What's chasin' the needlefish??

[jig head]

I've been catching reds in a shallow cove the last few days and noticed alot of needlefish being chased around, more than anything else. Of the fish I cleaned none had needlefish in their stomachs. Whats chasing them and why am I not catching the chasers? What lure would you use to mimic needlefish?

[TTU Wader]

I've noticed the same thing. Maybe bigger trout?

[WestEndAngler]

I hate needlefish they come straight at my gig light and my ankles when I'm out gigging lol

[fishingcowboy]

big trout love needle fish ftu has a lure that looks like a needle fish... during this time of the year , i would snag them off san luis pass pier and put them back out and catch very big trout ... just my 2 cents

[GGF]

Could it be that they are doing the chasing rather than being chased?

That or they are just frolicking out of shear joy.

[Gray Ducker]

As said trout love 'em. Other than that most of the times I've seen 'em in large numbers, they are always darting and moving around.

[Swells]

Yessir, big trout like big needlefish and ballyhoo, which are two kinds of the same looking fish except the ballyhoo doesn't have a long spear on it's top beak. Doesn't matter, the trout like both, even to 12 inches long. We also use them offshore for catching billfish, wahoo, tuna, and whatever.

These fish can hover in one place and zoom off like a rocket, so they are quite fast and nervous.

By the way, sometimes the dolphin (Flipper) or shark love to chase the breeder trout which are chasing the needlefish and the ballyhoo, makes things real lively!

[trophytroutman]

Them big trout love them needlefish.

[Gater]

Needlefish

Strike Pro makes a needle fish in a couple of different sizes. Gater

[Tiny]

That's a good looking bait Gater.

[Walker]

There there's big needlefish...

[FP10]

Are you sure Chip wasn't in the same cove. He might have been spooking them with his speedos!! If Chip was wading in the same cove wouldn't you run too?

[kenny]

This is the Norton "needle gar"pattern I throw, but generally the junior.
It's a crappy shot but its O.D. green, yellow with white belly.

[shallowist]

Yes sir, Trout like to harrass and eat needle fish, and Ballyhoo. Both are similar in shape and size. both have horendous smell. You can do a reasonable job of imitating with a spook junior. It's more about the movement and flash.
Jighead, if you take your flyrod, just throw a chartreuse and white fly and you should get their attention.

[Walker]

So - makes me wonder if maybe I should try one of my needlefish flies on trout. I tied them for barracuda, never thought about using them on trout.