Top 5 Best Trout Baits
Pautzke Salmon Eggs
Balls O' Fire Premium Salmon Egg Bait, 1-Ounce
5. Pautzke Salmon Eggs
This
one has been around forever. The effectiveness of a salmon egg is
dependent on two things, the quality of the egg, and the egg cure. Pautzke
got both of these right with their eggs. They have been around for over
70 years, so history speaks for itself here, with millions of jars sold
since that time.
The good:
Shiny texture and perfect size make it a visually attractive bait for fish
Inexpensive
Keep fairly well, they last me a couple seasons without going bad.
Not particularly messy- but they turn your fingers red.
Pleasant smell
The not so good
Sinking (not necessarily bad, just depends on the bait rig)
Weaker scent trail than some other baits
How to fish them
Since they are a sinking bait, Pautzke eggs can either be fished under a bobber or float, suspended off the bottom in tandem with a floating bait, drifted along the bottom in current, or added to trolled lures to entice more strikes.
At Meramec Springs I like to drift them below the rapids. Sometimes they like one egg on an egg hook and sometimes three of them on a treble.
The good:
Shiny texture and perfect size make it a visually attractive bait for fish
Inexpensive
Keep fairly well, they last me a couple seasons without going bad.
Not particularly messy- but they turn your fingers red.
Pleasant smell
The not so good
Sinking (not necessarily bad, just depends on the bait rig)
Weaker scent trail than some other baits
How to fish them
Since they are a sinking bait, Pautzke eggs can either be fished under a bobber or float, suspended off the bottom in tandem with a floating bait, drifted along the bottom in current, or added to trolled lures to entice more strikes.
At Meramec Springs I like to drift them below the rapids. Sometimes they like one egg on an egg hook and sometimes three of them on a treble.
4. Scented Marshmallows
Atlas-Mikes are a
favorite brand of many fisherman.
The good
Inexpensive
Very Floaty (unless they start to go stale)
Variety of scents and colors, with the option of glitter
Relatively unmessy
The not so good
Don't keep as well as some other baits (be sure to keep the jar closed, and keep water out)
How to fish
Since this is a floating bait, rig as usual using an egg sinker or split shot, and suspend off the bottom. Additional sinking baits, a salmon egg for example, can be added to the rig to create an attention grabbing trout buffet.
The good
Inexpensive
Very Floaty (unless they start to go stale)
Variety of scents and colors, with the option of glitter
Relatively unmessy
The not so good
Don't keep as well as some other baits (be sure to keep the jar closed, and keep water out)
How to fish
Since this is a floating bait, rig as usual using an egg sinker or split shot, and suspend off the bottom. Additional sinking baits, a salmon egg for example, can be added to the rig to create an attention grabbing trout buffet.
3. Nightcrawlers
The
nightcrawler is the oldest bait on my list, and arguably one of the
oldest baits of all times. They catch fish in saltwater, fresh water,
rivers, lakes, anywhere really. I've caught bass, flounder, dog fish,
perch, crappy, bluegill, and of course trout, as well as many other
species of fish, all on nightcrawlers.
The good
Catch a variety of fish in addition to trout, you never know what you might pull up
Available most places
You can dig, or even farm your own
Relatively inexpensive
Best "action" of any of the baits listed here
The not so good
Some may object to the use of live bait
Difficult to thread on the hook
Sinking
Slimy and messy
Do not keep well (keep cool, damp and dark for best life, but still only a few weeks at tops)
Minimal scent trail
How to fish
Just like salmon eggs. Suspend from a bobber or float, float off the bottom with a marshmallow or other floating bait, drift in the current, or add to a trolled or cast lure. For most trout, a whole nightcrawler is overkill, half or third of a worm will do just fine.
The good
Catch a variety of fish in addition to trout, you never know what you might pull up
Available most places
You can dig, or even farm your own
Relatively inexpensive
Best "action" of any of the baits listed here
The not so good
Some may object to the use of live bait
Difficult to thread on the hook
Sinking
Slimy and messy
Do not keep well (keep cool, damp and dark for best life, but still only a few weeks at tops)
Minimal scent trail
How to fish
Just like salmon eggs. Suspend from a bobber or float, float off the bottom with a marshmallow or other floating bait, drift in the current, or add to a trolled or cast lure. For most trout, a whole nightcrawler is overkill, half or third of a worm will do just fine.
2. Berkley Power Eggs
Berkley
Power Eggs are a fairly recent addition to the trout fisherman's
arsenal. They are the less messy and longer lasting cousin of dough
style baits. The traditional egg style are likely the most popular,
however the same formula is available in numerous other shapes, with one
of my personal favorites being the Honey Worm.
The good
Low mess
A wide variety of colors, styles, scents, and glitter patterns
Stay on the hook very well
Very long shelf life
Good scent dispersion
The not so good
Pricey
About the furthest thing from a natural bait as you can get
How to fish
The egg style of bait is a floating formula, so fish similarly to the marshmallow baits. Either use one of multiple eggs per hook. When using some of their other molded baits, the Honey Worms for example, be aware that they naturally sink, so keep this in mind when tying your rigs.
The good
Low mess
A wide variety of colors, styles, scents, and glitter patterns
Stay on the hook very well
Very long shelf life
Good scent dispersion
The not so good
Pricey
About the furthest thing from a natural bait as you can get
How to fish
The egg style of bait is a floating formula, so fish similarly to the marshmallow baits. Either use one of multiple eggs per hook. When using some of their other molded baits, the Honey Worms for example, be aware that they naturally sink, so keep this in mind when tying your rigs.
1. Berkley Powerbait Dough Bait
I
know I'll probably get a little flack from a couple fisherman for
picking an artificial bait for the number one spot, but my rationale is
simple: Berkley Powerbait has put the most fish in my boat.
The good
Mold-able, easy to cover whole hook while still keeping it bite size
Wide variety of colors, scents, and added glitters
Floats
Relatively long shelf life (just keep the lids tight)
Absorb and hold additional scents well
The not so good
Messy
Somewhat off-putting smell
Expensive
Doesn't stay on the hook as well as others (mostly only a problem with old bait)
How to fish
Form a ball of the dough just large enough to cover the hook completely. Fish as you would the other floating bait like Power Eggs or Marshmallows.
The good
Mold-able, easy to cover whole hook while still keeping it bite size
Wide variety of colors, scents, and added glitters
Floats
Relatively long shelf life (just keep the lids tight)
Absorb and hold additional scents well
The not so good
Messy
Somewhat off-putting smell
Expensive
Doesn't stay on the hook as well as others (mostly only a problem with old bait)
How to fish
Form a ball of the dough just large enough to cover the hook completely. Fish as you would the other floating bait like Power Eggs or Marshmallows.
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