what kind of tackle to use for winter trout trolling?

islander55

Well-Known Member
hey guys im just wondering what kind of lure out there is good for trolling for rainbow trout in the winter meaning right now? i herd apex's work. please fill me in on some good working trolling setups for winter trolling thank you:)
 
last years when I was trolling I did extremely well on deep diving large plugs. In the 5in range. It sounds stupidly big for rainbow trout, but it works. I trolled it with just the plug, nothing else. Apex's dont dive that deep, there around 3 ft if I remember correctly, but some of the rapalas in the 5 in range can dive down to 15ft. You can also put on a black wooly bugger, or a purple leech on a type 3 or 6 sinking line, and probably get some fish.

kunni
 
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last years when I was trolling I did extremely well on deep diving large plugs. In the 5in range. It sounds stupidly big for rainbow trout, but it works. I trolled it with just the plug, nothing else. Apex's dont dive that deep, there around 3 ft if I remember correctly, but some of the rapalas in the 5 in range can dive down to 15ft. You can also put on a black wooly bugger, or a purple leech on a type 3 or 6 sinking line, and probably get some fish.

kunni
ok thank you are gang trolls any good for the winter trolling ??
 
Honestly, trout are not hard to catch at all, and season to season has its ups and downs, but rarley do i hit the lake and end up without a bit. there isnt really a secret to it.. especially on the island where the fish are triploid and stocked twice annually... it gets more difficult the bigger the lake IMO.

two things to be aware of : In winter trout are feeding on the bottom. When the lake begins to warm up, they eat the insects mid water column. So gear up acordingly.

Gangtroll with worm(bare hook) trolled varying speed is the best tactic, but not very sporty.

wooly buggers in Red,green and chartreuse are my go toos. troll with weights right near the bottom(3 -5 feet from weight)... slowly.(i use a fly rod, but had nearly identical success using spin rod)

I had my boat on prospect lake for quite few years and fished it weekly. I usually trolled one fly rod and one gang troll to compare, and 9/10 the fly-rod out performed.
 
I agree with Outback, learn to fly fish, and if you get desperate, put on a small flasher and Black Bingo Bug or Black Kwikfish with silver sparkles and you'll hammer them.
 
I personally dont find gang trolls any use, they only effect the action that the plug has. I agree with outback when it comes to fly fishing for trout, for whatever reason my fly rod outperformed my spinning rod. I havent used a spinning rod for trout for along time, but when I did the fly rod prevailed. If your getting hits in a certain spot. Stop and anchor and fish that location in a variety of depths, not just the bottom. The other day I was at durrance, and me and a buddy were getting fish 6ft below the surface, and we were anchored in 45ish ft of water. Micro leechs have been good for me latley, but we have been taking fish on chironomids.

kunni
 
sweet, heard there some big fish i there. Whats your biggest out of there?

kunni
 
When I use to lake fish a lot I could not be bothered to fly fish but our secret was fly rods with full sinking line 12 foot leaders a hook and a worm and we would out fish everybody. Guys trolling heavy spinner rods with 5 feet of hardware was pretty funny. We tossed most back and kept only a few to eat but we were out just to be out with family. This was all on the okanagan though.
 
i like keeping the line light, I have never been a fan of gang trolls ect. but why not fly fish? :confused:

kunni
 
Noobs......... :p
 
I didnt even know you can flyfish trout in the winter! Dont get sucked in and feel you need to buy the kit of tippets. Just buy a medium or.. sink tip if you want to try.
If I was to troll, my go to apex is the frog pattern and the light blue fox spinner or the mepps black blade. Those are more for fall but might be worth a try!
 
Depends man.... Had a great time dragging woolly buggers at Elk in feb.... ​A couple years ago
 
Whats the matter "Wedding band bandit" your wedding bands dont work?


Gangtrolls are used for windchimes!

Flys work all year but somtimes I will throw a worm on one side on a fly rode and run my micro leeches on the other. Micro leeches are going to be the go to for the next week or 2 then it will be a chrominid fest!

This will be my first full year attempting to fish chrominids so lots to learn still!

-KK
 
still learning those chironomids KK? same here, I am hoping the chironomids pick up, cuz like you said micro leechs have been outfishing them

kunni
 
So thats how you spell it. Chironomids. Yeah ive only fly fished for trout for a 2 years. but most of what ive done was trolling or drifting. Will be doing alot of double anchoring this spring!

-KK
 
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