Hey folks! I'm headed into Seagull this weekend to target lake trout. I'm trying to figure out to best setup to troll spoons, and I've heard a bit of everything: swivel, no swivel, multiple swivels spaced up the line to prevent twisting, snaps, direct tie to the lure, leader, no leader, etc. I know there are multiple successful methods here, but I'd love to learn what's best practice.

I'll be trolling from a canoe with Little Cleos, Dr. Spoons, and Taildancers. Trilene Xl, 10 lb test. Pictured below: my initial rig, which there is probably something wrong with.

Thanks everyone.

This is what I've used for years. I might add a swivel up the line a couple feet.

bobbernumber3: "


This is what I've used for years. I might add a swivel up the line a couple feet."

This, except I might use a fluorocarbon leader instead of mono.

A leader is fine with lake trout as they are aggressive and not very picky kind of like pike. a larger swivel gets the job done too. for seagull troll the west side from the alpine portage to and past the rog portage. if you look on google maps satellite , you'll notice a reef/sunken island outside of the rog portage , we always get bit there doing some "S" trolling there and around the island. also with the warmer weather , trolling open water works to.
when at camp soak some dead bait on a slip sinker set up. i bring up assorted sucker minnows as ciscoes aren't sold anymore , or harder to find. i like to use #12lb plus line from camp as your going in and out of a lot of rocks. for trolling #10 is fine but i like to beef it up to #12 as if you hook into like an 8lber , it will test your line ;) when ice goes out around opener one of my favorite lure to troll is the F-18 blk/gold original floater rapala , doesnt weigh much but has that larger profile and will get down about 10',, along with spoon/cleos and another favorite is deep divers that suspend (bill Dance bomber) is one of my favs too, when doing some "S" trolling the pause and go can really trigger fish to bite. Enjoy and give a report when you get back :) also on my spoons i like a split ring , i feel it gives it a little more motion ,same with all my CD #9 which is another great lure in the early spring.

I attach a swivel directly to my Little Cleo spoons with a split ring. Then I just tie directly to the swivel, but I might also add a leader that has it's own swivel depending on the situation.

I figured that I always want a swivel and more than one swivel is not a bad thing so that's why each of my spoons has a ball bearing swivel.