Spoons or Body Baits

[4x4bassin]

It is almost time for my annual lake trout trip and have a question that I have thought about for awhile .

I have read and been told for a couple years now that trolling spoons will get you bigger fish over

body baits such as rapala's . I can say my biggest "trolling lake trout " was taken on a spoon but this could be

just a coincidence . What do you guys think ?

[BillM]

Spring time? Body baits with a nice wide wobble. You can also run these a lot slower then you would any spoon.

[chris.brock]

On Easter weekend we hit some open water where a river dumps in, the rest of the lake was ice. We trolled 3 flat lines, trying different baits. All fish came on spoons and by the end of the day, everybody had a spoon on and the body baits went back into the tackle bag. Nothing big though.

 

 

If you've got the time, I guess experimenting with both would be good though

 

let us know how you do with a report when you get back

[Consigliere]

Had lots of luck with spoons in Lake Ontario for lakers. Williams Wabbler has been the best spoon by far. It still has action at low speeds (<2MPH on GPS). Caught many lakers well over 10lbs with these. This time of year flat lining can be productive. We usually run two flat lines and two on riggers and a lot of days flat lines will outproduce the riggers this early/cold water. Key is to troll slow.

[fishindevil]

early season ice out lakers long line a rapala j-11 or a x-rap they work great !!!!

[Sinker]

My go to ice out laker slayer is a rapala tail dancer. #7 or 9 depending how deep the fish are. The advantage of trolling body baits is you know how deep your lures are running. Your only guessing with spoons, and sometimes to get a spoon up high enough, you either have to run a short line, or troll faster, and the fish want longlines going slow.

 

I use spoons too, but always cover depths with different diving baits first.

 

S.

[Joeytier]

I'll be flatlining wabblers behind a gangtroll this weekend...works excellent for me. Never experimented much with hard baits for lakers, but if I did I'd be running jointed original rapalas! If you need a little more depth, add a 3-way/bell sinker set up

[DRIFTER_016]

Speaking from experience, go with erratic plugs early (ie flatfish, quickfish) trolled slow and metal once the water warms up into the high 40's low 50's.

 

You can catch trout with spoons in colder water but the wobble baits entice more and bigger fish in cold water.

[irishfield]

Or you can cover both worlds.. run a three way with the spoon on top.. body bait beneath!

[Old Ironmaker]

Have you tried jigging with 1 oz. white twister tails. A go to method when they are sitting near or on bottom and will not hit a thing. Also jigged a Williams Wobbler and Williams Whitefish.

[Christopheraaron]

Hmmm, flies! LOL

[ch312]

Or you can cover both worlds.. run a three way with the spoon on top.. body bait beneath!

 

x 2

 

 

Far too may fishermen (and hunters) head out with an idea stuck in their head that option A must work because that's what normally works and there is no point in trying option B because it usually doesn't work at that time of year or location. Let the fish tell you what they want.

 

Run a 3 way until you find a distinct pattern then fine tune your presentation.

[Joeytier]

On Easter weekend we hit some open water where a river dumps in, the rest of the lake was ice. We trolled 3 flat lines, trying different baits. All fish came on spoons and by the end of the day, everybody had a spoon on and the body baits went back into the tackle bag. Nothing big though.

 

 

If you've got the time, I guess experimenting with both would be good though

 

let us know how you do with a report when you get back

That looks like a ton of fun

[BillM]

Have you tried jigging with 1 oz. white twister tails. A go to method when they are sitting near or on bottom and will not hit a thing. Also jigged a Williams Wobbler and Williams Whitefish.

 

If it's right after ice out and there is no thermocline established, jigging is a killer to get fish.... It's a tough gig when they lakers are in the top 15ft feeding on baitfish however.

[DRIFTER_016]

Hmmm, flies! LOL

 

HAHAHA!! Flies!!!!

You can't catch lakers on flies!!!!!

 

 

[Christopheraaron]

HAHAHA!! Flies!!!!

You can't catch lakers on flies!!!!!

 

 

Yup I remember those pics. (The other) Dave bought a bunch last year for lakers.

[4x4bassin]

Speaking from experience, go with erratic plugs early (ie flatfish, quickfish) trolled slow and metal once the water warms up into the high 40's low 50's.

 

You can catch trout with spoons in colder water but the wobble baits entice more and bigger fish in cold water.

I have tried a lot of lures for lake trout but never a wobble bait , I will give them a go !

 

Or you can cover both worlds.. run a three way with the spoon on top.. body bait beneath!

This sounds like a good set up but I couldn't imagine the mess at the side of the boat when you catch one , it can get pretty messed up even with a weight and a spoon !

 

Have you tried jigging with 1 oz. white twister tails. A go to method when they are sitting near or on bottom and will not hit a thing. Also jigged a Williams Wobbler and Williams Whitefish.

Yep , love jigging lake trout . That's pretty well all I do once the water warms up and the lake trout head deep !

 

[4x4bassin]

As for the flies , CK made me some nice ones last spring and they worked great . Will be using them this spring as well

Thanks for the replies everyone , will do some experimenting in a couple weeks .

[BITEME]

Or you can cover both worlds.. run a three way with the spoon on top.. body bait beneath!

shhhhhhh!!!!

[irishfield]

Yah.. any that know me know I talk too much Peter!! lol