5 Recommended Trout Trolling Tips

Trout are one of the hardest fish to catch! Once heavily fished, they tend to become aloof and skeptical. If you’ve been fishing trout, you may wonder what the recommended trout trolling tips are.

It’s the combination of lures, baits, flashers and blades, leader length, and speed. That seems to be the most effective way to land trout. Your chances at successful fishing increase!

But they require a lot more thought, though. Worry not! Below are the lists of some of the best and amazing techniques to catch trout!

Recommended Lures for Trout Trolling

Lures imitate the natural food or prey of trout. Out of countless lures, the great choices include:

Kastmasters

This is an aerodynamic design that can land you a large to giant trout. Kastmasters have embossed quality, making them resistant to corrosion. Even after repeated exposure to water, the luster doesn’t fade. 

Trigger spoons

As the name implies, trigger spoons stimulate the feeding response in aquatic predators. That includes trout and salmon. When trolled at the right speed, they become deadly lures.

Wedding rings for trout

The wedding ring for trout consists of sparkly beads resembling a diamond ring. It spins at slow trolls underwater, making it impossible to resist.

Speedy shiners

Speedy signers are designed with colorful polish and unique patterns. They produce a captivating flash that draws fish in. Once the fish strikes, it grabs and holds the target. Then, it works by using its stainless steel split rings and strong VMC Cone-Cut® hooks.

Husky jerk Rapala

This is one of the best suspending jerk baits for trout and bass. Its natural buoyancy gives your lure a smooth floating appearance. With it, you can lure and catch fish that are far off because it is long casting. 

Plastic grubs

This is the best imitation for worms and insects. Their tail vibrates, producing a twisting motion. Fish lurking around would be triggered to bite. Anglers say that they’ve been around for many years and are proven effective at fishing trout. 

Recommended Trout Trolling Baits

What else is a better way than using their natural food for bait when trolling for trout? These baits won’t disappoint you!

Worms on a dead hook 

Many Anglers prefer worms. Why not? They are cheap and are also accessible. Lumbricus Terrestris and nightcrawlers are great choices for trout. They are bigger, thus attracting big fish.

Start by cutting the worm and threading it onto the hook. Piercing through the whole body tends to be inefficient. Avoid cutting the worm too small as smaller fish may nibble on it. Allow a small part to hang.

If you’re a beginner, you may need a bobber, so you can adjust the position of the stop.

Knot to fish at your preferred depth. Your bait will be suspended right where it’s visible to trout. Worms on a dead hook can be messy at first, but it’s worth it.

Rolling shad

Shad is also one of the most favorite foods of trout. This herring-fish is commonly found in the sea but spawns in freshwater. You can use dip nets to catch shad, but the easiest way is to buy from a local market. For $3.99, you can get 50 baits.

Brining the shad preserves them, but that can be time-consuming. You can use Fine Brine. That doesn’t only improve the appearance of your bait but also tighten them. As a result, they don’t break up quickly underwater.

Twenty feet and below, light is barely visible, so choose blue, yellow, or green Fine Brine. Fish are attracted to flashy baits. With colorful shad, you increase your chances of catching trout in deeper water.

How do you get started? Pour ½ liquid of Fine Brine into a container or plastic. Add the shad, then let it sit for 24 hours. Before fishing, bend the shad, so it will tightly roll in the water.

The more line bend you apply, the faster the shad rolls. That triggers trout prey at the bottom to bite. To avoid line twists, use a swivel.

Recommended Flashers and Blades for Trout Trolling

Flashers are bright-colored steel wire with a narrow plastic keel at the front end. They are often referred to as pop gears and trolls. Down in the water, they create an attractive flash as they rotate and catch the light. Consequently, that makes it an effective fish attractor. 

You need a bait with a hook or a length of a leader to get the job done. Flashers and blades don’t have a hook attached to them. This method can be a lot harder than it sounds, but it’s going to be worth it. 

Flashers and blades come in various styles and shapes. Remember that no specific type or

The brand can apply in a particular situation. Look for the finest out there and choose the one you think will work best for you.

Size

Size is important in trolling flashers. The bigger the size, the harder they pull. If you’re initially using them, the lighter ones are recommended. They work without putting so much resistance and stress on the line. You’d be able to fish smoothly.

Shape

If the size is important, so is the shape. Most flashers have precise constructions and are medium resistance. But Colorado with a wide serving spoon shape is a good choice to start with. They perform well at slow to medium trolling speeds. 

Color

Choosing the right color increases your chances of attracting your target. Silver is ideal for freshwater, while gold for murky bottom lakes. 

Recommended Trout Trolling Leader Length

A fishing leader is an extra-strong length of line attached to the main fishing line and hook. This protects your main fishing line from breaking. Also, it makes your bait look more presentable. 

When trolling for trout, the recommended leader lengths vary. But most anglers prefer 12-18 leader length. You should consider your style of fishing, though.

Bait and spin-casting

For this one, the length can be flexible. You don’t need to cover much water, so the size and casting distance won’t make much difference. 

A leader with a lure, however, is different—the casting distance matters. The preferred length is about 1 to 2 feet, so you can cast farther without difficulties.

You may need to prepare the following when setting up a leader:

·

  • Snap swivel
  • Hook ( 8-14 in size)
  • Leader (6-8 lb)
  • Bait (worms, shad, salmon eggs)
  • Braided line (10 lb)

Prepare multiple leaders as well if you ever need to change lures or baits. 

Fly fishing 

This one uses a lightweight or almost weightless lure. Thus, you may need to double the amount of line to use to compensate, so you can cast and throw the hook with its weight. Your leader length should be around 7.5 feet to 12 feet.

As much as possible, you want your line to stay hidden from the trout. The clearer the water, the longer the line should be. But as mentioned above, the longer the leader, the harder it is to cast. With that in mind, you need more forms and techniques to cast long lines without any problem.

https://youtu.be/J6tkRYeRNe4

Recommended Trout Trolling Speeds

The trout trolling speeds also vary depending on your lure and the depth of the water. 

Spoon Trolling

Spoon trolling requires 2.5 mph and 3 mph speed. At the bottom, trout are usually slacking off, so you would want to troll at around 2.5 mph. That would trigger them to strike without too much effort.

But if you’re trolling in the middle of the water, you can speed up to 3 mph. The trout there are often actively foraging. More likely to gravitate toward a fast-moving lure.

Dodger Trolling

Dodgers or flashers create tension or stress on the line. Thus, the recommended dodger trolling speed is between 1.5 mph and 2 mph. Any trolling speed faster than that poses a serious line twist or tangle. And that would result in an undesirable lure spin or movement in the water.

For a multi-bladed dodger, limit your speed to 1.5 mph to avoid extensive tension. For single-blade dodgers, you can speed it up to 2 mph. 

Swimbait Trolling

This style of fishing is great in spring or fall since most trout prey in the shallow water. Swimbaits require 2 mph and 3 mph to dive deep. Consequently, you may need a side imaging fish finder. It’s particular for that if you prefer to cover a large amount of water. Once the depth of water you’re fishing in has been determined, it’s much easier to adjust your speed.

Final Thoughts

Catching trout can be difficult—there are many factors to consider. This includes the weather, location, and temperature aside from tools. Also, you can combine lures, baits, flashers and blades, leader length, and speed. These specifications can increase your chances of landing trout. With patience and consistency, you soon would be able to land one of your greatest catches! 

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