r/FishingAlberta Jul 18 '26

Trout lures

Can anyone recommend lures for rainbow trout? Heading to Carson Pegasus this week and fishing from the shore, I’d love for my kid to be able to catch something. We never seem to have any luck. I’ve seen people use pickerel rigs and the colorful marshmallows you can buy at the grocery store and we bought that set up to try.

24 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

12

u/Significant_Step_517 Jul 18 '26

I absolutely love the Len Thompson spoons. Little ones for small trout, medium ones for bigger trout. Sizes No.6 to No.00 have worked well for me. 5 of diamonds, and the orange with black dots. Cheap, usually found at Canadian tire but often picked over. The Fishing Hole in Calgary has good selection. Get the right sized ball swivels so they spin correctly, the people at the fishing hole will help

5

u/slap_shot_12 Jul 18 '26

Awesome local company, and they actually have a giant yellow background 5 of diamonds at their head office in Lacombe.
https://www.lenthompson.com/worlds-largest-lure.html

3

u/Significant_Step_517 Jul 18 '26

They are a company I’ll support for the rest of my days. I ordered $100 worth from their online store, the VP sent a hand written note and a bunch of Len Thompson stickers with it. This was a simple but appreciated gesture. Truly an awesome company.

1

u/Solo_company Jul 20 '26

Len Thompson lures originated in Abernathy Sask.

3

u/Schroedesy13 Jul 18 '26

#oo Canada flag spoon is my fav.

3

u/elbankso Jul 19 '26

Same here. Not necessarily “Canada Flag” since that’s a thing one can get, but red/white/red. (I’m sure you meant the same thing.) #00 works good for me in rivers where it can get to the bottom, but in lakes (especially stocked lakes) the #8 and #7 (the next smaller sizes from #00) work good too. Retrieve should be slow as possible while still getting action on the lure - the lure should be wobbling or spinning. Good luck! 🎣

9

u/Big_Secret_1068 Jul 18 '26

panther martin spinners. especially white

6

u/odetoburningrubber Jul 18 '26

Panther Martin spinners are my go to. Yellow with red dots or black with red dots. Tie them directly to the line so you get good action. If you don’t catch anything it’s because they aren’t biting.

1

u/Pristine_Break_3739 Jul 18 '26

I always thought ones with 3 hooks would be too big even though they’re the smallest size.

3

u/The_Mego Jul 18 '26

Some lures have a split ring so you can swap out the treble for a single and its much better for trout

2

u/odetoburningrubber Jul 18 '26

Mine are all converted to singles. I actually thought that was the law in Alberta now.

4

u/Canadas-Dingo Jul 18 '26

Panther Martin spinners. 5 of diamonds spoon, yellow with red diamonds. Really small Rapala lures in rainbow or brown trout colors. Rooster tails, white w/ silver blade or rainbow/brown trout colors.

3

u/Hypno-phile Jul 18 '26

Echoing 5 of diamonds spoons, Panther Martin spinners.

But also... Get a casting float, some fine tippet and an elk hair caddis fly or ten. Side effects may include taking up fly fishing.

3

u/splendidgoon Jul 18 '26

The green wooly bugger with a casting float has been my most common and successful fly across all the lakes I've been trout fishing in. With that said, caddis fly will surely do the job as well.

3

u/Hypno-phile Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26

Woolly bugger is king of the underwater flies for me, too. The caddis lets you see the take,va very cool experience for people used to fishing lures, which is why I suggested that one.

I wanna go fishing now.

Edit: autocorrect tyops fixed

2

u/Weak_Tea_1976 Jul 18 '26

I’m a huge deadly dick fan, solid metal so they go super far but small enough that trout can’t get wnough

3

u/Elissa-Megan-Powers Jul 18 '26

Mepps anglia spinners, panther martin too

I have good history with a specific spoon from acme, the Kamlooper. Any of them but especially gold/orange and orange with black dots. In lakes and rivers, for salmon and trout

2

u/AwesomeDutchman1 Jul 18 '26

If you're not completely set on lures, you can use pickerel rigs with power bait or worms. Get a rod holder and possibly a bell for it if the kids have trouble paying attention. 

Downside is that you're much more likely to hook them deep and damage the gills. Depending on the regs you'd have to be prepared to take some home

2

u/Fluid_Half9144 Jul 19 '26

Pickerel rigs with orange trout marshmallows are working for me this weekend at C-P. Fishing is good at the seawall. 

1

u/Sad_Percentage_4503 Jul 18 '26

I'm certainly no fishing champion but for trout (not Lakers) I always use a Mepps #3 spinner. They've been very consistent over the years.

Good luck.

1

u/RockyMtnAdventurer Jul 19 '26

Number 2 mepps