way, there's a fishing boat moored at a covered slip on lake cda 8-9 months out of the year, it's full of rods and the keys are in it..............

sam am i, is that boat yours or somebody's you need moved? :facepalm:

 

[sam am I]

Mine and it catches fish too but, my neighbor's boat is nicer, thinking I should just get them mixed up someday.......Age card thing should work

 

[gm280]

Mine and it catches fish too but, my neighbor's boat is nicer, thinking I should just get them mixed up someday.......Age card thing should work

Yea, I think I've heard about the "age card" thingy, but I really can't remember now. :gossip:

 

[88evinrude]

so from what ive saw a "cowbell" is just a bunch of spinnerbait blades on piece of wire.i wonder if this could work in place of the alabama rig