Instead of my annual BWCA trip, I'm going backpacking in Glacier NP this year. I'll have the chance to fish alpine lakes for Rainbow, Brook, Yellow Cutthroat, and Westslope Cutthroat Trout.

I'm planning on taking an ultralite spinning setup as I haven't fly fished before and they are pricey.

I have also never fished for these types of trout.

Any advice on lures?
- Must haves that don't weight much? Or if you could only bring say 5 lures what would they be?

Any advice on where to fish for these guys when looking out on a brand new lake and only shore fishing?

Thanks guys!

I've done a lot with the fly rod, here and out west, but when I'm trout fishing with a spinning reel I've almost always got a mepps aglia on the line. I've used sizes 1 and 2, mostly dressed treble hooks with natural brown hair dressing, although I've done well with the gray as well. I'll usually have both silver and gold versions, depending on conditions and where I'm fishing. They're simple, light weight, and if I were going out there I'd bring a few at minimum.

Mepps spinners size 0 through 3, various color blades. Panther Martin Spinners, again various sizes and colors. I would also take some Brekely Trout Bait and some small plain hooks. Small Little Cleo spoons have been good to me also. You might also take some mouse imitating lures for the bigger Trout if you happen to run across some big Rainbows, Brookies, etc.

Great advice from the guys above. A coupe things I would add are some small, 2" rapalas in gold or natural, could be husky jerks or orignal raps. Also, you might consider a clear casting bubble to cast flies with ( the ones that can be filled with water), then a few woolly buggers in olive and a few in black. Size 8 or 10, would be good. The spinners should be all you need but I had a good friend fish a mountain lake (albeit it was in BC) and nothing they threw would interest the fish (spinners, raps etc). The only things that worked were olive woolly buggers.

Moonman.

Mepps makes a stream trout kit that has a lot of good spinners in it. It is actually one of the only places I have been able to find the black with yellow spinner with the yellow tail that I posted about in Moonmans little cleo thread.

With a spinning reel use a clear bobber with a 4lb leader 4 to 6 feet long with a small black fly floating if possible.

Google search Eggers Spinners. Made in MN, amazing spinners. They are bigger than most imagine using but they are PHENOMENAL and the guy who makes them is a first class dude. Tell him I sent you.

Spinners. SuperDupers. Small spoons, all will work. Keep an eye out for the Grizz. Anthony

Panther Martin.

Best trout spinners ever.

Thanks guys. Seems there is a consensus at least. :)

quote FishermanTed: "Panther Martin.


Best trout spinners ever."

+1

Glad to hear from fellow hiker on this site. I have hiked over 250 miles through Glacier the last 3 years and fish every chance I get. I have trimmed my tackle down to various small Mepps and small flashy spoons. Have also tried the plastic ball with fly and have had some luck but the Mepps wins hands down. I am sure other types of inline spinners would also work. I have found that a multi piece 6'6 rod out performs my old 5 ft telescopic rod as for making the longer casts you will need as you will be shore fishing. Lmk where you are hiking to. I have fished a lot of the lakes.
Good luck
IRG

All info so far is good stuff. My 2 cents - hope it helps:

Stream fishing for trout is my passion. 80% of the time I fish Panther Martin lures.

This winter I inventoried my trout vest and took this pic. I go primarily Panther Martins (mostly sizes 2-4) and Worden's Rooster Tails in southern/southwestern WI. My uncle ran a sporting goods store that was within casting distance of a sweet trout stream (that I still fish often) when I was growing up and he preached "If you want to catch fish use the Panther Martins"! I've done well out in Yellowstone and Montana with yellow, brown trout, and red bodied PM's. With the rooster tails I've had success on various colors but I prefer black with silver blade.

In the upper right you will see my secret weapons - Kastmaster lures and Swedish Pimples. They have caught me some very nice fish. One evening on the Yellowstone River I had a very productive time using brown trout painted Kastmaster lures.

quote FishermanTed: "Panther Martin.


Best trout spinners ever."

Been there done that,panther martins