Trolling for trout

[gutsnthegrass]

Hey all,
I have a 14’ lake boat with an electric trolling motor and was thinking of taking the boys out fishing. What do you guys use to catch trout while trolling? I have some spinners and wedding rings that I was going to try.

Thanks

[vandeman17]

Depending on the lake that should work. Just experiment with gear, speed of the troll and depth. Great way for kids to hook some fish and I have tons of memories when I was little of being half asleep until the pole got darn near yanked out of my hand 

[WSU]

Adding a chunk of worm to your spinners can help.

[Sandberm]

I like Rooster tail spinners. Add split shot weights to experiment with depth. Experiment with color to see what the fish will strike on that day.

Another lure I've used with success is the smallest flat fish they make. Chrome with some color or perhaps a brown one have worked well for me at times. Again, add a split shot if your not getting any strikes.

By the way, some of my fondest memories are of me and my dad fishing together over decades till he just couldn't get out anymore. It really wasn't the fishing, it was the conversations on the way to the lake and while fishing. 

[pickardjw]

Tie your main line to one end of a barrel snap swivel, then a leader to the other end of the barrel swivel. This will leave you with the snap that you can hang ball weights to. Get a few from 1/2 oz to 2 oz and that will help you experiment with the depth. In the summer they can be on the surface in the morning too, so flat lining with no weight may work as well.

A dodger between the weight and the lure is a great addition, about 2' from the weight. Then a 6"-12" leader from the dodger to the lure depending on how much action you want the dodger to impart on the lure. I usually only add a 1/2 or 1/3 of a nightcrawler to the lure. You'll nail them with that setup!

[MADMAX]

one bladed hildebrandt, about 16 inch leader and a worm
 

[Igor]

I have been very successful over the years trolling various Super Duper lures.  Trout love 'em !

[nwwanderer]

Probably need to find a slow setting on the motor and go deeper than you think this time of year

[jackelope]

Trout are heading for deeper and cooler waters at this point. Fish as deep and as slow as you can.

[GASoline71]

In the 40 years I've been fishing for trout, I've caught more trout while trolling small to medium size lakes with these than any other lure.

Luhr Jensen calls them a Kwikfish

Yakima Bait Co. call them a flatfish.

Gary

[jeffro]

Dick nites, my fave is the half brass, half chrome, next would be the green perch pattern
I always drag a Wooley bugger fly on the surface, sometimes tipped with nightcrawler
floating fly lines
Or floating bubble at least 6’ in front, trolled in the prop wash about 40 feet back
Always seem to get the bigger ones that way!
Pop gear with a worm
Red devil spoon’s are killers
Kwik-fish
The trick to trolling is speed variation
Speed up, slow down, troll in a S pattern
Or
Find a nice spot to anchor
Plunk some powerbait, float a worm under a bobber, top of weeds is best, or cast a black rooster tail, let it sink
Light lines
Trout are easy,

[Farmer72]

I am with GASonline71. I use a #4 Flatfish in either the frog color picture above or orange with black spots. However this time of year you are going to want to get deeper. Another old standby is pop gear with a wedding ring and nightcrawler.

[KNOPHISH]

1 word, jointed rainbow rapala. 

[wadu1]

My all-time favorite is an old Fluorescent Orange F2 Midget Flatfish. Mine is an old wooden one that I got in the 60's it still has some orange on it you mostly see the primer paint. The hooks have been replaced more than a dozen times over the year. I dread they day I lose it.

[dilleytech]

I used to do best trolling a olive green wooly bugger fly with a split shot a few ft in front of it. Sometimes I would put a small flashing about 3 ft in front of it and that worked well to. Spinner and plugs work but a streamer fly always worked best for me.

[OutHouse]

Small black rooster tail nails them every time for me. Doesn't matter what the weather is they always like black. For me at least!

[Rob]

How slow is slow for lake trolling for rainbows?  1mph?  I have been 1.75 mph and not doing well.

Bottom bouncer pulling a wedding ring is what I have been pulling

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

1 word, jointed rainbow rapala. 

.
 
.
As the guy usually running the boat, I would vary every rod with something different.
When I figured out  what worked I would set all the other rods to that.
.
Often the forgotten rod with my j-9 rapala would catch the largest fish while we put scales on the bottom of the boat from planter fish.

[metlhead]

Small koke dodger, 12" leader to a wedding ring tipped with chunk of garden worm is the only thing I used this spring. Seemed to work just fine. Suppose you could just drag a worm and do as well.

[ASHQUACK]

Small Leo's flasher to a wedding ring or smile blade fly. I tip mine with fluorescent green power bait. Troll just fast enough to make the flasher spin. As said above start with 1/4 oz weights and move up until you find the fish.

[Southpole]

1 word, jointed rainbow rapala. 

.
 
.
As the guy usually running the boat, I would vary every rod with something different.
When I figured out  what worked I would set all the other rods to that.
.
Often the forgotten rod with my j-9 rapala would catch the largest fish while we put scales on the bottom of the boat from planter fish.

