Lures: For trolling the basic floating Rapala is always a good bet here-in sizes 3 to 9, in a variety of colors-The Countdown and jointed Raps also work well up to a size 7. Other minnow type baits also produce fish regularly. A variety of spoons trolled or cast along drop-offs and allowed to sink also produce fish-the classic red and white Dardevle in 1/4 ounce size(the "spinnie") is used by many of our clients as are other similar size spoons-Little Cleos, Zzingers, Krokodiles and others produce fish as well.
Flies: Trolled streamers produce very well especially in the early part of the season-The Mickey Finn, Blacknose Dace and Muddler Minnow (pictured here) are popular. For casting we recommend a mixture of dry and wet flies. When the trout aren't quite breaking the surface nymph patterns are a good bet-stonefly, caddis and mayfly patterns sized 8 to 14 cast on a 5 or 6 weight line fit the bill here. Sculpin and leech patterns (wolly bugger for example) up to size 6 are producers as well. Also bring a few dry flies in the event you're lucky enough to witness one of the numerous mayfly hatches here each summer, the water surface literally comes alive with feeding trout-and that exciting splash and swirl as a Trout grabs your fly is one of the most exhilarating events in fishing.
Other notes: Use good quality 8 or 10 pound test fishing line, always bring an extra spool with you as trolling can twist and kink even good quality monofilament line rather quickly. Many of our clients use braided line (Power Pro etc.) with a short section -8 to 12 feet- of mono line "nail" or "blood" knotted on to it. While braided line can be 2 or 3 times more expensive than mono it offers a much higher degree of durability when trolling (lasting 10 times longer according to one of our fishermen) The short section of mono line allows for easy lure changes-braided line is difficult to cut, especially with fingernail clippers. Fishing pliers are an asset to reduce injury to the fish you release. Bring quality rods and reels. That 19.99 "box-store special" rod and reel combo doesn't look like such a bargain when the gears strip in the reel or a guide falls off the rod after a few hours on the lake. If you have any questions about what gear to bring, don't hesitate to contact us!
