bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

I have had very limited success fishing lake trout in Idaho and Washington. I have used flat fish and spoons behind dodgers. I just saw a post on here where the folks were using Spin-n-Glows. How many of you successful lake trout fishermen would recommend I switch to Spin-n-Glows. Same question for kokanee, though I hold my own there with small spoons.

bric Loc: Helena, MT

I have success with spin-n-glows on the lakes I fish. What’s the name of the post?
I usually tie up my own rigs with beads and such to target walleye, but trout hit the same stuff. And I usually use bottom bouncers.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Lake trout were feisty today!

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Just happened to notice your post about the spin-n-glows. That's me! I catch laker's on quite a few lures, but the "spins" out perform everything I use in the big water. You can purchase just the bodies and then dress them up with hackles, beads, etc. The water depth and clarity probably affects the color choices, but I find that "glow", greens, blues and chrome work best in our local waters. We also call the "spin-n-glow" lure "chickens" and "peanuts" as well...just local fishing jibber jabber when chatting over the boat radios.

Definitely give them a try! A little trick we do around here when the bite is "slow" during a troll is to pull a line out of the down rigger release and let it slowly ascend for about 10 to 20 feet. This alerts a "follower" that the food is getting away and at that point they will grab it! Lake trout are known to be easily hypnotized by the rotating or sashay action imparted by dodgers and flashers placed ahead of a lure, and they need a "nudge" sometimes! I have had days where every fish caught was boated with this technique! If there is no take, just bring up the cannonball and reset it.

Another good trick when using downriggers while trolling is to occasionally lower the cannonball so it hits bottom and drags along for a short burst...then raise it back up. Of course you also need to tend your line on the rod accordingly. This will stir up sediment and triggers the lake trout to feed more aggressively. Just watch your rod briefly after doing this...and don't be surprised when it takes a nice bow for you!

There are other tricks to try as well...but these 2 are my "go to" variances when just plain old trolling does not prove to be effective.

OK...maybe I have 3 "go to" tricks. When trolling along, and the bite is slow...place your craft in neutral for a short moment and let your lures settle. Then, go back to trolling speed. That sudden flash and jerk will often trigger following fish to bite! This works for both lake trout and salmon in my experience, and is especially effective if you have numerous rods out that are set at different depths. This is especially effective when you approach, enter or leave a "bait ball" of small schooling fish like shad or alewives.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

I should add...the spin set up does catch salmon for me...but they are not my preferred lure set up with salmon. I guess if I ran them more I might just be surprised! Lake trout tend to hang out closer to the bottom, but are often found suspended too...and I think we all know this from our experiences. Salmon, on the other hand, tend to stay suspended, although they do like to park on the bottom now and then.

Both chinook and coho salmon will take a spin-n-glow or fly trolled behind a dodger or rotating flasher styled paddle in my experience. I suspect that Kokanee would too. Maybe tweak the size according to the fish size you anticipate.

salmon via the kayak using leadcore line to seek greater depths


Bechold "Hootchie mama" and Dream Weaver "Spin Doctor" w/ fly or spin-n-glow


lake trout on a "spoon" - very typical and classic lure choice

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Thanks, great info.

Gary Northrop Loc: Richland WA

Judging from many trips for lake trout in northern Canadian waters,
it's obvious that these fish love chartreuse. We have had excellent luck
with paddle tail swimbaits and Bondi jigs of this color.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Thanks. I will give that a try. I am going to Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho in September.

MAS fish Loc: Peoria,IL

Your question may be a good one for egghead but I haven't seen any posts from him in a while. You could PM him.
MAS fish

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I'm pretty sure egghead uses big feathered jigs and he fishes em vertically - he jigs his jigs. You should PM him, he catches monsters.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Jigging is definitely a great way to catch the giants...they are sort of like catfish once they get over 10 pounds. They like to just sit on bottom and gorge!

There are a couple of local guys around our area that make up custom jigs ranging from 1/4 oz to 2 oz and they are dynamite when it comes to hooking up. Sometimes it helps to put a small chunk of meat (minnow/chub) on one of the hooks, or spray with herring oil and fish bare.

Elks Rapids "S" jigs

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Thanks. I have similar jigs I use in the salt. I tried them, but may have been using to big of jigs. 3.5 oz.