# Gulp Alive



## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

I had a gift card so I bought some of the 3 inch minnows (smelt). I know there was a little talk about these a month ago, but what is your opinion? Have you actually outfished someone using real minnows?


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## cheezemm2 (Apr 7, 2004)

You don't need any help catching steelhead....maybe flatheads!

For what it's worth, a lot of guys like the leeches, but I haven't heard much about the smelt!?!? No first hand experience so I can't help ya out!#


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## Fishin Musician (Jan 2, 2007)

I bought some as well and only used them briefly in a farm pond, thru the ice with no luck. 

They sure do look good in the package! i bought some to try on perch in the spring. (Emeralds) Cant wait to get out there and try them! 

Tim


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## joe01 (Apr 16, 2004)

I've used other gulp products, and plastic baits, and have done well. give it a shot dude....I try different stuff all the time arch and i get some looks. This year was the first time I used a bait caster on my noddle rod, and I don't know if I'll go back to a spin.......


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## boonecreek (Dec 28, 2006)

i do realy well on the gulp corn on rainbows.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

I used them today and only got 1 hit.


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

archman said:


> I used them today and only got 1 hit.


The lack of success could have had more to do with the large low pressure/snowstorm coming in than the bait. Anything that looks like a minnow will work at times. Even my poor attempts at tying streamers work every once in a while.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

SC, the fishing wasn't all that bad. I guess I should have said I only got one hit on the gulp minnow. Vkutsch and I got a dozen or so between us on jig and maggots. Victor even had one on a trout worm.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

When fishing with artificial minnows, (anything from streamers to soft plastics), proper presentation is especially important IMO. A live minnow in current will almost always be facing head first in the current flapping its tail to try to hold its position, hardly ever will you see minnows swimming downstream. 

I have had great success using soft plastic minnows. I use a centerpin though, and with the pin I can control my drift to make sure that the minnow is downstream of my float with its head facing into the current. Usually when drifting on a spinning rod your bait is dragged behind your float since surface currents are usually faster than the current at or near the bottom. In this case, while fishing with an artificial minnow, if the minnow is being dragged by your float rather than pushed by the current, the minnow will appear to be swimming downstream in an unnatural way or just may appear to be dead. 

It might be worth trying fishing them on a floating jig Carolina rigged. I'd think that 1/4 - 1/2 oz. egg sinker and a 2 - 3 foot leader would be good for most of our waters around here. With this method you'd probably snag up more but I think it would make for a more natural presentation.


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