Best Trout Fishing Lures for Lakes and Rivers

Because you deserve to land your new personal best.

Don’t think for a second that investing in these fishing lures isn’t necessary for you.

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran that has a lucky lure or a beginner trying to figure out where to start, having the right lure for the frequently changing fishing conditions can make or break your trip.

The simple fact is this: having a variety of lures will guarantee that you can adjust to the weather, water, and fishing conditions to increase your chances of catching some fish.

Keep in mind what works one day may not work the next.

A change in weather from a rainy to a sunny day will affect where the fish are and how active or hungry they feel.

So the pro tip is to have options when fishing with lures.

We recommend having at least one of each type of lure so a spinner, spoon, jig, and hard body.

Checkout the Trout Fishing For Beginners: Tips And How To Get Set Up guide that explains how to best use each of the different types of lures since spinners, spoons, and jigs all have different conditions and fishing motions to drive the trout crazy.

Now let’s dive into the list so you can start catching more trout.

Best Trout Fishing Lures 2021

1. ACME Kastmaster Spoon

You will find these lures on almost every top trout fishing list and for good reason.

Use the 1/8 ounce or 1/4 ounce sizes since those have the best balance of enough weight to cast from shore yet still small enough to fit in a trout’s mouth.

I have caught and seen people catch bass, trout, and even bluegill with the smaller sizes. This all-purpose lure is a must have since it wobbles through the water imitating a bait fish and the solid brass material lets this lure fly on every cast.

These lures sink fast so be sure to have a steady reel in when fishing from shore.

2. Panther Martin Spinner

These lures are legendary in the trout fishing scene and you will almost always find one of these lures in an angler’s tackle box.

Go with the 1/8 ounce or 1/4 ounce spinners.

Just cast and reel in which causes the blade to spin and produce a thumping noise. This lure will earn the nickname ole reliable once you start getting more casts in.

Try different colors based on the weather and water visibility.

In darker waters the brighter colors tend to perform better while clear water the silver colors tend to get me more strikes.

3. Blue Fox Vibrax Spinner

The Vibrax spinner is a special lure that produces a unique rubbing sound when you spin the bell around the brass gear in the center.

Hearing it in your hand gives you an idea of how well this lure works as it’s getting reeled in through the water. This is another lure gifted with quality craftsmanship meaning you do not need any help to cast this sturdy lure far.

Like other spinners this just requires a simple cast out and steady reel in to let the lure rattle through the water.

Great for shore, pier, and boat fishing including trolling.

4. Yakima Rooster Tail Spinner

These are the original Rooster Tails that are widely recognized among anglers.

There are a ton of different rooster tail style lures, however, this one has the best ratio of weighted blade, body, and tail that taunts trout into biting.

This lure has a balanced weight which is great for shore fishing.

5.Trout Magnet Jig

Trout magnets are another one of those lures that show up on almost all of the top bait lists for trout.

They look so simple that they wouldn’t work but once you put one on with the tiny, slanted, shad jig head – the trout start going crazy.

The trick is that the unique jig head causes these worm like lures to dance in the water as they sink in the water.

6. Rapala Original Floater Lure

This is another lure that shows up on every top lure list for any fresh waster fish including trout.

The Rapala Original Floater is a simple reel and jerk type lure that causes them to wobble and hover that drives fish nuts.

Start off with the size 7 lure and adjust based on the fish size.

7. Jake’s Lure Spinner

I was skeptical when I first saw this lure being used. After all, it resembles a paper clip or maybe even a money clip so how could this lure possibly work?

This lure moves sporadically through the water when pulled which flashes in every direction.

I recommend giving this lure a try if you are fishing in shallow waters or where the trout are closer to the surface.

This lure will grab any nearby trout’s attention and you will get more hits than you would anticipate.

8. Rebel Jointed Minnow Lure

This lure is a sight to see when reeled through the water. If you couldn’t see the line pulling the lure then you’d think this was a fish swimming through the water.

Fortunate enough, trout think and see the same thing which makes this a top trout lure.

Unlike a spinner, this lure can be slowly reeled in since it will not sink when not in motion.

This helps with shallow waters like streams and in situations where you want to slowly reel in and let the wiggling tail bring the trout to you.

9. Mepps Aglia Spinner

Mepps Aglia spinners have come an American icon as these lures are extremely effective trout catchers.

Another lure that has a spinning blade which creates a thumping noise as it gets reeled in through the water.

Try sizes 0, 1, 2 and 3.

10. ACME Phoebe Spinning Lure

The list started with an ACME lure so it’s only fitting it ends in one too.

Much like the Kastmaster, the Phoebe wobbles through the water and gets trout riled up.

Maybe its the fins or maybe its the scales but there are times where this lure will work while the Kastmaster gets no hits.

Either way I highly recommend getting one of these since wild river and stocked lake trout both love this lure.

Steven

Learn how to catch, grow, and cook your own food. Whether you're searching for food tips and recipes or growing your own plants, there's something for you here! So let's learn how to catch, grow, and cook our food together.

Recent Posts