Trout Fishing With Bobber and Powerbait

Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Kyle Whitley

Bobbers are great for catching fish but not as effective for attracting fish to your bait. Powerbait is excellent for attracting fish but not as efficient for catching fish. We will take a look at trout fishing with bobber and Powerbait.

The right setup for a Powerbait with a bobber

You’ll need a bobber, split shot weights, a trout hook (size eight to fourteen, preferably), and a fishing rod. Start by pulling out a length of line from your reel. You’ll need a good deal of line to work with. Attach your bobber to the fishing line approximately six feet above the hook. Depending on your bobber, this may vary. However, generally, there is a button to press down the bobber’s top and bottom, revealing metal hooks that can be wrapped around the line. Wrap the line between the two loops, and your bobbers are ready.

After that, we will attach the hook to the end line. Pick a knot you feel most comfortable with, for example, an improved clinch knot.

We now have a hook and a float approximately 6 feet above it (or similar). It’s decision time – what depth do we want to be fishing at today? You must remember where your lure will be when you cast it into the water. When fishing, if you place your rod 2 feet above your hook when casting, your lure will be sitting in about four feet of water. There are six feet between the weight (bobber) and the tip of your rod—two feet between the weight and the hook. Four minus two equals two. Put the weight 1 foot in front of the hook. Now you’re 4 feet deep. 5 minus 1 foot equals 4.

Just pick your depth using the math above and then cinch your split shot into place. You should have two ends of the split-shot weight which you can open using pliers. When tightening, use pliers on the opposite end and press hard; not so hard you break the line. You should use a light, low-diameter line if you’re fishing trout. So this will require some effort to tighten fully.

The hookset for Powerbait

Powerbait hooks are designed to make it easier for anglers to set the bait without lifting the whole thing off the bottom. But how do you know what the proper hookset length is? And why does it matter? Let’s take a look.

A good rule of thumb is to use about half the length of your rod tip as your hookset. So if you’re fishing with a 7′ 3/4″ rod, you want to set your hook about 2 feet down. If you’re fishing with a 9′ 5/8″ rod, you want your hookset to be around 4 feet deep.

Why does it matter? Let’s say you’re fishing in a shallow area with lots of weeds and grasses. You might think you could drop your bait into the water and fish it like a standard jig. But the problem is that many plants hold onto your bait. They’ll grab hold of your bait and drag it along the bottom. This makes it hard to retrieve the lure once you’ve hooked up.

So what happens if you set your hook too short? Your bait won’t sink far enough to reach the bottom. You’ll lose your lure because it never gets close to the bottom. On the flip side, if you set your hook too deep, you’ll lose your lure because it sinks too fast.

Now, there are some exceptions to this rule. Some baits sink faster than others. A worm might fall quickly, so you’d want to set your hook even deeper. However, many worms aren’t weighted correctly, so they’ll still fall slowly. In addition, some baits are weighted differently than others. Some baits have weights built into them, whereas others require you to add weights. These baits usually sink slower than those that don’t feature weights.

Does Powerbait Work?

Powerbait is made up of little pellets that look like fish food. They are designed to attract large predatory species such as bass, catfish, walleye, and pike.

This bait works best when used in conjunction with live minnows or small crayfish. Powerbait is usually sold in 2 oz., 4 oz., and 8 oz. sizes.

Using a Bobber & Worm for Trout Fishing

A bobber is a weighted floating device that keeps a fishing strikes visible to the fisherman. They are usually made of plastic, wood, or lead and come in different shapes and sizes. There are many bobbers, including those designed specifically for bass, crappie, catfish, walleye, and trout.

Bobbers work well to keep lines straight and baits suspended above the water’s surface. However, they don’t always attract fish. To make sure you’re getting the most out of your bobber, it helps to understand how it works.

When a fish bites, the bobber moves downward. As soon as it hits bottom, the line tightens up and begins swinging back and forth. This movement attracts nearby fish. If there aren’t enough fish around, the bobber might start bouncing along the bottom like a ping pong ball.

