In this section I have compiled information from various sources:
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It is rare for a professional fishing guide to give his fish-catching secrets, so please make good use of the information contained of the article below, written by Ernie Lantiegne. This article made me realize how many things I had been doing "wrong" for 40 years!
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a) using the treble hooks that came with the store-bought spoons (where legally allowed), instead of immediately installing a lighter single hook that maximizes the spoon's action
b) using snap swivels for quick lure changes, not knowing that the weight of the snap swivel affects the spoon's action
c) not always matching the spoon to the trolling speed, or vice versa
d) not adding a touch of color to otherwise "plain-looking" store-bought spoons
P.S. For your convenience I have in stock a variety of snaps, hooks, and split rings at the best prices in Canada, to allow you to perform the necessary "retrofit" to your existing collection of fishing spoons.
https://www.glangler.com/blogs/articles/spoon-tuning-trickery-for-browns-brown-trout-by
Trolling "strategy" or "game plan" for trout (by Denis Canuel)
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It is easy to get lulled into doing the same old thing again and again when trolling. After all, "that method" has produced results for us in the past, right? Maybe, but conditions are constantly changing under water. And what worked yesterday or even 15 minutes ago might not be the best technique right at this time. I have been guilty myself of trolling at the same speed of 1.6 MPH for hours and days, because that is the speed that has produced the most trout for me over the years. But a recent discussion with a fisherman at the boat ramp made me reconsider my views on trolling speed (thanks Dustin!). More testing is required, but preliminary results indicate that preferred trolling speed for trout might vary randomly throughout the day. Since I have become aware of that, if I troll for more than 15 minutes without a trout hitting my lures, I either increase or reduce trolling speed significantly. I am not talking about minute adjustments, or short bursts of speed. I am talking about trolling for 15 minutes at a speed 0.4 MPH higher or lower.
The same holds true for trolling depth, and location of my trolling pattern on the lake. I tend to favor relatively deep trolling in relatively deep water because this seems to be what produced most large fish for me over the years, but I do not hesitate to vary my trolling depth drastically from one 15-minute fishing window to the next. And if I do not get hits in deep water close to the middle of the lake, I move as close to shore as I dare, without snagging bottom. In other words, if my current trolling pattern does not produce hits, I do not make a minute change. I do "the opposite" of what I was doing before, to try and create opportunities for fish to bite.
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At the beginning of a fishing session I use 2 lines, to quickly find the depth where fish are biting, and what color/size of spoon the fish are biting at that moment. If your boat is large enough downriggers are the easiest way to fish precisely. On smaller boats leadcore lines are precise too. Using lead weights of 2 to 3 oz on monofilament or braided lines also works. I will typically troll one line 35 feet deep with a large True Gold spoon, and one line 24 feet deep with a small Black Chrome spoon. Usually within 5 minutes I will get a hit, and adjust depth and spoon size/color on the rod that did not get hit - or just fish the one rod that got hit, if I do not want to deal with the tangles created by double headers. If I do not get other hits after 15 minutes, I start experimenting again, as preferred depths and size/color of spoons can vary through the day. Sometimes the bite comes in "waves" of 5 to 10 minutes of non-stop action every hour or so. I keep an eye on other boats. If there is no action on other boats, this means that there is a "lull" in the fish feeding activity, and not necessarily any need to change my depth or lure.
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Professional guide Cal Kellogg explains the effectiveness of black lures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXf4TJmiweo&t=250s
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Coming soon: how to rig spoons properly
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For the moment, I would like to mention what I recommend to tie your leaders (for trout fishing). This line is strong, invisible to fish, and easy to tie. I recommend a 3 to 4 foot leader, in 10 lb test:
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https://www.amazon.ca/Berkley-Vanish-Spool-Clear-250-Yards/dp/B00FPR1FG6
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Leadcore line: for boats that don't have downriggers (by Denis Canuel)
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If you have downriggers on your boat, you have the ability to reach fish deep.