When we get bored of spanking the shoreline for bass we’ll troll around. I’m a big fan of trying untraditional lures. The 3” floating rainbow rapala has worked well, you don’t have to reel it in when you have to stop the boat and you never know what you’re going to reel in. Lately I’ve found a really hot rig. It’s a pumpkinseed colored crappie jig with a curly tail, pink berkley power maggot and a small weight 2 feet above. It’s not flashy and kinda boring to look at but Trout love it!

[BigGoonTuna]

In the 40 years I've been fishing for trout, I've caught more trout while trolling small to medium size lakes with these than any other lure.

Luhr Jensen calls them a Kwikfish

Yakima Bait Co. call them a flatfish.

Gary

ive used those for years and they work great, but always struggle with keeping fish hooked with them.

Yakima bait’s maglip now comes in a trout size(like the size of an f5 or f6 flatfish) and they are a killer. The hook hangs off the tail instead of the belly on the small size.

[rainshadow1]

Lots of the basic idea, I add another vote for adding some worm to the spinner.

My favorite is a #2 gold on gold Blue Fox Vibrax.

[TeacherMan]

I have a 14’ lake boat with troller too. To me there is one setup that works 10x better than the rest. Pop gear with a double wammy wedding ring and a full night crawler. I’ve literally caught 100s of trout on this setup, probably 1000s 😂

[WapitiTalk1]

Wanna have some fun?  Take your ultralite spinning rod (you know, that little guy with 4 lb test on it) and tie two tiny flies on the line.  One fly at the end of the line and one up the line around 24".  How do you tie the second fly on?  It's easy... just make a loop in your main line maybe 30" up from the end and tie a short leader (6-8") on to the loop and tie on that second fly.  Use the smallest flies you can, regardless of the type.  Adams, skeetos, black ants, even small nymphs work great.  Just let out however much line you want to and drag the fly rigs around the lake slowly.  You'll catch fish doing this when others aren't using more traditional gear.  A planter feels like a big fish on the UL gear.  Good luck! 

[Rob]

Great info on this thread.  I see references to "slow" in several places.   how slow is slow?  1mph?  1.5MPH?

[gutsnthegrass]

It looks like slow is when the blades barely spin? 1mph or less. I agree, there is some really good info here. Thanks all!

[jackelope]

Great info on this thread.  I see references to "slow" in several places.   how slow is slow?  1mph?  1.5MPH?

My idea of slow is float tube and fins slow.  Not measured in mph.

But also this time of year, trout in lakes are really tough if you ask me too. Prime time has passed. Earlier in the year with cooler water temps, you can’t keep them off your hooks. They’re a cold water fish. Local lake in Carnation was 72 degrees 2 weekends ago 6’ below the surface. Those trout will be on the bottom, and they’ll move as little as possible.

It’s bass season in the lakes.

[TeacherMan]

I trolled last weekend at Elsie outside Kellogg Idaho. Lake at a little over 5k feet. We killed them! Smoker will be stacked coming up.

[Alchase]

I have a 14’ lake boat with troller too. To me there is one setup that works 10x better than the rest. Pop gear with a double wammy wedding ring and a full night crawler. I’ve literally caught 100s of trout on this setup, probably 1000s 😂

 

For trout, this is my first go to rig, with 1/2 night crawler threaded up the shank of the top hook, and the tail hooked on the lower hook.

If that does not work, I pull out the Double whammy and thread the night crawler the same.

Here is the kicker. Replace the standard hooks with red Gamakatsu hooks 

[Mossy]

In the 40 years I've been fishing for trout, I've caught more trout while trolling small to medium size lakes with these than any other lure.

Luhr Jensen calls them a Kwikfish

Yakima Bait Co. call them a flatfish.

Gary

Favorite color around here as well. 100 degrees here it would be tied to leaded line

[Rob]

The lake I fish (cocolalla] allegedly has both rainbow and large Browns.  Any change in strategy to target browns?

[HAGEMANIAC]

The lake I fish (cocolalla] allegedly has both rainbow and large Browns.  Any change in strategy to target browns?

That lake is a gold mine of fish

[Rob]

I have been picking up some nice small and largemouth but just starting to think about the trout.

I can be on the lake with a wet line 15 min after leaving my driveway so I figure I better learn how to fish it!

[nwwanderer]

Browns most active in the fall but may gobble that other fish on the line at any time!!!!

[MIKEXRAY]

I fish spoons, Little Cleo's etc in Orange or Frog colors for trolling. For casting same patterns in Castmasters. This is for Eastern lakes, mountains etc. Western Wa can't beat a pink wedding ring tipped with a 1 inch worm.

[TeacherMan]

The lake I fish (cocolalla] allegedly has both rainbow and large Browns.  Any change in strategy to target browns?

Trout color joined Rapala works great but I catch almost a 50/50 mix bag still with my pop gear and double wammy setup with a big night crawler.