To help ensure that you catch fish, use a bobber that matches the size of the hook you plan to use. For example, if you’re planning to use a 3/0 treble hook, choose a bobber that weighs about 2 ounces. You’ll want to match the weight of the bobber to the strength of the line.

If you’re fishing in shallow waters, such as ponds or lakes, you won’t need a heavy bobber because the line isn’t likely to sink too far. In deep water, however, you’ll need something heavier.

Once you’ve chosen a bobber, attach the hook to the end of the line. Tie a knot near the eye of the hook. Then, tie another knot about 5 inches away from the first one. Finally, add a short length of leader to the second knot.

Powerbait Trout Fishing Rig

A powerbait rig is one of the easiest ways to catch trout. All you need is a small piece of bait attached to a hook and some fishing line.

You’ll want to use a size 12 or 14 hooks, depending on how big the fish you’re targeting is. 

Why Powerbait is Effective for Catching Trout

Powerbaiting is one of the most effective ways to catch trout. But what makes it work?

Why do Powerbaits float above vegetation rather than sinking into the water like other lures? And why does baitfish distribution matter? These are some of the questions we answer here.

It also stays on longer than real corn (a good alternative for trout fishing), and spreads more scent.

 

Trout have good eyesight, but their sense of smell is even better than their eyesight. Therefore, the scent of the power bait is just as important as its buoyancy. It makes the difference between a simple nibble and an actual bite.

What Drift Bobbers Do for You

A drift bobber is one of the most versatile lures on the market. Whether fishing shallow flats or deep holes, a drift bobber can help you find fish. A drift bobber is often used in tandem with a floating bait.

Fish are attracted to the scent, and a drift bobber provides a large surface area to hold scent. If you want to add scent to your drift bobber, consider adding scented yarn or chenille to the bobber. Scents like peppermint, cinnamon, clove, and garlic work great, but don’t overdo them. Too much scent can make your lure smell like food.

The size of the presentation matters too. Larger presentations tend to draw bigger fish. With a drift bobber, you can use larger baits without worrying about getting snagged on weeds or grass.

When choosing a drift bobber, look for features like a treble hook, swivel, and adjustable drag. These features allow you to set up multiple rigs quickly and easily. When selecting a float tube, look for a wide mouth and a long nose. A wider mouth gives you room to place larger baits inside the tube. A longer nose keeps the bait closer to the bottom.

Why stocked trout like Powerbait

Powerbaits are among the most popular lures for anglers. While many people use it to catch bass, crappie, catfish, walleye, smallmouth bass, and pike, some fish species appreciate the bait. In fact, we found out why stocked trout love PowerBait.

Hatchery, pellets are usually made from several different ingredients, including grains and oils The fats, or lipids, in the pellets are the most calorie-rich part of the pellet. The grains, such as flour, act as the binder. The result is inexpensive and calorie-efficient fish feed.

Powerbait looks just like the pellets that the fish hatcheries use. All you need to do when using Powerbait is to disguise it enough, so the fish don’t notice the hook, line, or weight. They’ll usually hit the bait!

Unless there’s an especially hot day, low air pres­sure, or the trout are scared, you’ll find Power Bait to be a great invest­ment when fishing stocked trout.

The best Powerbait color for stocked trout

When choosing which color to use, choose one that will attract the most trout. However, it’s not the only factor to consider.

There is some speculation about which colors work best for attracting fish, but most agree that bright yellow, orange, or rainbow-colored Powerbait attract the most fish.

Check out this page for a complete list of the best colors when fishing Powerbait for stocked rainbow trout.

Orange

Green

Rainbow

Yellow

The brighter color will help the fish see the bait, but if the weather and water conditions aren’t too clear or murky, the smell will help get the fish’s attention.

You can also choose Powerbait with glitter to help reflect sunlight, but it might not be worth the extra cost.

Orange usually works well because it stands out and often looks like a salmon egg, common fish food.

For yellow Powerbait, colors come in “corn” and “cheese”, both of which are effective.

