Going for Trout fishing? Checked your list for everything? Got your fishing rods baits, toolbox, etc. But wait, I think you are forgetting one crucial element for trout fishing. Lures! That’s right, it is the most important part of trout fishing. For my first trout fishing tips, I would like to talk about how to choose a trout lure.
Choosing a trout lure depends on where you will be fishing, what trout fishing line you will be using and what type of rod you will fish with. A lot of fishermen prefer to use a fly rod but that’ll be too complicated for a beginner.
For the sake of keeping this article as simple as possible, I will go with a spinning rod and help you pick the perfect lure for trout fishing with that.
How To Choose A Trout Lure
The right lure choice can make all the difference between a successful day on the water or go home empty-handed. In this article, we are going to look at 5 basic trout lures that’ll help you get started with trout fishing.
These are mainly the brands I trust and pretty much the only brands that I’ll ever use. Sure, there are tons of other brands, but I’ve had exceptional luck with these and that’s why should also go with them.
1. Rooster Tail
I’ll start with the classic rooster tail. These lures have been around for years for a good reason. They are highly effective. These are extremely versatile products. In a typical rooster tail lure, you’ll find some type of attractors attached to it. It comes with a blade that spins and a tail that resembles the tail of rooster, hence the name rooster tail.
Now, selecting one of these lures you should keep in mind about the size of these lures. Size is important, there are a different variety of sizes available. They also come in a wide variety of color. Before picking one of these, some of the factors that you should consider are –
- Water clarity.
- How aggressive the fish are biting.
- Size of the fish that you are targeting.
Color also plays an important role. I would suggest you go for white or the rainbow trout pattern rooster tails. The white rooster tail stands out exceptionally well on clear water.
2. Panther Martin
Another good old lure for catching trout. This lure has been around for years because of their high catch rate. Trust me when I say this, its caught many of fishes. It almost identical to the rooster tail without the tail at the end.
Panther Martin lure comes with a blade that is very effective for calling the fish towards the lure. The blade just sits there and thumps in the water, almost mimic a water bug which trout loves to eat.
The blade works by catching the vibration which causes the fish to strike thinking it’s a prey. Just like the rooster tail, the same principle also applies to them. These lures come in a wide variety of color and size.
My personal favorite is the genuine gold-plated blade. It has a teardrop weight attached to that with two yellow holes. You can also go for the silver plated blade. This one does stand out pretty well in clear water. It has a yellowish small tail that almost looks like a fly pattern on the bottom with a red tip.
3. Trout Magnet
Number 3 on this list is the trout magnet. They are very simple. Nothing fancy on them. It has a rubber pink grub looking thing that resembles an earthworm.
They have split tail on them and comes with jig heads with hooks. It also comes with a couple of different sizes. The motion on these in the water is exceptional. But you need a trout magnet combo with them to catch a trout.
The trout magnet combo comes with floats. Attach those floats depending on how deep the water is. For example, if you are fishing on a 5-ft. deep water you need to attach the float so that the lure and the jig head can sit around at 3-4 ft. deep underwater.
From what I’ve seen, the yellow and the pink color proved highly successful. You may want to try out other color variations.
4. Spoons
You’ve read it correctly, it’s a spoon. Not technically though, this lure has been proven over and over to be successful by many of fisherman. Unlike the first two lures that you have already seen, the spoon acts a little bit different.
They tend to impart more of a wobbling action through the water. It does the same thing though, like a rooster tail blade, it acts as a flasher and attracter and calls in the fish.
It gives a different type of action though. From my experience, what I have learned is that the action of the lure can make all difference in the world.
5. Rapala
The classic Rapala. It’s quite different than the previous ones you’ve seen. It differs a lot than the other lures we have looked at because it doesn’t rely on flash and flair to call in the fish. It mimics a small fish. Big trout eat smaller fish. That’s how this lure works.
Bigger fish are always looking for and feeding on smaller fish. That’s the way of nature. Depending on the condition and the aggressiveness of the fish, Rapala’s can be quite effective.
So there you have it, five main types of lure that has been proven highly effective over many years of fishing by a lot of fisherman including me. These are the type of lures that I’ll go out with if I’m specifically targeting trout. Whether its rainbow trout, brown trout or brook trout, they all hit these lures.
Basically, it all comes down to the combination and guessing game. You need to figure out what the trout are preferring that day. If you are not sure which one you should go for, why not ask a fellow fisherman what the fish are biting. Again, this lures work great if you are using spin cast rods & reels.
If you liked this beginner’s trout fishing tips on how to choose a trout lure, feel free to share and let me know which one you picked in the comments below.