Spring brown trout trolling...lure colors

[pmjasper]

Hey guys,,

This past year I finally purchased a 17ft boat and started my adventures in big lake trolling. Unfortunately, I didn't get the boat until mid-summer and therefore, missed the entire spring season.

Now in trying to do a little research for the spring season, I'm trying my best to learn about spring brown trout trolling.

I was thinking I need to pick up a few lures (spoons and stickbaits) that might be more appealing to springtime browns versus salmon. In asking around, some guys have told me that gold spoons seem to outproduce silver, chrome or white which leads me to this question...

In the experience of the guys on this site, have you seen any preferred color patterns when you are targeting spring brown trout? I mean, any particular patterned spoon or patterned plug?

My thought right now it to pick up a few of the smaller Michigan Stinger Scorpion spoons and some #7 straight and jointed rapalas and wanted to know if there was any real colors out there that seems to produce browns on a consistent basis?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all.

[Turfwrench]

In my neck of the woods we always had good success running the floating rapala or jointed rapalas in gold and orange off the planers. Same with the bombers. Also have had good luck with the hot pink hot shots.

[Tim Bromund]

you can't go wrong with a gold/orange J9 Rapala under most conditions.

In a good mudline this has been my favorite stickbait for years, the log perch smithwick rattling rogue

this stick does a super goby imitation IMO.

Tim

[pmjasper]

Good stuff.

I just custom colored a few Berkeley frenzy cranks goby color but I think some stickbaits are definitely the way to go until the water warms up. I still have to stock up over the winter on some effective plug colors.

[jkarol24]

gold/orange is money on the floating rapalas. Try more natural colors when the waters gin clear, and the more bright colors with murky water. but murky water is good, unless it looks like chocolate milk

[Has Been]

I have a Rebel 3 1/2 " jointed. Metallic green on top , Orange on bottom silver sides I put Flor chart paint over & IT IS KILLER for board brown & Coho's early spring & has been for years.

[Popeye]

I find our Browns are feeding on Goby's as their primary forage until the alwives come in to spawn. Always fish most presentations tight to the bottom. Goby, black gold,copper gold patterns on spoons have been very productive. Hopefully you can find a mudline to target. I've had a lot of luck with slide divers up higher in the column with orange spoons about 25' behind the diver.

[sszoldra]

I have to agree with jointed Rebels. Black and silver , and anything with orange on bottom are my favorite colors

[fishandaprayer]

How deep are we talking here? Are you basically flatlining this time of year? ... I too just bought a boat in the fall so I'm a real newbie! so sorry if my questions are obvious to most ... What is a mudline and how do you find them?

[Has Been]

In the early spring till mid may it can be as close to shore as you dare . Run your planer boards in the wave trougth 10-20' off the shoreline. Those pig browns love to lie in the warm water there ,chase bait& get fat. 2-8' of water. So stickbaits that don't dive far at all are best IMO. Spoons sink fast on inside turns or if the board stalls so snags a plenty with them.Sticks float back up. I like the rebels or STRAIGHT Rapalas(Jointeds dive to deep real close)or Smithwicks & there are more . A trick! Bend the wire nose down a LITTLE so it won't dive as deep with the rebels&Smithwicks& they will have a more wide open action at slow speeds. Water carity is critical for lure size & color. Rough weather w/ north wind wiil cause shore erosion & the water close to shore will get dirty.Or steam runoff of dirty water can do the same . Cold and warm water do not mix real well so you get a "Mudline. The dirty water is usually warmer than the clean ( Pick that up w/ you surface temp probe) .Fish run the edge of that line so troll in & out of it parallel w/ shore. Good luck.

[LongLine]

One thing to remember about the mud-line...very often it does not extend all the way to the bottom. Often you have a dirty layer over clear water, especially at the Genny. I've seen the Stephen B. Roman come out and leave a blue water trail in it's wake.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[jkarol24]

The shallower the better in my opinion, although they can be found a little deeper in some conditions. Especially after a rain, they will be feeding realy close to the shoreline as the baitfish hug in close, especially along creeks with an outflow. This outflow will also create a mudline, and often the fish will be just inside or outside the line waiting for an easy meal from dissoreinted baitfish in the mud. Sticks are always a great option, as well as spoons if you can keep them shallow. Quick question... Would you guys consider flatlining or using leadcore to pull a j-plug, or should i just stick to sticks and spoons? Thanks

[LakerTaker85]

I usually head to Fairhaven for those fat spring browns and i take CHALLENGER stick bait, black, silver, purple with some orange or red. Thats been a killer combo for myself and a few others. Thats all we run is challenger sticks they seem to do the trick.

After some warm rain and when you get a nice isolated mud line the brown fishing is unbeatable!

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

jkarol, if you are talking Spring Brown trout fishing, no need to experiment with "cut plugs" (J-plugs, DW Captains choice, ect).

The 4's and 5's will be into the bottom in less than 7 ft of water. The Sticks and spoons are the only tools you need.

[jkarol24]

thanks! Ive been stocking up on sticks and Nk-28s and counting down the days till spring!!!

[chowder]

I'm figuring you know this but browns can be pretty spooky in shallow water so you want to be set up to run most of your stix on light line 100' back, off board lines (running board lines will probably be new so leave some time for getting this program into gear) and don't do much thumping around on the bottom of the boat.By the same token you don't want to be the 15th boat thru the shallows cuz those fish are gonna scatter - 'the early bird gets the worm'. You will also want to play around w/ slower speeds in the early cold water. Oh yeah and it's a good idea to have some smaller stix to try sometimes in the early going too.

[fishandaprayer]

Thanks ... great stuff ... I have to read it 3-4 times but think I'm getting it!

First year with a boat ... I'm telling ya this off season is killer!!!

[Tim Bromund]

fishandaprayer,

I see you are in Toronto, if you really want to do well with this, I would recommend concentrating on the South shore from Jordan to St Catharines.

If you haven't already, you should also join the Spoonpullers website. it is a Canadian based site with lots of really good guys on it that will also help you get going.

http://spoonpullers.proboards.com

Tim

[fishandaprayer]

Thanks Tim ... i just joined the spoonpullers ... and will definitly be hitting StCatherines in the spring.

[Tim Bromund]

regarding your sig line, absolutely you should seek help, there a a ton of us on here that are more than willing to help you feed your obsession

Tim

[ray koziatek]

the gfr's are a good stix,also the blk/silver,will work 99% of the time,try a couple small2.5 in black and silver and black/gold, the ones i like are not rapellas and i dont know the brand but the body is a tad fatter and the RATTLE is a little more suttle (hint RATTLE NOISE)...and go to at the oak and read the "Spring Browns Section" good winter read and is very helpfull.

Just rember small hooks and soft lips make for some challanging netting and fighting so enjoy the fight and use kid gloves specially when that 10 lbr grabs it on the outside turn..

[ray koziatek]

the gfr's are a good stix,also the blk/silver,will work 99% of the time,try a couple small2.5 in black and silver and black/gold, the ones i like are not rapellas and i dont know the brand but the body is a tad fatter and the RATTLE is a little more suttle (hint RATTLE NOISE)...and go to at the oak and read the "Spring Browns Section" good winter read and is very helpfull.

Just rember small hooks and soft lips make for some challanging netting and fighting so enjoy the fight and use kid gloves specially when that 10 lbr grabs it on the outside turn..