Trolling for trout on lakes is a bit of a guessing game and finding them is one task, but getting them to eat a lure is another.
You never quite know what will tickle their fancy and the only way to guarantee some success is by having a range of the best trout trolling lures in your box, so you can try out different lures to see what will work best on the day.
Best Lake Trout Trolling Lure
Join me as I take a look at the best trout lure available and what’s best for your next adventure.
The Best Trout Trolling Lures From The Review
Before we proceed with the full reviews, here are the 3 best trout trolling lures from the lineup…
Top Pick
Panther Martin Spinner Holograph Trout Spinner
A lure that works well in all lakes no matter the conditions.
Panther Martin Spinner Holograph Trout Spinner
The best trout trolling lures overall are the Panther Martin Spinners.
These trout lures work in every kind of water from dirty lakes to pristine ones, plus you can get them in a range of colors and sizes to match every baitfish you might find at your favorite lake.
Best Lake Trout Trolling Lure
Mack’s Lure 22200 Double Whammy
Consists of a spinning head with a shiny bead chain and two hooks at the back.
Mack’s Lure 22200 Double Whammy
The best trout trolling lures for lake trout are the Mack’s Lure 22200 Double Whammy spinners.
These lures seem to bring up trout from the depths of a lake, even in 60ft or water, thanks to their large profile and dynamic spinning action.
Best Trout Fishing Lures For Rainbow Trout Trolling
Luhr Jensen 2 Needlefish Spoon
Made of brass and with a single sharp hook, these are one of the best for durability as no amount of trout strikes, even from large lake trout, are going to put a dent in it.
Luhr Jensen 2 Needlefish Spoon
The best trout trolling lures for rainbow trout are the Luhr Jensen 2 Needlefish Spoons.
These trout lures can be fished at fast or slow speeds, shallow or deep, and they are fantastic for casting too.
Rainbows tend to like smaller lures too, and these are the perfect size for them at 2 inches.
Our Top Trout Trolling Lures
Rapala Countdown
The Rapala Countdown is a sinking crankbait trout lure that is perfect for fishing lakes and rivers.
The trout lure is larger than most trout lures at 9 cm long but it’s a trout lure you should have in your tackle box when targeting larger fish, like big lake trout.
Being a sinking trout lure, this Rapala will swim at 6-10 feet when trout trolling, ideal when the trout have gone a bit deeper to feed.
Usage
It has great action and swims just like a bait fish that brown trout, rainbow trout, and lake trout love to feed on. Take note that the right action should make your rod tip bounce gently.
It’s also a great trout lure for casting.
You can cast this lure into waters where trout might be sitting, count the seconds so you know many feet deep it’s gone down, and then bring it in.
This allows you to work different parts of the water column so you can find out where the trout are feeding.
Materials
The Rapala lure is made from balsa wood making it tough and it’ll handle hit after hit from hungry trout.
It comes with two treble hooks so any fish that comes near it is going to get hooked and stay on the line.
Colors
The Rapala lure comes in a range of colors, 5 in total, and the range covers every color you might need to work different lakes and rivers in order to catch trout.
Because it’s a sinking lure you need to make sure that you wind it in when you aren’t moving or might end up snagging the bottom.
Otherwise, this is one of the best trout fishing lures to have in your tackle box when you want to target larger trout.
Specs
- Type: Crankbait – sinking
- Weight: 12 g
- Length: 9 cm
- Colors: Sardine, Silver Mackerel, Green Mackerel, Red Head, Dorado
- Hooks: 2 x treble
Pros
- Sinking for trolling in deeper water depths
- Runs at 6-10 feet when trolled
- Great action that trout like
- Multiple trebles for a high hook up rate
- Durable and lasts many a hit by trout
- Works for all species of trout
- Good for other species in fresh and saltwater like pike or jacks
Cons
- Sinks when not being moved and can tangle on the bottom
Top Pick
Panther Martin Spinner
When it comes to spinners and trout trolling, a favorite trout lure of mine that will work well in all lakes no matter the conditions is the Panther Martin Spinner.
These spinners spin faster than any others in the world making it one of the most effective trout lures around.
Function
The spinning action catches the light and attracts every kind of trout from brown trout and rainbow trout to lake trout.
If you’re fishing in lakes with dirty water, the spinning also creates sonic vibrations, so even if the trout can’t see the lure, they’ll hear it and come to inspect, so you can hopefully catch them.
Size
This trout lure comes in a range of sizes from 1/32 to ⅜ of an oz so you can find one to match whatever sizes of line or rod you like fishing for trout with, plus you can match the length to whatever bait fish the trout are eating, small or large.
