One of the toughest decisions anglers face in the fall is deciding what lures and baits to use and when to use them. With so many trout lures and techniques to choose from it can often be overwhelming and confusing
However, selecting the right trout fishing setup is extremely important and can be the difference between having a great fishing day or coming home empty handed.
Not sure what lures to use to target trout in the fall? Don’t worry, we have you covered. In this article, we go over the best lures for fishing for trout in the fall, as well as some helpful tips and tricks that will help you catch more fish.
Best Trout Lures for Fall Fishing
Rapala Crankbaits
Rapalas have long been known to be an excellent lure for not only trout fishing, but for fishing for species worldwide. In my opinion a Rapala crankbait is the best trout lure to throw in the fall when the fish are active.
The small baitfish imitation, combined with beautiful patterns that represent a variety of natural (and non-natural) baitfish makes this an awesome lure to throw in the fall. Many trout fishermen often overlook the effectiveness of crankbaits or Rapalas, and they are missing out.
I’d highly recommend picking up a few Rapala crankbaits in different sizes and color patterns so you’ll be ready to catch fish in any situation you’ll face.
Here are the ones that I’d recommend.
| Best Rapala Trout Lures |
| Original Floating Rapala |
| Rapala Husky Jerk |
| Rapala Countdown |
| Rapala X-Rap |
Panther Martin
If you are looking for a great lure to target trout in the fall, a Panther Martin Spinner will help you catch a ton of fish. These in-line spinners are phenomenal lures that excel at catching fish in rivers, small streams, and on lakes and ponds. This proven lightweight lure is known for its ability to provide a perfect spin both in and out of current.
The Panther Martin spinner catches the attention of trout with its convex/concave blade shape combined with its in-line construction which generates a bright flash and attention-grabbing vibration.
There are anglers that exclusively use Panther Martin spinners and for good reason. These high performance lures have stood the test of time and are a lure every angler fishing in a river or stream should have in their tackle box.
Dynamic HD Trout
The Dynamic HD Trout crank-bait was specifically designed for trout in Colorado and has quickly spread to many anglers across the United States. For good reason – the Dynamic HD Trout lure is a fish grabber and is the perfect lure to use in the fall.
It’s slender, low profile has a small front lip and is designed to slowly sink. The optimal depth for this bait is 0-2 feet. It comes in a variety of colors so that you can easily match your waters forage and should be a staple for every trout angler.
Trout Magnet
The trout magnet is a killer finesses technique that catches a ton of fish. This ultra-light rig consists of a small jig head, plastic body, and is typically paired with a bobber.
The trout magnet is a fish catcher that is a perfect technique for fishing in rivers, streams, ponds and lakes. This bait is designed to fall horizontally in the water instead of head first like most other jigs. This unique action separates it from other lures and is in part what makes it so effective.
It also comes with a perfect little box that includes the soft plastic baits and the jig heads. There are a few different color options you can choose from. I’ve had the most success catching fish with the white and pink color.
Jake’ Lure
The Jake’s Lure often doesn’t get the credit it deserves. I have caught some monster brown trout casting the brass/red spot color. This lure excels in bigger rivers with deeper pools and a strong current or big lakes and ponds.
This spoon style bait is a little heavier than most lures on this list. The Jake’s Lure has a small profile that is great at imitating bait fish. You will have no problems casting far and catching fish with the Jake’s Lure.
If you are targeting trout in the fall and and need a lure that will allow you to cover water and get down deeper than the Jake’s Lure is a great option. The flash and vibration of this lure makes it hard for any nearby trout to resist.
How to Select the Right Lure
All of the trout lures on the market can catch fish, but each is a tool that is most effective when used in the right situations. Here are the things you should consider when selecting a trout lure in the fall that will help catch more trout.
Depth – The water level of the river or stream you are fishing will help determine which lure to select. For example, if you are fishing a deep pool in a river and the trout are holding towards the bottom, then a deeper diving bait would be the better choice. Conversely, if you are fishing in a small stream that is only a few feet deep, then a smaller, lighter bait would be the better option.
Cover – Each section or the river or stream that you are fishing might present you with different types of structure. You could encounter some vegetation, rocks, bushes etc.
Water Clarity – The water clarity is also an important consideration when selecting the right lure. In clear waters, more natural looking bait are going to be the best trout lure. In murky or darker water clarity situations, bright or dark colored lures will produce more results.
Fish Forage – ‘Match the hatch’ is one of the most common fishing terms for a reason. You can increase your catch rate by simply matching what fish in your local river or stream would most likely be eating. This is especially true in clear water. If you are going to trick a trout into taking a swipe at your lure, the color, size, and movement of the bait needs to closely imitate what they would naturally be eating.
Fishing Conditions – What is the weather like? Are you fishing on a bright sunny day, or is it rainy and cloudy? These things should be taken into consideration when deciding what lure to throw. Much like in murky water, dark and bright colored lures are going to do well in low light conditions. On clear sunny days your natural looking colors are the better option.
Trout Fishing In The Fall
The fall is one of my favorite times of the year to fish for trout. The cooler temperature offers both the anglers and the fish some relief from the summer heat and can make for some more relaxing and successful days on the water.
The fall is a time of transition. Water temperatures are dropping, the snow is coming, leaves are falling and the trout start to leave their summer haunts and head for shallow water to feed.
Also keep in mind that brown trout will spawn in the fall so it’s important to be cautious and take good care of these beautiful fish if you do catch one.
What Lure Colors to Use in the Fall
A simple but often overlooked aspect of selecting the right lure is choosing the right color & pattern that best matches your fishery and the current conditions.
In general the best trout lure colors to use in the fall are white, gold, brown, black, silver, pink, orange, and red. A good rule of thumb is to always try and match your lure colors to what the trout may be feeding on.
I’ve put together this helpful trout fishing lure color guide that you can use to help you pick the right lure color in every situation.
Best Time to Fish in the Fall
In the cooler months when the water temperatures are generally colder, the warmest time of the day is going to be more productive. This is because there is not a lot of insect life with the colder temperatures early in the day. Once the sun comes out and things start to warm up, the whole ecosystem really begins to wake up again and fish will also become more active as a result.
Try fishing during the day when the sun has time to wake up all of the little insects. The warmth from the sun stimulates the environment, including the fish. If you are fishing in the early fall when it’s still fairly warm, the early morning and late evening hours are going to be the best time to fish.
To help you catch more trout all year-round I put together this quick guide on The Best Time to Fish for Trout broken down by each season.
What Do Trout Eat in the Fall
Having an understanding of what trout like to eat in the fall will help you become a better angler and catch more fish. If you can narrow down on what they are feeding on you’ll be able to match the hatch and ultimately catch more fish.
Here is a list of the most common things trout eat.
- Aquatic Insects
- Terrestrial Insects
- Other Fish
- Leeches
- Worms
- Crustaceans
The forage in each body of water is going to vary on the type of food the trout will look to feed on. Try and do a little research and figure out the types of insects, baitfish or worms are in your area and simply choose baits and lures that closely match. If you do this you’ll catch a ton of fish.