Lastly, there’s some coloring that resembles garlic and even hatchery pellets. While the hatchery pellet color is darker than most other colors, stocked trout feel nostalgic for the pellets they were fed in the hatchery and will often eat them from muscle memory. These colors would also be a good choice to use at night.

Is it Better to Fish with a Bobber?

A bobber is an indicator that shows whether a fish has taken bait. They can come in all kinds of colors and shapes. Often they are made of balsa wood or plastic. Some bobbers look like cigars and have a weight on one end designed to stand vertically in the water.

The classic red and white bobber I mentioned earlier has the same patriotic appeal as apple pie on Independence Day. It just makes me feel nostalgic. Round bobbers don’t just pop up in red and white. They come in lots of colors. They come in a wide range of colors.

Bobbers aren’t just for kids and beginning fishermen. They’re used for a variety of purposes. A bobber can help you detect nibbles before they become bites. Bobbers are great at keeping your bait suspended off the bottom.

 

Pros & Cons of Using a Bobber

Bobbers are great at detecting bites from delicate fish like trout, suckers, or bluegills. Often, these fish will nibble on bait, and unless you had a float bobber as a signal, they would strip your bait off and leave you without any clue.

Bobbers tell you more importantly when fish aren’t interested in your bait.

When you are not using a bobber as a strike indicator, you can sit for a long time and wonder why you haven’t been bit.  

If I had been fishing with a bobber, I’d know that I hadn’t caught anything for several minutes and I should check if my bait were working properly. Nothing is worse than wasting time trying to catch fish when your bait has already been removed.

The downside to using a bobber is that it makes fishing your bait on the bottom difficult. To get the perfect length of line for your bobber, you’d need to adjust it until it’s just right.

Bobbers are also tough to use when using large living baits like bluegills, suckers, and shad. Bobbers also get impacted by the wind, which can make your bait drift unnaturally. Bobbers can become tiny sailboats in the right winds.

Is it Better to Fish Live Bait with a Bobber?

It depends on the lure you’re using, your comfort level when fishing live baits, and your focus or distractibility level.

If you’re using worms, grasshoppers, and shrimp, I think a bobbing rig makes a lot of sense because many bites will be subtle, so you don’t want to miss them.

Cold fronts are especially bad for fish because they make them even pickier than usual. They’re slow to grasp a bait but fast to spit out any bait that doesn’t seem right. You’re missing them if you’re not setting the hook very early.

Bobbers aren’t great if you use large live baits, like shiners, frogs, or perch. If you plan on fishing deep water, then you might want to lose the bobber altogether.

If you’re going to be distracted, you should use a bell or a bobber. A bobber is useful if you’re watching a bunch of kids, dogs, or deer across you.

Do Bobbers Affect Fishing Success?

Bobbers are great tools for targeting certain parts of the lake where fish congregate. They can also make it harder to hook fish because they can alert them to your presence. But do they affect fishing success?

The answer depends on what type of bait you use and how much weight you put on it. If you’re fishing with a jerkbait, a bobber will slow down the lure’s movement and increase drag, making it less likely to attract strikes. This is especially true if you’re casting into windy conditions. However, if you’re fishing with a soft plastic jig or live bait a bobber won’t slow down the action enough to prevent a strike. Some anglers say that a bobber makes it easier to hook fish.

If you’re fishing with live shad or minnows, a bobber will keep the bait suspended in the water column. Fish don’t like moving around in murky waters, so being able to see your bait helps them find food. On the flip side, a bobber will make it harder for fish to detect your presence.

Bottom line: If you’re fishing with live bait, a bobber will allow you to better locate your prey. But if you’re fishing with artificial lures, a bobber will reduce your chances of catching fish.

Trout Fishing with Bobber and Powerbait – Is it a winning combination.

In conclusion, if you haven’t tried trout fishing yet, now’s the perfect time to give it a shot. There are many different kinds of methods to catch trout, but bobbers and Powerbait are two of the most popular methods used today. They work well together because they attract fish and allow you to detect bites easier than traditional lures. 

Resources

Game and Fish Magazine

Berkley Fishing