Colors
These lures also come in over ten different colors to match the water conditions of the lakes or rivers you fish.
Plus with a treble hook, any trout that takes a bite, you’re bound to catch it.
Weight
The lures also sink, so when using them you can opt to troll slowly to fish deeper sections of the lakes up to 10 feet or go a bit faster to fish in shallow water say 1-3 feet.
They are also great to cast with and work for other species of fish too.
Bass and salmon love them.
Usage
These are certainly trout lures you want in your tackle bag, in multiple sizes and colors.
Keep in mind though that the hooks can slide off after you land a fish, as the top slides up, so check the lure often. Also, the paint tends to chip off quite quickly.
Specs
- Type: Spinner
- Weight: 1/32 – ⅜ oz
- Length: 3 inch
- Colors: 10+
- Hooks: 1 x treble
Pros
- Casts well and works for trolling
- Fastest spinner in the world and attracts all species
- Works in all fishing conditions, even dirty water
- Sends out sonic vibrations that attract fish from a distance
- Can be fished deep or shallow
- Quality hooks for a great hook-up rate
- Comes in a range of colors for a variety
- Works for other species like salmon and bass
Cons
- Hooks can slide off easily
- Paint chips quite fast
Best Trout Fishing Lures For Rainbow Trout Trolling
Luhr Jensen 2 Needlefish Spoon
Made of brass and with a single sharp hook, these are one of the best for durability as no amount of trout strikes, even from large lake trout, are going to put a dent in it.
Luhr Jensen 2 Needlefish Spoon
When it comes to making sure you have all the right trout lures in your box, spoons have got to make an appearance.
Design
They are one of the most basic lures being made of a sheet of metal with a hook at the back, but they are a favorite and a must-have lure.
If you use a trolling spoon, you’ll find they work time and time again, and not just for trout, but for more fish species from jacks to pike.
Usage
The Luhr Jensen 2 Needlefish Spoons are ones you have to get. They work for trolling and cast well too.
You can use the spoons on any water, lakes, or rivers, and at a small speed you can fish them deeper, or by using them at fast trolling speeds (max 5mph) you can get the lures to run shallow.
Materials
This allows you to work different depths of the water you’re in so you can find where the trout are feeding and start to catch as many trout as possible.
Made of brass and with a single sharp hook, these are one of the best for durability as no amount of trout strikes, even from large lake trout, are going to put a dent in it.
Size
At 2 inches long, they are the best size to match the bait fish trout love to eat, and at 1/16 oz you can cast them long distances, or let them sink to work up to 20 feet of the water column.
They sure are a lure you have to get inside your tackle bag, but be sure you use a swivel with them, or might find they coil up your line.
Specs
- Type: Spoon
- Weight: 1/16 oz
- Length: 2 inches
- Colors: 5
- Hooks: 1 x single
Pros
- Can be trolled up to 5 mph for a fast or slow troll
- Will fish deep to 10 feet if you let it
- Very effective lure on lakes and for lake trout
- Heavy-duty split rings are reliable
- Durable, long-lasting, and have good corrosion-resistance
- Excellent hook-up rate thanks to the quality hook
- Great for casting and trolling
- Range of colors for tempting trout with
Cons
- Will coil your line if you don’t use a swivel
Best Lake Trout Trolling Lure
Mack’s Lure 22200 Double Whammy
Consists of a spinning head with a shiny bead chain and two hooks at the back.
Mack’s Lure 22200 Double Whammy
The Mack’s Lure 22200 Double Whammy is a spinner trout lure that can be cast or used for trolling.
The lure consists of a spinning head with a shiny bead chain and two hooks at the back.
The double hook rig ensures that any fish in the lake, brown trout or rainbow trout, that tries to take a bite out of the lure will get hooked and you’ll catch it.
Size
Size-wise, these lures are pretty big at 10 cm, and ideal when you want to catch bigger fish, as they tend to only go for a bigger bait.
Being a sinking lure it also allows you to fish a range of feet in the water, you can let it go deeper or at a small trolling speed for it to fish shallow.
Usage
This is a favorite lure for many anglers, and they end up using it at a time when nothing else works, and they catch fish with it.
It does work, and it’s worth having a few in your stock to use when you aren’t bringing many trout to the boat.
The only annoying thing about this top lure is that it only comes in one size and color, so won’t get the range you need to match all sized bait, but still get a couple of them.
