To catch more lake trout this spring, adopt a comprehensive game plan. Here’s how

Spoons (above top), tubes (above middle) and paddletail swimbaits are top producers

 #4  GEAR UP

For springtime lakers, I like to use longer-than-usual rods. My weapons of choice are eight- to nine-foot, medium-heavy, fast-action spinning rods for absorbing those big head shakes and long runs. I load my spinning reels with 30-pound-test high-vis braided line; the sensitivity of braid makes it the right tool for the job. I then add a two- to three-foot leader of 20-pound fluorocarbon. I keep rods rigged for each of my key presentations, so it’s easy to switch back and forth.

My top-producing lures in shallow water are four- to five-inch tube jigs, which can be fished either horizontally or vertically. I also keep four- to six-inch paddle-tail swimbaits in the rotation, mostly for horizontal fishing. Thanks to Darren, three- to four-inch-long spoons have also found a place in my tacklebox. I like spoons with lots of flash to attract fish from a wide zone. The only other lure I use regularly during spring is a three-inch jigging spoon for vertical presentations when the fish are sitting a little deeper.