A Day of Monsters at Santa Ana River Lakes (PLUS Dropshot Tips and Tricks)

[@hyperhex7827]

dang thanks again Rob for helping my nephew he look good out there looks like he did everything right glad you were there to help him.

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

No worries. He definitely has skills 🤘

[@ranchdressing1967]

How long are your leaders from your mono to braid? I have about 7ft leader

[@ranchdressing1967]

For mini jigging

[@ranchdressing1967]

My pb Trout feels small to your guy’s trout’s!. 4lb

[@jerrybriseno6136]

Another fun day fishing at the mud hole in the memory books. Great job and awesome video👉👍👏👏👏👌

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks Jerry. It was great seein you out there 🤘

[@TrueFishingkingsTFK]

Another great video bro ! I’m addicted to these Santa Ana river lake videos you make 😂 always makes me want to go

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Haha thanks brother

[@TrueFishingkingsTFK]

@@SeaSpankerOutdoors I just ordered some white hologram minnows gsf I did ok with those this last Saturday at sarl I was looking for the micro minnows couldn’t find them for some reason

[@jasonsun789]

Another great video Rob! Always enjoyed seeing you fishing and helping other catching fish! Thanks for the great tips on Double drop shot! It’s very effective for catching monster trout! Thanks again! 🤙🤙

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks Jason. I appreciate the feedback 🙏

[@noedelatorre6597]

There was a nice video man thanks for the fishing 🎣

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks Noe

[@whirewalltires]

Nothing but toads, what a great day!! Nice to see all the comradery!!

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks Lee

[@CasperH626]

Just subbed can’t wait to get out there and try my luck! Thanks for the tips and videos!!

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Right on Calvin! Get out there and get dem trout 🤘

[@pokedad.fishes]

Damnit who's honking at me on the Freeway? haha Nice toads brother! Gotta love that drag screaming.

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

🤣🤣

[@fullmetalmex0172]

Great video. Thank you for sharing.

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks for watching 🙏

[@appleseeD552]

SERIOUSLY UNBELIEVABLE!!!🤯 I mean DAAAAAAMN!! That "runt" you were referring to that was yours....would be nuthin short of a miracle for me to pull outta the mudhole. I get nuthin but skunked every time I've been there☹...still lovin the vidz tho and plz keep em comin. Peace ✌😎

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Haha sorry brother, I wasn’t bragging. I was being sarcastic as Ive never had a day like that there. Believe it or not ive been fishing there since the 80’s and this season is the first time I’ve been able to pull anything out of that lake over 5lbs. In the past 5 trips there before this one I skunked out 3 times. It really comes down to luck most of the time when getting the big ones. If you message me on instagram and can show you a map of all my favorite spots 🤘

[@tgalvan59]

Hey Rob, another great video man I was recently at the mud hole on Saturday for that pink The Cure tournament. I didn’t place but I caught a 5.82 ounce trout on a double drop shot power bait at Connies corner.

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Outstanding!! Thats a good fish 🤘

[@andrewrauch8586]

That was bad ass fishing nice trout bro

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks brother, it was a great day 🤘

[@theknottyfisherman58]

Awesome video brother! Killing it as always 🫡

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks brother 🙏

[@adayo]

Luar biasa bossq ikan nya besar-besar... terimakasih telah berbagi.. sukses selalu

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks I appreciate it 🙏

[@johngil4453]

Impressed by the birds! In new jersey we don't have stocked trout that healthy. Can the birds drop one of at Oak Pond in New Jersey!!!

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Haha if only. We do have some nice stocked trout out at some of our lakes but it aint cheap at most places to fish for em

[@JUANORTEGA-or1ht]

You guys killed it

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks Juan 🙏

[@razorfrank37]

Awesome vid bro

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks for watching 🙏

[@kevinbastian908]

Awesome video

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks brother I appreciate it 🙏

[@johndulay9141]

Very nice

[@salavdorbautista2538]

Awesome video! I was wondering what bag is that you are carrying your rods in. It looks awesome!