But for those who fish tiny boats on lakes with no boat launch, you can fish deep by using a leadcore setup. Here is a tutorial by Cal Kellogg, that explains how:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JnQ_eDKRqg&t=1517s
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Cal Kellogg and his thoughts on why leadcore line catches more trout:​
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click here​​
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I also believe that leadcore line produces an oscillation in the water, that adds a bit of action to your lure. I recently ran a comparative test, running two lines with the same spoon at the same depth for 2 hours. The leadcore line outfished by a ratio of 4 to 1, the braided line with a 3 oz weight.
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Here is the leadcore line I use:
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I recommend 18lb test, as it is the line that sinks the fastest.
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Here is a quick formula to calculate how many colors of leadcore you need to let out to reach the desired depth:
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Trolling speed 1.6 MPH: 7 feet of depth per color of leadcore
Trolling speed 2.0 MPH: 6 feet of depth per color of leadcore
Trolling speed 2.5 MPH: 5 feet of depth per color of leadcore
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In between the leadcore line and your leader, it is better if you add something called a "topshot". I have run experiments and I am catching just as many fish with a 9 foot or a 25 foot topshot. I use fluorocarbon because it is invisible to fish, but if you don't want to spend this kind of money, any 20 lb test monofilament will do just fine (as long as you use fluorocarbon for the leader that attaches to your spoon):
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https://www.amazon.ca/Berkley-Vnfs20-15-Vanish-Fishing-Clear/dp/B00FPR1ASY
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Here is the easiest knot to tie, to attach the different components of this system:
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https://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/double-uni-knot
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If you just want to try leadcore without spending a lot of money on a new rod and reel, you can use just any old Penn reel with a downrigger rod.
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But once you start hooking more fish than anyone else on the lake, you will want to actually land these fish consistently, and this is where good equipment matters. I use a Penn Squall similar to this, because of its fast retrieve ratio, useful when a large rainbow swims to the surface after biting, and you need to "reel in the slack" before this fish gets to the surface to jump:
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https://harbourchandler.ca/penn-squall-ii-30lw-level-wind-reel/
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And I use a custom leadcore rod, because I have not seen yet a mass-produced rod that has the needed characteristics: a strong bottom portion to handle the weight of 5 colors of leadcore deployed under water (3 ounces), and a soft top portion of the rod to absorb the shock of fish fighting close to the boat. On a small boat, a short length of 6.5 feet is ideal, especially if you are fishing by yourself, so that the fish are within your reach for netting.
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https://www.fishhuntshoot.com/product/cals-leadcore-trolling-rod/#reviews
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The downsides of leadcore line:
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Leadcore is very effective at catching fish, but also has downsides:
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1- your line extends far behind the boat, so it is not suitable for fishing crowded areas, because of possible tangles with other fishermen. And if such a tangle occurs, it could damage your line to the point of you having to replace it (always carry a spare spool of leadcore line). Tangles can also occur if a fish crosses your 2nd line during a fight. Because leadcore line is abrasive, this can cause your leader to break and losing the fish.
2- no matter what you do, you will experience line twist eventually. And once leadcore line is twisted, it cannot be straightened and you will notice that it takes longer to deploy. For someone who fishes a lot, this could mean replacing the line every few weeks. I consider $15.00 an acceptable price to pay, to catch fish consistently. For someone who fishes less, line would last one season.
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3- just like braided line, leadcore line can cut you if you are not careful. Do not try to pull a snag with your hand. Always wrap the line around a fish club.
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You can combine the benefits of a downrigger and leadcore line with something called the "Secret Weapon Rig". Just add 2 colors of leadcore line to a downrigger rod and reel, and clip the downrigger release to the monofilament.
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Here is an article about using trailing hooks to reduce mortality in catch and release fishery:
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https://outdooraddictions.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/the-trailing-hook-method/
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https://outdooraddictions.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/the-trailing-hook-method-faq/