Specs
- Type: Spinner
- Weight: 1/20 oz
- Length: 10 cm
- Colors: Pink
- Hooks: 2 x single
Pros
- Two hooks for an excellent hook-up rate
- Front spinner does a top job at attracting trout
- Durable setup that will last a lot of trout
- Great action and swims well when cast or trolled
- Affordable
Cons
- Only comes in one size and color
Dynamic Lures Trout Fishing Lure
One of the top actions around that makes them swim well and seem to be irresistible to trout and bass most of the time.
Dynamic Lures Trout Fishing Lure
The Dynamic Lures Trout Fishing Lure is another favorite amongst both trout and bass anglers.
Build
The lures have one of the top actions around that make them swim well and seem to be irresistible to trout and bass most of the time.
These lures are Rapala-style lures, and they come in an original floating or slow sinking version.
The version we are focussing on is the slow sinking as it is better for using in lakes where you will need to fish a bit deeper.
Design
The lures have a front slip design that makes them swim through the water like frantic bait fish when you’re trolling them.
Plus they also have some ball bearings inside that rattle and send sound waves through the water to attract any lurking trout.
How It Works
Once a trout hears the noise and sees how the lures swim in the water, they can’t help but pounce.
And when they do, the two treble hooks ensure you get them to the boat every time.
You can use these lures when trolling or casting, and with their slow sinking rate, you can fish them deeper or shallow, making them ideal for use on lakes.
The only downside to the lures is that their front lip can gather weeds when fished in shallow water.
Specs
- Type: Crankbait – slow sinking
- Weight: ⅓ oz
- Length: 2.25 or 3 inch
- Colors: 16 different colors
- Hooks: 2 x treble hooks
Pros
- Comes in a range of different colors
- Slow sinking for fishing up to 2 feet deep
- Work well trolling or casting
- Effective action that trout can resist
- Works with other species as well as trout
- Durable and can handle hitting a rock or two
- Ball bearings make it rattle to attract fish
Cons
- Front slip design can pick up weeds
Things to consider when buying trout trolling lures
What Type of Lure Should You Get?
Whether you’re fly fishing or trolling, you have a lot of types of lure to choose from.
When it comes to trolling lures the main types are crankbaits, spinners, and spoons.
Crankbaits look and swim like fish while spoons are a bit of metal that attracts trout due to their shiny appearance.
And spinners have a spinning part on the end that makes a noise and reflects light, which drives predators like trout wild.
NOTE
All of these types of lure are featured above and in all honesty, you can’t own just a single type, you need to own a variety of them all.
Trout Feeding Habits & Matching Them
Trout change their feeding habits daily and sometimes hourly.
They can go from feeding on the top water of lakes to moving 30ft down, and you need a variety of lure types to match these habits.
TIP
So a top bit of advice is to own all types of lures, sinking and floating versions, so you can match what the trout are feeding on.
Do lure sizes and color matter?
Yes, a lot. Bright colors help fish see a lure in dirty water, and from long distances, but they can put fish off when used in crystal clear lakes.
Your best option is to own a variety of different colored lures so that you can match the water conditions.
Check out this informative video about fishing lures…
Size
Size is also a factor.
If you’re targeting a big fish, you want big lures, as they won’t get out of bed for small meals.
You also need to match what the fish are eating, so having a range from small to large trout lures in your box is a must.
Sinking & Floating Options Vs Seasonality
You can buy a lure that sinks or floats, and you need them both in our box.
All species of fish react to water temperature and during cold water in winter, they go to deep water to stay warm, in summer they go deep to stay cool, and in spring and autumn, they stay shallow to feed on hatching baitfish.
This means you need a sinking and floating lure in your box in order to be successful fishing all year round.
Trolling Up
Thanks for reading my article about the best trolling lures for trout, I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful.
The key is to have a variety to lure types, colors and sizes so you can find out what the trout want to eat each day.
If you haven’t quite decided which lures to get, here are my two favorite lures that you should get for your tackle box.
Top Pick
The Panther Martin spinner is deadly and perfect for using on lakes and rivers whether the water is dirty or clean.
Get some in a few different sizes and colors so you’re covered for every kind of water you might fish.
Best Trout Fishing Lures For Rainbow Trout Trolling
My other favorite lures are the Luhr Jensen 2 Needlefish Spoons.
These are trolling and casting lures that are deadly on lakes and rivers.
They are super durable, fish love them, and they are the perfect size for trout.
Feel Free To Share
Thanks again for reading my article, please share it around with your fishing friends so they can catch more trout than ever.
Also, you might enjoy checking out some of my other articles. I cover everything from rods, reels, fish finders, to trolling motor batteries, so if you need something, you’ll find the info you need here.
If you want more lake trout lures, check out the Best Lake Trout Lure article.