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

They are made by a company called Mountain Cork. They have pre made bags and can also do anything custom. Here is the link mtncork.com/

[@salavdorbautista2538]

Thanks a lot! 🙏

[@jamesskimin7809]

We smash trout in big bear .. on a boat or shore all summer long . I have fished the mud hole 3 times.. on boat and shore and haven't caught a thing.. not sure what im doing wrong.. fished day after Thanksgiving and the following weekend.. tried EVERYTHING except for a baseball bat.. drop shot , power bait, spoons , worms, we can't seem to figure this lake out.. however I did catch a small bass on the double drop shot in the big lake.. no trout.. btw love the videos with the NIN gear on .. im a huge NIN fan... you should add some nine inch nails to your videos

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Oh only if I could but id get a copyright strike haha. Seen them live a few times, just epic! The mudhole can be a difficult mistress for sure. I think I skunked there 4 times last season haha. Part of the reason I love fishing there is it can be difficult at times and I like the challenge of figuring them out. Basic tips for there; bait and wait-keep it close to shore, like 5’ off the bank. Just past where you cant see into the water. Try a bobber with a 4-5’ leader with bait of choice and keep that close as well. Dropshot and mini jigs are pretty standard, either they want it or not but change retrieve styles. Sometimes they want an unconventional presentation. Try to stay away from deep water this time of year. The trout like to stay shallow this time of year. Boats dont help much there unless you are near toad road or the flats by casa corner. What makes that lake so tough sometimes is there is a ton of bait fish in the water so the trout are never starving. If your able to try going on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Still plenty of trout and very few people. Makes it much easier to move around and find some biters 🤘 Oh and most importantly…dont leave early! Its all about the afternoon bite. Id say 90% of my videos there where im catching alot its between the hours of 1 to 4pm

[@jamesskimin7809]

Man brother . Thank you for the info.. we also love the challenge..

[@PaulPaul-vd3yq]

Hey Rob, thanks for all the good pointers and tips. I'm getting ready to get myself a new trout set up and I actually get to spoil myself and I'm leaning towards the Phoenix rod. What size or which one do you suggest also I'll need the perfect reel to go with it. Please let me know before she changes her mind, lol. Thanks brotha!

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Haha, no worries. My first suggestion would be to go with a Katana 7’6” K5 if your gonna spoil yourself. Its the newest rod they are putting out and it has become one of my favorites. Its cheaper than the other versions at $300 and its one of those rods that can do anything. I have mine paired with a Daiwa Presso 1000 and they run about $270. Outstanding reel for the price. Smooth and light like the Stella at a much lower price. If thats too spendy the Phoenix Elixir in either 7’6” or 8’ is another great rod that can also do anything and its a bit cheaper than the Katana. The Shimano Vanford 1000-2000 series is another great reel that is a bit cheaper than the Presso at around $250. If any other questions come up let me know🤘

[@PaulPaul-vd3yq]

@@SeaSpankerOutdoors thanks bro I really appreciate you a lot and will continue to keep tight lines for sure! And keep on shooting your videos please I'm always learning and laughing. Your the best man thanks!

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

@@PaulPaul-vd3yq thanks brother I appreciate it 🙏

[@albertgreen8450]

Awesome video.nice toads on the road 🤙🏼 was this Monday?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Thanks 🙏. It was Friday 2-3

[@jasfishingYT]

Would an eagle claw “feather light” rod work for mini jigs/drop shot?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

I haven’t fished the feather light that i remember but im sure it would. Ideally it should be 7’6” to 8’ in length other than that its definitely worth a try. I caught my PB rainbow (9.3lbs) throwing a 1/16 mini jig with 4lb mono using a 6’ ultra light rod. So you can make it work with whatever equipment you have. Its just with the longer more expensive rods it easier to fish the tiny light baits like jigs. If that makes sense

[@sambagz8826]

