Cheating or Creative Fishing??

[TrepMan]

OK Guys this topic is going to be red hot in debate, but after yesterday I would like to hear what you folks think! I've read and seen/understood the debate between live bait and artificials, but what about Trout fishing with Kernel Corn in a stream/river that is stocked with corn fed Trout??



When I started fishing the Chatohoochie river 8 years ago my first trip netted no fish, and on the way out I asked a group of folks loading their catch into a cooler what they used "Corn kernel's, any brand, these trout are raised by the DNR on Corn so it's easy to catch them on it!" We'll i'd never heard of that so I did a little research, and sore enough one of the "foods" they use in raising the Trout is Corn.



Now comes the question/delimea - I fish artificials on the river even on sections where live bait is allowed, I like the challenge! I've caught them on Rapala's, Spinners, RoosterTails, Flys and so forth. Yesterday I took the family on the river for a few hours. Long story short with our artificials we only got 3 trout. On a troll back up the river we chatted with a father and 3 young kids. As we were talking he hooked up each kid's rod with a few kernels of corn and chummed the water a bit. And as you can expect had very good success.



Now, my boys didn't notice the Corn but it got me to thinking. Some days we NAIL them on our different artificials and some days we don't. With kids, let's say 4-8, if the fish aren't biting the artificials is it the same anchoring and using Corn as it is when we anchor in the lake and use Worms? Or because these "farm raised" fish are much more atune to Corn is it cheating or less sporting to use with the kids?



The boys and Beka had a great time, don't get me wrong, and patience is a virtue that my kids are learing. But, as easy as it is to grab a 33 cent can of corn on the way down and provide more 'pull' on their lines when we fish is it worth it? or is the education about fishing habits, and using our brains and energy to outsmart old 'gills a better approach.



You know from my tale which way I lean, but this is not to be an argument post just interested in opinions.



Trep

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Whatever works...you've got scads of bass fishermen that use minnows. Farm raised fish....wild fish no difference. Powerbait that is that dough in yellow would work and it's not corn. Real worm-plastic worm, it's all personal preference.



TOXIC

 

[Tony Payne]

If it's not against the regs, it's not cheating...



It may take some of the sport out of it, but that's not the reason everyone goes fishing... If you are trying to "hook the youngsters" use everymeans at your disposal.

 

[Jim B]

Trep, i guess its really up to you. I dont think using corn is "cheating" if the regs dont forbid it. It sounds like you got your kids "hooked on fishing" and thats awesome. I guess if they have a good time regardless if you load the boat you should keep doing what you are doing. It will make them better anglers as they grow older, I know I truly appreciate my father teaching me how to fish artificials when i was young and I think it has helped my fishing.



When I take my nephew out I try to go after panfish that will offer lots of action to keep him as interested as possible. He is 5 and you know at that age the attention span is almost nil. He has fun and thats all that counts. He is growing more patient and I have got him started on some artificials, he loves the jitterbug because of the noise it makes.

 

[Andre Sloan]

I have a hard time buying into "they were raised on corn" theory. Natural stream fish love corn too. It's not cheating, it just happens to be good trout bait.



Another good food for trout is Velveeta cheese balled up on a treble.

 

[Rich Stern]

Trep, in my book, the object is for you and your kids to have a good time. Whatever you choose to do as a parent within the rules and regs in pursuit of a good time for your family is absolutely a-okay.



If you want to raise tournament anglers, use artificials. You run the risk of boring the kids and having them lose interest. Some kids will lose interest, others will stay focused. That's a natural trade off. If you just want the kids to have fun with no other agenda involved, catching more fish is generally more fun.



Have you ever seen a too intense parent on a tennis court with their kid? "No son, you have to hit it this way... son, you've got to react quicker...son, you need to be anticipating the shot..." While there is nothing wrong with training your kid to compete in an athletic event, every parent needs to recognize that being competitive is often not as fun for every young kid as simply enjoying the sport.



That's my take.

 

[Donald Fruge]

Catching trout on corn is the equivilent of catching a bream on a cricket.



Give the kids a better chance to catch fish and you have done a good thing.



Spent the weekend with my son and one of his freinds catching the heck outa bream. We had a ball....memories to last a lifetime.



Listening to two little boys is as entertaining as a stand up comedean. My son (4) gets up on the front deck of the boat to use the restroom (number 1) and while he is lettin it fly he says "I'm giving the fish a drink". Then his friend says "yeah....lemonaide" I just about peed on myself I laughed so hard.



Wolf

 

[Texas Transplant]

Corn kernels are not live bait. But, they are not artificial, either.



