Any serious fisher would know that the key to catching trout consistently is… well, it is a lot of things, but one of the very important ones is the type of bait used. The difference between catching trout consistently and effectively and catching them once in a blue moon lies in the skill of the fisherman (or woman) and in the type of bait used. If you are the type of person that takes catching trout very seriously (like one of those people that would call it a way of life), then this article is for you as we will discuss the best bait for trout, and how to effectively select the right bait to catch you that big trout.
This list is a mix of natural and artificial baits to ensure that we cover all of the baits that might suit your fishing needs. Also, natural baits are usually the go-to baits for most professional trout fishers because it easily mimics the natural diet of the trout and they are in most cases easily found. However, in recent times, the artificial baits have seen an increase in usage due to the amount of research that has been put into making sure that they mimic the characteristics of natural baits as much as possible.
Top 5 Best Trout Baits
#1 Nightcrawlers
Check on Amazon
This one just had to be the one on top of the list for a lot of reasons. First, it is a natural bait and it is way easier to catch a trout with a naturally occurring bait than with an artificial one because trout are very picky eaters. However, many artificial baits in recent times are beginning to catch up to the effectiveness of the natural ones.
Nightcrawlers are very effective against wild trout, more so than for stocked trout. Nightcrawlers are easy to obtain from moist soil or even just under dead leaves on moist soil, and this makes them an excellent choice for baiting trout with. The movement of Nightcrawlers when placed in water is known to drive trout wild.
FEATURES
- Can be used at very low depths of water or on shallow water surfaces
- Can create movements on the surface of the water which makes it serve as a lure also
- Referred to as the best brook trout bait
- Easily found in the environment
- Natural bait
- One of the cheapest baits that you can find
- Can be difficult to keep alive for a long period of time
- Not everyone lives in an area where they are easily accessible
- More effective against wild trout
#2 Rebel Wee-Crawfish
Check on Amazon
If you have ever googled anything about the type of bait you should use for trout fishing before, then you might already be familiar with this artificial bait. The Rebel Wee-Crawfish bait is one of the best artificial trout baits out there. Technically, it is more of a lure than a bait, but hey, who cares about technicality right? The Rebel Wee-crawfish is designed specifically to imitate the movement of a crawfish scooting across the bottom of the water as if it were trying to escape a predator. This type of bait is designed to exploit the strength of the trout to see almost anything that moves in the water.
FEATURES
- Artificial bait
- Designed to effectively mimic a natural trout diet
- Designed to not hurt the trout
- Very effective against wild trout
- Not too expensive
- Can be kept in storage for a long time
- Cannot be used for stock trout
- Can be very specific to certain species of trout
#3 Salmon Eggs
Check on Amazon
This is one of the more popular artificial baits on the internet. Salmon eggs are one of those baits that are easy to use and won’t put a hole in your pocket. Due to the availability of protein in this type of bait, trout are quite easily attracted to this type of bait. In most bait shops online and offline, the red one is the most readily available as it is the most effective of all. The only downside to this bait is that it can easily come off the hook.
FEATURES
- Natural bait with some artificial additives to make it more effective
- Strong smell
- Part of the natural trout diet
- Can be used for both wild and stocked trout
- Inexpensive
- Known to come off the hook easily
- Some trout can be very selective and not go for this bait
#4 PowerBait
Check on Amazon
PowerBait has gained in popularity in recent years because of its success in its use as bait for trout fishing. The major characteristic of PowerBait that makes it so effective is its heavy scent that is known to draw trout from every corner of the river and lakes. This bait is also very effective for use in artificial lakes and rivers. Powerbait is heavily researched to make sure that is a very effective bait against trout and this is why the bait in recent times has been made to glitter in order for it to serve as both bait and a lure.
FEATURES
- Very heavily researched type of bait
- Artificial bait
- Has scent and glitter as a lure
- Scent is very attractive to trout in artificial waters
- Glitter feature makes it a perfect lure for trout even in murky waters
- Best bait for rainbow trout
- Easy to store
- Not as effective in natural rivers and waters
- Not as effective against other species of trout like it is against the rainbow trout
#5 Minnows
Check on Amazon
Minnows are one of the diets that trout feed on regularly and there is no better bait than one that trout feed on steadily. This type of bait is more effective in rivers and lakes as these are the habitats that they are most usually found. You should make this a must-have in your bait bag if you ever go fishing for trout. Minnows are a natural bait, therefore, you would need to catch them first before you can use them, and you can only use them on trout that live in a natural river or lake. This type of bait is not effective on trout that have been fed artificial food all their life, as they don’t give off a strong smell.
FEATURES
- Natural bait
- Natural and part of the natural trout diet
- Inexpensive
- Effective against trout in natural waters
- You cannot store them for long
- Ineffective against stocked trout that grow in artificial waters
Things to consider when buying Trout baits
To make it easier for you to know what type of trout bait is perfect for you and your fishing style, here is a short guide to help you decide what type of bait you should buy for your fishing adventures.
- Type of Water: It is very important that you know what type of water you are going to be fishing in beforehand. This is essential to the behavior that you will expect from the fish in such water. Trout, in flowing rivers, don’t behave or have the same taste as trout in ponds or artificial lakes.
- Type of trout: This one should be easy; depending on the type of trout you want to fish for, you would need a certain type of bait for specific species of trout.
- Fishing conditions: Some baits can withstand aggressive casting conditions while some baits are only effective in calm waters or fishing conditions.
- Cost: depending on the type of budget that you have, you might want to go for a more expensive bait type or a cheap one if you are just fishing for sport.
Good luck with all your fishing adventures and happy fishing!