What Are The Best Trout Lures?

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Nate

I have spent many years fishing for trout, from the spring rivers of the Midwest and Northeast, to the Rocky Mountains out west. I started out spin fishing, which allowed me to learn the many different trout lures and spinners that are effective in attracting trout. I then switched to fly fishing, which has allowed me to learn a new method for landing these beautiful species of fish.

The Best Trout Lures

In answering the question, ‘what are the best trout lures,’ you need to take into consideration the different techniques for catching these fish. Not only are conventional lures part of the consideration, but flies, streamers, spinners, and even baits. The word ‘lure’ is defined as an attractant. Therefore, any of these items could be defined as a trout lure. For the purposes here, let’s focus on trout lures and spinners that are commonly used by spin fishermen.

Spinners

Trout lures are commonly broken into a few different categories. Spinners are the most popular, and usually produce excellent results. Spinners mimic swimming bait fish, and target trout that are in the mood for a larger meal than the usual scud or fly. Often, the largest trout in a hole can be caught with spinners. There are many different types of trout spinners. The most common features a gold, black, or silver blade with a different colored body and a treble hook covered by some colored hackle. Mepps makes great trout spinners for the money, and are very effective stream trout lures. Below is a set of 3 Mepps spinners that work very well in a lot of circumstances. Click the image for more information, or to purchase the set today.

Spoons

Spoons and variations on spoons are another type of common trout lures. When retrieved, these lures produce a slow jerky motion that mimics a wounded bait fish. Often, spoons are silver or gold, with dots or stripes painted on them, with a single treble hook at the end. They don’t have to decorated well to be effective. Spoons are some of the most effective trout lures for lakes. Click the image below for more information on this 16 piece assortment of trout spoons (or click here to buy them now).

Lures

The third category of common trout lures would be all the other lures that are commonly used for smallmouth and largemouth bass, including crankbaits, jerkbaits, poppers, plugs, and wigglers. These lures come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, and can be very effective in landing lunker trout. If you are trolling a lake, trolling trout lures include the crankbaits and jerkbaits, because they will maintain a specific depth depending on the speed of the boat. Below is the image of an excellent assortment of shallow diving jointed crankbaits that are perfrect for trout fishing. Click the image for more information or to buy the set now.

The Bottom Line

There are many different trout lures available on the market, and finding trout lures for sale is as easy as walking into a local tackle shop, or browsing online fishing retailers. Look for the best deals so you can save money for the most important fishing gear, and for future upgrades. For me, the best trout lures are the ones that are catching fish at the moment. Each situation calls for a different lure. You need to be ready to experiment with different options before being set on a favorite, and that is why having options is key. Practice will help you to determine the best trout lures for your fishing situations. Happy fishing!

What is your favorite trout lure? Let us know in the comment section below. Thanks!

Lake Trout Fishing – High Mountain Excitement

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Nate

There is a lake close to where I live that is prime lake trout fishing. This lake sits at roughly 8000 feet, and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. The lake has very deep and cold waters, making it ideal habitat for mackinaw, otherwise known as lake trout.

Lake trout are a popular game fish whose habitat stretches across the northern US and Canada, and into Alaska. They are a predatory fish, aggressively feeding on other species. This behavior allows them to grow to very large sizes, making lake trout great trophies.

Lake trout fishing is quite a bit different from fishing for other trout species. Lake trout spend most of their time at depths between 60 and 200 feet below the surface. Conventional fly fishing or spin fishing gear would yield minimal results. To fish successfully for macks, it is essential that you have access to a boat and trolling gear.

Essential Lake Trout Fishing Gear

When looking for the right lake trout fishing gear, it is important to know what lake trout fishing rigs and lake trout fishing lures work the best. Knowing the basic lake trout fishing techniques will also help you to deploy the proper gear. When it comes to lures and rigs, pop gear is by far the most popular trolling lake trout gear. Pop gear is basically a long string of spinners and flashy beads, with a spoon at the end that can be baited or not. The spinners and shiny beads will act as attraction for feeding lake trout. The entire strand of pop gear will mimic a school of swimming bait fish, with the trailing spoon mimicking a wounded minnow trying to keep up with the school. This is almost irresistible for feeding macks.

Pop Gear

The ‘pop’ in pop gear comes from the noise and vibrations that are caused by the many different spinning blades. This noise is also essential for attracting curious macks.

When fishing with pop gear, make sure you are trolling the right depths. Fish finders will help you to find at what depth the macks are feeding at. Once you know the approximate depth, you will need some weight to get the pop gear to the desired depth. This is where down riggers come in. Down riggers are heavy weights that will deploy your lake trout fishing rigs at a set depth. Once a fish strikes the rig, the weight detaches from your rig and you are free to fight the fish to the surface.

Conclusion

Lake trout fishing is a wonderful experience. These fish are large, heavy, and are a handful to reel in once hooked. Also, the opportunity to cruise around a high mountain lake enjoying the scenery makes this one of my favorite summer activities. Not only are these fish large and potential trophies, but they are also very good to eat. Hopefully, these lake trout fishing tips will help you to achieve fishing success on your next outing. As always, happy fishing and good luck!

Feel free to tell us about your favorite lake trout fishing trip in the comments section below. Also, feel free to ask a question or add any tips you many have below. Thanks!

Amazing Brook Trout Fishing

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Nate

If you are an avid fisherman, especially when it comes to fly fishing, you are probably well aware of how much fun brook trout fishing can be. Brook trout are a species of fish that is actually in the salmon family. Although they are commonly called trout, they are a char, related to lake trout, arctic char, bull trout and Dolly Varden. They are very widespread across the Northeastern US, mostly populating cooler rivers and streams, as well as spring fed ponds and high elevation lakes. Brook trout are also known to make runs into sea water, spending a few months fattening up before spawning in the late summer and fall.

Brook Trout Fishing Techniques – Fly Fishing

Brook trout fishing can be done many ways, the most popular of which is fly fishing. They feed mostly on small crustaceans and other underwater insect larvae. Larger brookies will feed on frogs, minnows, leaches, and even have been known to eat mice. When fly fishing for brook trout, it is important to focus on patterns that will mimic these examples of aquatic life. Choosing successful dry fly patterns will depend largely on the location you happen to be fishing. Brook trout fishing locations vary throughout the US because they have been transplanted from water system to water system, so each water system will have a different menu of insect life. Brook trout fishing in Maine will be similar to brook trout fishing in Canada just across the border, but will vary quite a bit from brook trout fishing in British Columbia. It is important to find out as much about the ecosystem before planning a fishing trip so you will have the right flies at your disposal.

Click the image below for more information on an assortment of trout flies plus a fly box that will get you started.

Brook Trout Fishing Techniques – Spin Fishing

For the angler that prefers to fish with lures, there are many different brook trout fishing lures that might do the trick in landing a trophy brookie. With lures, you will want to mimic the larger food sources, such as minnows and frogs. You will want to use lures with flash and erratic movements. Smaller spinner baits and rooster tails will do this with success. The sound that spinners generate, along with the flash, will help attract fish, especially in water that has lower visibility.

Click the image below for more information on this trout spinner assortment.

Other Tips

Brook trout can be caught all year, even during the winter months. Brook trout fishing in winter can often be better than during the summer months because less fishermen are pressuring the fish. If you are willing to brave the cold, you might be in line to catch some big fish.

Brook trout are a beautiful fish. Remember to always have fun while fishing, and good luck!

What is your favorite method for catching brook trout? Do you have a favorite or go-to lure or fly for landing brookies? Let us know in the comment section below. Thanks!

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