Blade baits will work for brown trout. Whether you fish them with a steady retrieve, troll them or vertically jig with them, blade baits can be productive baits for brown trout. Simulate a bait fish that they feed on and there’s a good chance you’ll catch some brown trout with these baits.
Crankbaits can work well for brown trout. Most anglers would fish them in bigger lakes and some people use them to troll for brown trout. They aren’t as popular in the rivers, however, they can work in the rivers too.
Casting spoons can be very effective and they will work in lakes, rivers and streams. For many river anglers, they won’t cast a spoon because there are more effective ways to catch them in the rivers. In lakes, a well placed spoon can often be one of the best ways to catch these fish.
Jigging spoons work when brown trout are deep and when you can find them bunched up in a school. In the Great Lakes, these fish are known for moving into the harbors from fall through spring and in some areas, you can find a lot of fish in a relatively small area. This is when a jigging spoon can work really well. There are some other situations you may run into that are also effective, so it’s nice to have them in the box for when you need them.
Trolling spoons are made for trolling and on the bigger lakes, trolling is the most popular method to catch these fish.
Jerkbaits can be a very effective lure for brown trout in the right situation. It is often easier to cover water by trolling, so a jerkbait isn’t the best way to cover water. However, when brown trout stack up in the harbors on the Great Lakes from fall through very early spring, a well placed jerkbait can be an awesome bait for a hungry brown trout.
Hair jigs work well for brown trout. You can use them in lakes, rivers and streams, however, they are much more popular in rivers and streams. Fish them alone or tip them with live bait. Both methods work, however, you are going to catch a lot more fish by tipping these jigs with a lively nightcrawler.
Inline spinners are great for trout and brown trout like them too. These lures are more popular in smaller lakes, rivers and streams than on bigger lakes, but when these fish move into the harbors on the Great Lakes, you can catch them with an inline spinner too. Some anglers troll with inline spinners in deeper water with heavier tackle and that can also be effective. For most anglers though, these spinners are best when fishing the rivers and streams.
The smaller underspins can be awesome lures for targeting brown trout in rivers and streams and the larger underspins work great on the bigger lakes where bigger fish are present. Rig your favorite minnow baits or finesse worms on these scrounger jigheads and you should get some action.