10 Best Trout Lures In 2023

How To Choose The Best Trout Lure – Buying Guide

Trout lures come in all kinds of shapes, colors, and sizes. It is said that manufacturers make trout lures not just for trout’s eyes but also to catch the eyes of trout anglers.

The above are some of the best trout baits and they work very well at catching trout as long as they are fished properly. However, there is no one perfect lure that works all the time, on all trout, and for all kinds of fishing situations.

To help you pick the right kind of terminal tackle that will suit the diet and feeding tendencies of the trout you will be targeting, water conditions, time of year, and how you will be fishing, here’s a guide to the best trout fishing baits and lures.

Type

Trout have a varied diet and the types of lures and baits that can be used to catch them are just as varied. The first step to choosing the best trout lures is to learn what their favorite foods are.

Small trout eat insects while large trout that are over one foot long mostly eat smaller fish, worms, frogs, and larger insects. Stocked trout are fed pellets.

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The best trout fishing bait is what they eat. Minnows, worms, salmon eggs, power bait, larvae, nightcrawlers, crickets, grasshoppers, marshmallows, and small fish are all among the best fishing baits for catching trout. For example, the best rainbow trout bait will consist of small fish, larger insects, and worms. Be sure to check your state’s regulations on using live bait to catch trout.

The best types of trout lures are realistic imitations of their favorite food in terms of shape, color, and behavior in water. There are all kinds of lures designed to imitate small fish, insects, and other organisms that trout feed on. Since trout have very good eyesight and are very responsive to bright colors, flash, and sonic vibrations, their lures are also designed using colors, flash, movements, and reflective elements that will catch their eye.

Trout lures that have proven to be very good include spinners, spoons, minnow plugs, dough bait, swimbaits, worms, and insect imitators. Stick baits, crankbaits, jerk baits, and jigs also work well when used correctly. If you practice fly fishing, dry flies and wet flies are effective especially for wild trout, as bugs are part of their diet. 

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Pieces

Trout can be very unpredictable in their response to lures. Sometimes they just aren’t in the mood to bite what they’ve always bitten. It is always wise to have an assortment of trout lure pieces in your tackle box so you can try other lures if they just aren’t biting what you’ve been presenting.

Different trout lures also exhibit different actions in water to suit different moods and conditions. Having a diverse collection lures means you can choose the best trout lures for the current conditions.

Size

Compared to other game fish, trout are not very large and they have small mouths. Their prey is also smaller and they are usually fished using smaller trout lures that also suit the light and ultralight tackle and lines of 4 to 10-pound test typically used in trout fishing. The lure size you need will depend on the water depth and conditions. The general rule is to go bigger the deeper the water gets. 

For example, you can use size 1 and 2 spinners in shallow waters and small streams and sizes 2 to 9 for deeper waters, long-distance casts, or when targeting large trout. Flies sizes usually range from two to five inches. Coldwater makes fish sluggish and smaller trout lures presented slowly are more effective.

Material

Trout have excellent eyesight. They can not only see the colors we see, but they can also see other colors in the UV spectrum that aren’t visible to us. Bright colors, flash, and certain motions catch their eye and trigger their predatory instinct. They also detect sonic vibrations very well. The best trout lures are realistic in shape, color, and action on the water. 

Silver is shinier than gold followed by copper, bronze, brass, and nickel. Nickel and silver look the same to the naked human eye but nickel is much less reflective to trout’s eyes. In unclear and cold waters, you will need more flash so you can use a lure with silver or chrome on one side and fluorescent orange, green or yellow on the other. In clear and warm water, natural-looking and less reflective is better.

For durability, look for trout lures made using metals like machined brass and steel or hardened ABS plastic. Corrosion resistance is a must for saltwater fishing.

3D Eyes

If a lure is to be effective on trout, it is important that it looks like the real thing. 3D eyes play a very important role in this. Realistic 3D eyes are sure to catch the attention of trout and prompt them to strike. The most realistic 3D eyes have tricolor designs and oval-shaped pupil just like a real fish eye.

Weight

When deciding on what weight of the lure to use, consider what kind of fishing rod setup you will be using and the water depth and conditions. Trout are usually fished using light to ultralight tackle which calls for lightweight lures. Heavier trout lures are required when fishing in deeper waters, stronger currents, and windy conditions. Lightweight surface lures work better in shallow depths and calm waters. Slightly deeper waters call for a weighted option that will hang just below the surface. 

Treble Hooks

Given their good eyesight and wary nature, trout can detect hooks easily and notice that something isn’t natural. Smaller more discrete hooks are more effective and so are those hidden in the fur. It is always best to choose the smallest hook size possible depending on the size of the bait you’re using and the size of trout you’re targeting.

Treble hooks have three points with a common eye and can be very effective at catching trout. The downside is that small treble hooks are deadly as trout tend to swallow them and die. You can use size 14 and 16 when you plan to keep your catch. If you practice catch and release, larger size #10 and #12 treble hooks are safer. Always check your state’s regulations regarding the use of hooks and bait tactics to see if small treble hooks are legal.

FAQs

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The kind of lures you use can determine whether you have a successful day on the water or go home empty-handed. The most effective strategy is to know the trout you’re targeting and acquire lures that realistically replicate what they prefer to eat under different conditions. By filling your tackle box with the best trout lures and bait and using the right presentations, you will have more success catching trout and get the most out of your time spent on the water. 

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Which of the trout lures in our list do you plan to try? We would love to read your thoughts or experience with the trout lures we’ve reviewed! Let us know in the comments below!