How to Select the Best Fishing Lures for Trout
When it comes to catching trout, it’s not as simple as many people might think. Anglers know you not only have to have a good overall understanding of the area you’re fishing but also the variables at play on any given day (i.e. the speed and direction of the current, where the school of fish is located, etc.). We covered these topics and more in our last blog, 5 trout fishing tips you’ll wanna know, but felt like we needed to go more in depth on one particular tip and that’s how to select your lures when preparing to catch trout.
The saying “lures catch more fishermen than fish” is sadly very true. With such a wide variety of different lure options available to you, it’s hard to know what to choose. While it can take a while to marry all the factors together to start regularly catching trout, hopefully some knowledge from Capt. Boyd can get you started!
Jig Heads/Soft Plastics – An Angler Favorite
Of the different types of lures, jigs or jig heads/soft plastics are one of the most successful options for catching a wide variety of fish, including trout. Jigs consist of a weighted top with a hook coming out of the back end. The weighted front allows the rig to dive into the water column, with lifelike movement, to meet the fish where they are.
Not only are there different types of lures, there are many different variations of jig heads as well. Captain Boyd likes to use collard jig heads with a good wide gap hook. These types of jigs are easy to rig with different soft plastics and do a good job of keeping the bait on the hook. As the head is concerned, Capt. Boyd likes collard (or painted) tops.
As mentioned, the weighted head of the jig allows the rig to dive into the water to meet the fish where they are. It’s important to note the size of the head helps dictate how deep the jig dives. Jigs with lighter heads tend to stay more shallow in the water while heavier ones will sink deeper into the water column. A lot of times in Galveston Bay, you’ll find the trout in the bottom 2 feet of water, so a heavier jig will often work best when the current is strong. This isn’t always the case though, so it’s important you look for slicks or jumping bait to alert you as to where the fish are.
When choosing your jig size, in addition to the location of the fish, it’s essential you also take into account the strength of the current. With a stronger current, you’ll want something a bit bigger and more durable (like ¼ or ⅜) while a weaker current allows for a smaller jig like (1/16 or ⅛). In order to remain flexible when fishing, it’s not a bad idea to keep a few different size jigs in your tackle box. Capt. Boyd likes to keep a few different sizes himself with his go-tos being ⅛ and ¼.
Choosing Your Soft Plastics
After you’ve picked your lures, it’s time to decide on your soft plastics. When selecting bait of any kind, it’s important to try and “match the hatch.” Meaning, select your bait depending on what the fish are feeding on. In the Galveston Bay Complex, trout are feeding on glass minnows as they hatch in the Spring. In the Summer months, it’s shad, shrimp, and mullet. If you’re able to pinpoint what the fish are feeding on, your chances of snagging one are much higher! In Galveston, you can almost never go wrong with shrimp.
When choosing your soft plastics, aside from “matching the hatch,” it’s also important to keep in mind the color of the water. If the water is brackish/muddy, you’ll want to choose a dark or fluorescent profile bait profile bait. Fish can’t see very far, so you wanna make sure you’re choosing a bait that allows for maximum visibility. Some of Capt. Boyd’s favorite darker profile baits are Down South Lures’ Texas Roach Southern Shad and Red Southern Shad.
Normally, the saltier water in the bay is a bit more clear and has ~12-14 inches of visibility. If this is the case, Capt. Boyd recommends a lighter profile soft plastic like Chartreuse Flash or Glow Chartreuse. When the water is on the clearer end, you not only have to pick a bait that compliments but also ensure your movements are more realistic to actually fool the trout!
While there are many factors to keep in mind when choosing your soft plastics, despite everything, it’s most important to throw whatever you have the most confidence in. Until you’re 100% comfortable navigating all these variables, this method will grant you the most success.
Bait and Lure Selection is an Art
If you’re an experienced fisherman, none of this is new to you. If you’re just getting started, you might not have known all that went into catching trout. As you can likely see by now, selecting the proper lure for trout fishing is an art (like all fishing). Hopefully you’ll have found Capt. Boyd’s trout fishing lure and bait tips to be useful and are on your way!
Whether you’re a beginner really looking to get started or an angler looking to further compare jigs, you’re sure to find the experience you’re looking for Capt. Boyd’s fishing guide service. Call or text 409-770-3567 anytime from 6am-9pm to book your trout fishing trip today!
