# Berkley Gulp! Trout bait vs. real eggs for river steelhead



## 1mecheng

Is the Berkley Gulp! Trout bait (Nuggets) effective for river fishing for steelhead? Are real (preserved) eggs/spawn sacs that much better?

I have used the trout nuggets (orange color) with success on the stocked ponds/lakes in NW Ohio when fishing for rainbow trout, but I am headed to the Rocky River in a couple of weeks. I don't have a fly rod, so I'll likely be drifting this bait under a small bobber with some 6-8lb Fluoro using one of my spinning rigs. I'll probably be targeting some of the riffles North of the ford near the bottom of Stinchcomb hill (not Rockliffe Springs, but the next one to the South).

I have tried small spinners in the past (silver rooster tails, Mepps, and Vibrax) without much luck. I would really like to get a chromie on the line this year.

Thanks in advance for your help and comments.


----------



## MuskieJim

Real eggs are the ticket, no doubt about it. I also do well on the "Sticky Eggs" that are available at Gander Mt. You have to tie the sacks yourself, but they do work good. 

Gulp Waxies are what you want if you're looking for artificial. I usually have some on me at all times with a few jigs as well. Tip a jig with 3 or 4 waxies and you're set. Black is always a good color jig to start with.


----------



## Kastmaster93

yeah, sacks without question. in the rivers during their runs the steelhead want more natural baits, especially early in the season. i dont fish with bait for them anymore i get 'em on the fly, but when i did sacks dramatically outfished any artificial product i tried.
kast


----------



## Steelaholic

Egg sacks or minnows work the whole season. If your coming in a couple of weeks you have to stop at Erie Outfitters. By then Craig will have fresh salmon eggs for sale. I'll catch 5 to your 1 with fresh eggs over cured eggs. Fresh eggs freeze fine just let them thaw for 24 hours in the fridge. Stay out of the riffles until the spring. Target the deep runs. You don't need a flyrod unless you want to catch less fish every time you go out.


----------



## peple of the perch

I have heard good things about the gulp maggots, waxies and worms.


----------



## Mepps3

Steelaholic said:


> Egg sacks or minnows work the whole season. If your coming in a couple of weeks you have to stop at Erie Outfitters. By then Craig will have fresh salmon eggs for sale. I'll catch 5 to your 1 with fresh eggs over cured eggs. Fresh eggs freeze fine just let them thaw for 24 hours in the fridge. Stay out of the riffles until the spring. Target the deep runs. You don't need a flyrod unless you want to catch less fish every time you go out.



So if I hook ten with cured you will get 50 . Good eggs will catch fish cured or not imho.


----------



## ShutUpNFish

Mepps3 said:


> So if I hook ten with cured you will get 50 . Good eggs will catch fish cured or not imho.


Agreed....Natural eggs that are fresh or cured properly will ALWAYS have that "look" and that "smell". Something that cannot be totally matched by plastics, yarn or anything else. Especially when fishing is slow.

As for 5 to 1 - Fresh vs. Cured....Thats certainly debatable!


----------



## Steelaholic

I have had 50 fish days on multiple trips. It only happens a couple of times a year.


----------



## ShutUpNFish

IMO...Its 99.99% in the way the offering is presented...these fish are DUMB, if you presented a wet sock properly, they'd probably hit it!


----------



## Steelaholic

Your right presentation is the key, But I have fished with people in the same spot with the same rig and caught more on fresh eggs. Maybe not 5-1 if you know what your doing. That's my opinion.


----------



## liquidsoap

Gulp (not eggs) is my favorite steelhead bait.
Lasts a while.. Doesnt smell like eggs.. Catches fish!


----------



## TheCream

Steelaholic said:


> Egg sacks or minnows work the whole season. If your coming in a couple of weeks you have to stop at Erie Outfitters. By then Craig will have fresh salmon eggs for sale. I'll catch 5 to your 1 with fresh eggs over cured eggs. Fresh eggs freeze fine just let them thaw for 24 hours in the fridge. Stay out of the riffles until the spring. Target the deep runs. *You don't need a flyrod unless you want to catch less fish every time you go out*.



If it was all about numbers, nobody would use artificial bait for anything. Nobody would bowhunt because it's easier to kill more deer with a gun, and everybody would hunt over a pile of bait. To some people, apparently not to you, there's more in the experience than just numbers caught. Maybe it's the rewarding feeling of doing something that's more difficult, maybe it's being a purist (I'm not one of them), and maybe it's just the satisfaction in knowing you're not dependant on a supply of live bait to catch a fish...different strokes for different folks.


----------



## Mepps3

Steelaholic said:


> Your right presentation is the key, But I have fished with people in the same spot with the same rig and caught more on fresh eggs. Maybe not 5-1 if you know what your doing. That's my opinion.



Maybe they had bad eggs.


----------



## reo




----------



## GobyOneGnoby




----------



## ShutUpNFish




----------



## THUNDERBUG




----------



## ParmaBass

Popcorn, counter, sinkers???


----------



## ShutUpNFish

We need rain!!


----------



## 1mecheng

It sounds like the Trout bait will work, but people question whether it is as effective as real eggs. A few people prefer Gulp waxies and maggots to the nuggets or dough.

Since there really isn't a good source for fresh eggs in NW Ohio, I may have to wait until I get to Rocky River to purchase some. Otherwise, I'll have to use what I've got (the trout nuggets) and hope for the best.

Thanks for all of the input. Anyone got any leftover popcorn? LOL!


----------



## TheCream

Hey, I'm not trying to start some whizzin' match, just pointing out that different folks can prefer to do things in different ways, and there's nothing wrong with any of it so long as it's legal. 

Speaking of which, how will that new rule bout where eggs can be used affect the steelhead fishing this coming fall/winter? I only heard bits and pieces of the new rule, never the whole thing.


----------



## BigDaddy300

ShutUpNFish said:


>


You better have a lot of people on that boat to take a limit like that!


----------



## steelie4u

beads work awesome as well, i think its the look and presentation that will take the fish not one specific bait or plastic, i know i have done just as good with beads and with fresh eggs, i fish NY alot 10 plus years for browns and steel, and i can tell you that over the last 2 years beads out performed any eggs i have used and i have used brown eggs, king eggs, steel eggs and coho eggs, just my 2 cents worth


----------



## fish chris

i have found that if you are going to use nuggets or paste it's better to use them drop sloting,.they have a habbit of floating to high in the water ,when drifting,. but the eggs are best ,to do both


----------

