Natural baits?

[fishin fool]

I fish the eastern Sierra every year. I've recently heard about using natural baits. I've used periwinkles when I was a kid. Does anyone else know of good natural baits that you can find there. Also, the seasons and locations of these baits would be helpful. If you wish to restrict this data and are willing to share it, PM me and I will keep it secret.
Thanks in advance...

[gwjones00]

Search through this forum about ant eggs.....

[tpfishnfool]

Yea , I have heard of using Ant Eggs , Does anybody know where and how to get them ?
I think the native Indians used them.

[gwjones00]

Some reading material:

http://www.guidetohighway395.com/2008/05/fishing-with-ant-eggs.html

[carpinator]

Fresh trout roe, night crawlers with liquid garlic soaked in the dirt for 3-4 days prior to using, crickets fed garlic and limberger cheese 3-4 days before using, i always turn over a few rocks and scrap the bugs and algae of the bottom, make sure your far enough stream not to disturb your fish, i always have fun looking for local bugs, this always seems to work too, hope this helps.

[Mike274]

The indians also used to use grubs found in recently downed pined trees. You can se the holes where they are and pretty much have to cut them out. Them and ant eggs very good for Brownies.

[bones]

Hands down....The best natural bait I've used up in the sierras especially the Owens river has got to be......Drum Roll Please......... Grasshoppers. Over 30 years ago my Late friend Larry Macky showed me how to do it. He always brings a butterfly net with him. As you walk along the river down in the grassy valley following the trails the grasshoppers are everywhere. Sometimes they are difficult to snatch but most of the time you can get them if you are quick.Larry always carried two cricket cages. One for the grey crickets and one for the grasshoppers.The grasshoppers ALWAYS out performed the crickets. Crickets die almost as soon as they hit the water and they don't move much anyways due to the cold water and air temps but the native grasshoppers go nuts when they hit the water. We used to use one of those clear sliding bobbers without any water in it so it floats and it's clear so it's stealthy.With a floating rig like this you can easily control the drift of your offering and cover a section of the river better. It also provides more weight for casting upstream. Larry used to just put a tiny splitshot about 5ft above an owner size 10 mosquito hook. The clear bobber is above the splitshot in a carolina rig fashion. I like to use a carolina keeper so I can adjust to the conditions and it adds additional floatation to the rig thereby keeping your grasshopper on the top or just below the surface just like it accidently fell into the river.I also use a strike indicator intended for flyfishing attached to the clear bobber just because my eyes aren't that good anymore.All you have to catch is a few grasshoppers to make or break your day Larry always said...LOL
I used to take my kids with me and they really enjoyed chasing the grasshoppers and getting dad some "Trout Candy" .....Child labor at it's finest....LOL
I never caught as many fish as Larry but he was a hardcore Vet who always wore camo gear and crawled up to the edge of the river. He taught me the the big natives always point up stream and if they see you for a second they get lockjaw real fast!
You also can easily convert the above rig into a fly setup in a few seconds. The local tackle shops usually have good working local patterns to match the season or "Hatch" so to speak but the Grasshoppers are "Money in the Bank" !!!!
One more almost always reliable de-skunker is to use baby nightcrawlers put on with a worm threader on the same rig. The use of a worm threader puts the hook in the middle or the end of the nightcrawler and it looks natural rather than all balled up on the hook.
Always be careful when using live bait though in the sierras. The regs are tight up there and there are alot of native areas where it's only barbless hooks and artificial lures.
There ya have it....Everything I know about using live bait in the sierras more or less. Hope this helps and tight lines to you always.