I take live bait to mean something that is living and moving, not dead. However, 'chumming' is not allowed in many places, even though you are allowed live or non-artificial bait. I would use corn, but personally would not be 'chumming' the water where stocked trout were released (or non-stocked - for that matter).



When I fish for crappie, I love to use jigs. However, I also like to use minnows. Just harder to find/keep them out on the lake, for me.



Tex

 

[Tom Jones]

Trep,

Use the corn! Let the kids have some fun. It's the same as artificial, simulating an egg sac that the trout like to eat. Follow the local laws and have fun!

Tom

 

[gone bye bye]

Use the corn, get the kids hooked up....



Mini

 

[Brian Bell2]

Just my .02, but if the rare occasion occured where my kids actualy wanted to go fishing, I would use whatever it takes to put them on fish, shiners, shrimp, corn, hotdogs... Kids have little patience, and it can get real boring for them if they are not catching fish, ( ANY KIND OF FISH ) . I have been told that if your gonna take kids fishing put them on fish that are easy to catch, ie: bluegill, panfish ect...if you catch a bass thats that much better, but as we all know it can be pretty tough for us seasoned veterans to land a bass, its that much more difficult for the kids.

 

[TrepMan]

OK so you are all are helping me change my mind, which is good! I think maybe it came down to talking to Fly Fisherman who brow beat me that if i'm fishing for Trout with Corn i'm not being "fair" to the fishies!!! I had not thought about (as some of you mentioned) the powerbaits and Trout baits are just the same in theory as Corn.



Cool, now i have a backup in my boat if the artificials don't keep the kids entertained!!



Though this time we took it as a "adventure" with binculars and looked for wildlife and such! Only screw up was convincing Beka to NOT put the bimini top back on, since while it would be 80 degree's the 50 degree cool water and some shade would negate the need. Well, it was SUNNY HOT and Beka to beat after about 2 hours, so next time BIMINI top is on!!

 

[Steve Rizza]

Trep-

By doing that aren't you "matching the hatch".

I believe it would be no different than using shiners for bass in a lake that has a good forage of shiners,or crayfish for smallies in a river with crayfish as their main diet.

Just my $.02



Steve

 

[Michael Snow]

FAIR only counts in sports. If you're there to CATCH fish, use anything legal. After all, having read the rulebooks the fish are given, SALMON are the only ones who list corn as being against the rules. The trout book actually states that corn is the enemy .



If you want a sport, take up football. If you want to show the family an enjoyable time, take them fishing. If fishing isn't working so well, then take them catching instead .

 

[Michael Snow]

Of course, I can see it now. New Berkley PowerCorn. They make minnow imitators, why not corn imitators?



I can take that there minnow imitator, spread minnow oil all over it and it's legal. Why not take a yellow piece of sponge, soak it in corn juice and use it? Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? That's my point. Spend your 50 cents on corn and go catch all of 'em.

 

[Steve Rizza]

I think I have seen cans of Berkley power corn.Maybe at Wally World.

 

[C C]

Trep, I grew up fishing mostly with bread dough, live night crawlers that I would dig up in my yard, crickets, and corn and didn't even know what to do with a lure let alone have one in my little tackle box full of hooks, sinkers, bobbers, pliers and fishing line. Never once thought I needed anything more to catch fish I was doing just fine and loved it. Even when we went deep sea fishing we used live bait or parts from the first fish we would catch and never once thought twice about it.



When my son was 16 months old I took him fishing in Germany and the fish in the lake were corn feed and he caught his first fish on corn. Up until he was 10 I had him fishing with worms, bread and corn. He now uses all artificial lures and never even asks me to bring the real stuff.



The more the little ones catch fish the more fun you and they have!



Cass

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Suprize....no debate. Kids rule!!



TOXIC

 

[Timothy Oliver2]

I think one should use what works .But I do'nt agree with the bunch that follows the stock truck around. I've seen this all to often.Some people think they really got something, catching them stock trout nearly right out of the truck.The fact is that they taste nasty and should be return to the lake or brook where the were stocked.I use to take my kids to a newly stock hole to do some catching but always tossed them back. Give em 6mo.-1yr.and they'll get a little wild and will be alittle better eating.I've always liked to hunt the native brookies With split shot and garden hackle.My kids have caught their share of these while learning where to find them.It always took a little more effort, but that was part of the fun.It also taught them how to fight off the black flies and skidders.Ha!They'd fight over who was going to clean em cause they wanted to see what fish had been eating.

Pan fried wild brook trout and eggs for breakfast, what a joy to the tast buds.

Tim