Hey brother quick question. I wanna start drop shotting for trout, I have a 1000 reel spooled with 4lb mono that I don’t wanna unspool. What’s the best line setup I can do in this circumstance? Should I do straight mono in my case or tie a fluro leader to the mono. Also, do you tie directly or use a swivel?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

You can just run the mono you have on there already and it will work just fine. The braid and fluorocarbon are just more sensitive so you will feel more of the light bites when they are biting soft. I didnt switch to braid or fluorocarbon for a while after I started dropshotting and still caught fish with mono 🤘

[@AWDRIFT]

I’ve watched most of your SARL videos and even the tutorial on how to be successful at the mud hole, but I’ve gotten skunked at SARL every time I’ve gone there. Not sure what it is…seems like I’m doing all the right things. I’m curious to know your percentage of trips to the mud hole and getting skunked versus having an epic day like this one? I just spent the whole day today at SARL and not a single bite. Moved around to different spots, tried different methods- nothing. Then I’m shaking my head while watching this and my confidence is now zero! Great video as always! 👍

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Honestly part of the reason I like SARL so much is that it is a challenging lake to fish. Id say I get skunked there 20% of the time. I was fishing that very spot 4 days prior and got skunked. Additionally, Ive had a bait rod goin on several trips and the fish didnt touch it. What it comes down to at that lake is being at the right place at the right time. Mt Lassen has been doing something to the fish to make them more docile for the trip in the stock truck. Whether its drugs or changing the oxygen mixture in the truck, the fish seem drugged for a few days after a stock. Ive seen it at multiple lakes this season. It usually takes 3 or so days before the want to eat. Thats why Ive been doing alot of Tuesdays there this season. I believe all the fish caught in this video were holdovers from weeks ago. This day they had a big lightening stock and I only heard of 2 lightening caught at the entire place that day. Another issue is we have had several significant storms roll through the past weeks. Fish are very sensitive to air pressure changes so right before a storm they usually shut down. Also when the moon is full the fish tend to feed at night and that lake has so much shad and other Minnows in it that the fish feast all night. When I get skunked I always ask myself did I really try everything and my answer is usually no. Did I try a bobber, night crawlers, all my scents, etc. that said sometimes the fish just don’t want anything 🤷🏼‍♂️. I don’t have any secrets I hold back, its all in the videos. Just keep trying, it will work at some point, I promise 🤘

[@AWDRIFT]

@@SeaSpankerOutdoors Thanks for taking the time to respond and write all this. It’d be awesome to meet you at the mud hole one day and possibly even fish next to ya to see all this in action. I usually have a powerbait sitting out while I’m running a double dropshot, spoon, or minijig. I told myself I’d keep hitting up SARL until I catch a decent one. Hopefully my skunk streak will end

[@pnw_element9822]

Last time I was there it was 20 bucks per person how much is it now to enter the lake it’s been over 14 years since I fish there and their still stocking monster trouts in there awesome fishing when their biting good there

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Its now $33.

[@pnw_element9822]

@@SeaSpankerOutdoors wow went way up

[@chiccenhawkc]

💯🔥💙👍

[@king_lomas4266]

Are you going to be there Santa Ana rivers opening day on November 17????

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

It actually opens this friday 11-10. I definitely wont be there this Friday as Ill be out of town. Next Friday is a maybe. Im going to be doing alot of Wednesdays at the mudhole this season i think

[@king_lomas4266]

@@SeaSpankerOutdoors honestly you my idol when it comes to trout fishing I’ll be up the 19th, can we link up ? 🙏

[@sevensmith9123]

Hey Rob, I appreciate the vids and had a question on mini jigs. I am using a 7ft6 ultra light with 6lb iron feather braid with a 5ft 4lb flouro leader. How long should my leader be in order to cast a good distance. Seems I'm only getting out about 10-15 ft. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Thanks for helping out a newbie.

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

I usually use about 5’ of leader. You may want to size down to the 4lb iron feather. The smaller diameter line will help you get it out there a few more feet.

[@sevensmith9123]

@@SeaSpankerOutdoors Thanks for the reply and info.

