Looking to get some specific info on the "must have" trout fishing lures for early may. Cost isn't a huge factor, so what should I not leave home without? Thanks for your help!!

Do you want fishing info for Lake Trout or Brook trout?

quote Savage Voyageur: "Do you want fishing info for Lake Trout or Brook trout?"

yes ? but here's a pic of some common brook trout lures(smaller spoons/spinners)whole crawlers on the bottom inflated/float can be very good also

~ Shiny spoons (for example - Little Cleo's)

~ Spinners (for example - Mepps)

~ Deep running Rapalas (I'm partial to purpledescent)

Lake trout was what I am after. Never caught one as of yet despite ice fishing a few times for them. Hoping a spring run to the Bwca will end my unlucky streak. Thanks again for all your help.

We caught them on "minnow looking" rapalas this spring.

blue/silver deep cranks. same with cleos.

lakers 3rd week in september, this has been my bread and butter rapala f18 blk/gold, the suspending fat free shad is a close 2nd

Purple Tail Dancers, Little Cleo's.

Lower left picture. Those with a piece of cisco or shiner. Vertical jigging (bombing) or just jigging.

KenKatch

Everyone has their favorite spring trout lures. I often see lists of fav lures being comprised of local favs and lures the angler already has. So really, many lures will work, just get them in front of the fish on a good trout lake.

Still, if I'm listing my 10 favorites, they would be (in no particular order but I'm partial to the original raps and mooos look spoons...):

-original floating rap, in natural, gold and perch colors
-countdown rapalas in the same colors
- Husky Jerks (#12 and #14), the Tenesee Shad color has been killing the last number of years, but gold and natural work as well
-little cleos, in chartreuse/silver and blue silver
- Moose Look spoons, in gold, silver and almond with red dots (another killer)
-Williams Wablers
-EGB's
-Various 'flutter spoons', like Northern King salmon trolling spoons, used with snap weights to get deep (watermelon, monkey puke and wonderbread are great color patterns)

I'm sure a lot of other lures will work as well, the one thing I have noticed over the years is that spring lakers respond much better to 'tight wobble' lures like the original raps, as opposed to some of the wider wobbling plugs, which seems to work better when the water warms up a bit.

Hope this helps,

Moonman.

Small spoons and spinners work great. Sometimes a hook and worm works just as good as anything though.

quote kanoes: "blue/silver deep cranks. same with cleos."

+1

I agree with the comments above - most lures will catch trout and you just have to figure out which ones are the best lures to use during the conditions you are fishing. Some days spoons outfish everything, some days it's crankbaits, some days it's spinners..... when all else fails you can just throw a piece of cisco, shiner, or some other cut bait on the bottom of the lake and wait for a laker to come by and eat it.
I have caught many trout over the years from shore right at a campsite throwing a line out and leaving it alone.

quote Moonman: "Everyone has their favorite spring trout lures. I often see lists of fav lures being comprised of local favs and lures the angler already has. So really, many lures will work, just get them in front of the fish on a good trout lake.


Still, if I'm listing my 10 favorites, they would be (in no particular order but I'm partial to the original raps and mooos look spoons...):


-original floating rap, in natural, gold and perch colors
-countdown rapalas in the same colors
- Husky Jerks (#12 and #14), the Tenesee Shad color has been killing the last number of years, but gold and natural work as well
-little cleos, in chartreuse/silver and blue silver
- Moose Look spoons, in gold, silver and almond with red dots (another killer)
-Williams Wablers
-EGB's
-Various 'flutter spoons', like Northern King salmon trolling spoons, used with snap weights to get deep (watermelon, monkey puke and wonderbread are great color patterns)


I'm sure a lot of other lures will work as well, the one thing I have noticed over the years is that spring lakers respond much better to 'tight wobble' lures like the original raps, as opposed to some of the wider wobbling plugs, which seems to work better when the water warms up a bit.


Hope this helps,


Moonman.


"

Good advice. p.s. very impressive photo journal your flies are very well done as well as your paddles.

quote brerud: "I agree with the comments above - most lures will catch trout and you just have to figure out which ones are the best lures to use during the conditions you are fishing. Some days spoons outfish everything, some days it's crankbaits, some days it's spinners..... when all else fails you can just throw a piece of cisco, shiner, or some other cut bait on the bottom of the lake and wait for a laker to come by and eat it.
I have caught many trout over the years from shore right at a campsite throwing a line out and leaving it alone."

+1

Use to use a variety of lures in the spring,must be getting lazy,use about two now if I get ambitious. Just take extra for snagged lake bottoms, which always takes a few.

Lots of great advice here, in terms of lure selection. Definitely, if you are trying to get the skunk out of the bag, the springtime laker bite is a great time to go.

One thing I would recommend, especially if you are planning on trolling spoons, is to bring enough high-quality ball bearing swivels with you. It will keep your line from twisting. You'll probably be trolling with a lot of line out, and line can get ruined by too much twisting.

Best of luck.

quote outsidej: "Lots of great advice here, in terms of lure selection. Definitely, if you are trying to get the skunk out of the bag, the springtime laker bite is a great time to go.


One thing I would recommend, especially if you are planning on trolling spoons, is to bring enough high-quality ball bearing swivels with you. It will keep your line from twisting. You'll probably be trolling with a lot of line out, and line can get ruined by too much twisting.


Best of luck."

Agree,nothing but the best swivels for me,been there done that,and it is a mess.

They are expensive but worth every cent, they will eliminate line twist Sampo solid ring cross lock swivels

Good advice here.

I like these for trolling a little deeper with spoons and plugs. They eliminate line twist but a longer rod is nice so you can run a 4'-6' leader behind and still land the fish comfortably.

Trolling Sinkers

you'll catch one forsure early spring. blue/silver little cleos.. You can also go with green.

6lb floro leader the length of your rod attached with a ball bearing swivel to whatever line you like. Don't go cheap on the swivel or you'll regret it. On the end I tie either a 5/8 oz blue/silver or orange/gold Little Cleo. Trout are shallow in the spring so you don't need to add any weight, just troll with a LOT of line out (to the tune of 30+ yards--they spook easily) and paddle very slowly along shore line that has drop offs.

This method has never disappointed me in the spring :).

Good luck and have fun!