Favorite artificial lures/ baits for mountain trout (UL)

[Orangedak]

What are the favorite, tried and true UL baits for mountain trout? Hard baits, plastics, spoons, etc. Looking for recommendations to fish Sierra Nevada high altitiude rainbows, browns, and brooks.

[Hobie-Wan Kenobi]

I do a lot of this type of fishing. For true UL trout lures, the Rapala CD1, Duo Ryuki 38s and I use a ton of others. Jackson also makes a wide variety of UL hardbaits too.

For soft plastics, I like Eurotackle Micro Finesse series. Take a look and pick your poison. I like the Metacraw, Fat Assassin and Anisoptera. I use tungsten ice fishing jigs like the Clam XL series.

[toddmc]

The Berkley Trout Worm
Panther Martin's
Minijigs
Rooster Tail and Vibrax
Trout Magnets
Small jerkbaits
This is my list according to most used. I use others, but these see the most consistent action.

[1nutinthewater]

After near 50 years of trout fishing I have narrowed my preference to-

Thomas Buoyant Gold/Red
Black Panther Martin with yellow dots
Green or black jig under bobber
Variety of Wolly buggers

[Freddie]

My most productive trout lure has been the Rapala CD-03 in Brook Trout pattern. Panther Martin’s, Duo Ryuki 38S/45S, and Kastmaster spoons have also produced for me.

[slipperybob]

Drifting a split shot with a Berkley Trout Worm is #1 for catching for me.

Testing new waters, I start with inline spinners, panther martin, rooster tails, mepps aglia/thunderbug.

Spoons, Kastmasters, Swedish Pimples. If I hit a fast current deep pool, it's the Acme K.O. Wobbler spoon.

Hard baits. Yo-Zuri Pins Minnow, Aile Goby, Aile Killifish, Snap Beans. Rebel Trac Minnow, Rapala floating #3

Top water: Storm Hopper Popper, Hula Popper, Yamamoto Sugio Splash It popper.

[ulbc2]

-Rapala Flat Rap 6cm BSRD and G
-Blue Fox Minnow Spin 2cm & 3cm
-Mepps Syclops 00
-Mepps Aglia 00 & 0
-Rapala Husky Jerk 6 cm
-Rapala CD3
-Salmo Hornet 2S

[tincanary]

CD5 in the various trout patterns. Don't be shy, even smaller 6" brookies love them.

[Hobie-Wan Kenobi]

CD5 in the various trout patterns. Don't be shy, even smaller 6" brookies love them.

Brook trout will try to fit anything into their mouths. I remember spooking a frog into the stream and a brook trout came up and crushed it. The frog swam off but, the brook trout took it under.

That frog was WAY to big to actually fit in the trout's mouth. It was an eye opener to me that bigger baits can really trigger the aggressive ones.

[toddmc]

CD5 in the various trout patterns. Don't be shy, even smaller 6" brookies love them.

Brook trout will try to fit anything into their mouths. I remember spooking a frog into the stream and a brook trout came up and crushed it. The frog swam off but, the brook trout took it under.

That frog was WAY to big to actually fit in the trout's mouth. It was an eye opener to me that bigger baits can really trigger the aggressive ones.

My buddies and I fish for brook trout in the higher elevation areas of the Eastern Sierras and the tiny brookies (6 inch) regularly eat a 6 inch nightcrawler. If you give them time to take it, they will have it all the way down. The big double-digit browns will eat large swimbaits. Diamond Valley Lake used to stock a few 10 lb. browns with the smaller rainbows. The largemouth don't harass them like the smaller trout, and the big browns become real aggressive. I watched one track my 8 inch Huddleston and eat it with about 8 feet of line out. I didn't get a good hook in it, and I missed it, but it was funny to see.

[Dalleinf]

1. An inline spinner.
I have tried them all - or get close at least.
Prefer a Mapso/Lukris Ory or Reder, which are very similar to Mepps Comet and Aglia. Ilba Tondo also similar.
Yes, Panther Martin are nice and I use them from time to time. Rooster Tails are “OK” - I have many and rarely use them….but I want something that spins instantaneously even when making upstream casts.

2. A sinking minnow.
I have tried many JDM, USDM and EUDM.
Prefer Tiemco Laks 60s.
It casts like a bullet, makes small side to side movements when cast upstream, and has caught me many fish.
They came out with a 50 size a year or two ago and it is also very nice for the smaller targets.

3. A floating minnow.
Again, I have tried many and there are many very good ones.
I prefer Jackall/Illex Tricoroll in size 56 and 72 (MD).
Casts great and works both downstream and upstream.

4. A spoon.
Daiwa Crusader and Smith Pure are my favourites.

…a can of worms will work magic :-)

[ras]

Just found this thread and Sierra Nevada streams mentioned. I've tried a few options, domestic and JDM, with an emphasis on sinking minnows. I've been very impressed with the action of WooDream Arbor 50S minnows, and local trout seem to be, too. I found these lures to be good performers in a range of conditions, as long as the flow was reasonable. I didn't find color to matter much, but I generally stick with dark, silver, and trout patterns. Although minnows are my personal preference, I also found Emishi spoons from Ito Craft to be remarkably efficient. There is something about their silver backing. In my hands, golden-backed colors didn't produce as well, though their are great for stocked trout.

[Senkobass1]

Minijigs
Jdm spoons (presso, forest, valkein)
Smaller jerkbaits or cranks from rap ala, lucky craft
Berkley trout worms or mice tails

[Aquaftm45]

Just getting into Stream Fishing this year, here is my starter set order from Japan Tackle. Have another coming from Buyee with a couple of boutique lures (Hobo, Schindler, O'Parts) It' on baby!

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