[@FlyingKechup]

your so lucky Where I live they don't even stock anything above 5 lbs not even close to what you are caching. But it is still fun that is all that matters.

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Honestly if i can get into a good bite of one to two pounders im perfectly happy 🤘

[@randyhernandez1576]

Another Awesome video!! When you go to a lake this where do you set up?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

I have several spots I fish at SARL. Usually I fish the east end of the pond, basically anywhere I can find that has a shallow area.

[@randyhernandez1576]

What knot do you use to connect braid to fluoro?

[@miguelgutierrez7992]

SEASPANKER quick question where can I buy the rod that you always use for trout fishing?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

They are available currently over instagram. If you messaged @katanarods2022 or @gsfcustombaits they will get you all set up

[@miguelgutierrez7992]

Thanks 🙏

[@stevengarcia88]

I should of set up on the right of you that morning but didn't want to be in your shots all day. Plus Henry with his two bait and waits didn't help cutting off the Glory hole. You guys still going to gull lake for the opener even after all this snow ❄️ we've been getting? My group seems determined to go. . .

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Yeah we are definitely goin 🤘

[@douglasshields8973]

Do you use braid on your bait and wait and dropshot rods? Thanks

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

No, i only use braid for mini jigs, dropshot, and spoons

[@douglasshields8973]

Thanks man!

[@antoniorodriguez3271]

Are you jigging with the double drop shot or baiting?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Typically “jigging” but you can do several variations to the retrieve than just simply bouncing the rid tip. It also works great for bait and wait

[@LedGuitar1218]

What do you think is the best spot at SARL

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

TOAD ROAD definitely

[@demize31]

longshot, but what rod travel case is that???

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Its a from Mountain Cork. They make custom rod cases. Very reasonable and excellent quality. Here is the link to their website mtncork.com/

[@bellpeppers7460]

Do u sell 1/32 oz hooks for jigs?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

No, I don’t actually sell anything but you can get them online from Golden State Fishing; www.goldenstatefishing.shop/

[@miken4552]

How far out are you usually casting?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

With dropshot and mini jigs Im typically giving a full cast but usually im getting hit 10-15’ off the bank. With bait and wait im putting no more than 10-15’ off the bank as typically, no matter the lake, the trout are going to be swimming back and forth just beyond where you can no longer see into the water 🤘

[@miken4552]

@@SeaSpankerOutdoors thanks! This helps out a lot. I was always trying to cast as far as possible so I would use heavier weights to get it out there. Knowing I don’t need to cast so far, I can swap out the weights.

[@RMGPG]

What up Rob? Shoot the link for that fishing rod bag….

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Its from a company called Mountain Cork mtncork.com/

[@fishitoffishing7984]

Was that at the point?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

The spot is called Toad Road on the lake map

[@squatchy69]

Another hour and those guys would be sitting on your lap

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Hahaha

[@vl7890]

Where is your favorite spot? 😊

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Im really partial to the east end of the pond, the wood pile, toad road, the shady trees, and the bubble hole. I dont really have one spot at any lake as I like to fish different spots from time to time

[@brandonhudson6287]

What day is this. A Friday?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Yes, Friday 2-3 I believe

[@johndulay9141]

Never fished the lake. Don't have transportation to get there but uber ride. It is to far from me.

[@timothymorales6048]

i hate everything bout SARL

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

Its certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you want a shot at a trophy without having to travel its the place to go.

[@timothymorales6048]

@SeaSpankerOutdoors guys in the bay area mock us down in socal. Thier public lakes get lassen trout and its only 5 dollar fishing permit lol

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

@@timothymorales6048 lol, yeah we definitely seem to get the short end of the stick down here when it comes to trout fishing

[@TeppanGod]

you just tie your braid to the swivel, then have the premade rigs right on the swivel right?

[@SeaSpankerOutdoors]

I actually have a leader going to the duo lock snap but with dropshot you can definitely get away with tying braid directly to the snap