I don't understand why there is a trout pattern on the swimbaits? are the lakes that these guys fish stocked with trout or is it just something new the fish haven't seen or nether

Many of the lakes in California, where the big swimbaits first became popular, are stocked with rainbow trout.  Besides that, it doesn't matter if they've never seen a trout before, they will still eat it.

Trout are a very commonly stocked fish. Consequently, they have become meal targets for any larger predatory species, such as LM & SM bass, pike, walleye, catfish & musky. They all feed on trout when/if available. So trout patterned swimbaits are a logical next step and are becoming increasingly popular, even here in the northeast. 

NY DEC stocks literally millions if trout in our waters.

Swimbaits started out to imitate hatchery raised 8" to 10" rainbow trout out west, not only for largemouth bass but striped bass and big brown trout as well. Both Jerry Rago and Alan Cole, AC plugs, started as striper and brown trout lures, not largemouth bass. Bass anglers discovered the big swimbaits when the striper anglers started catching big LMB trolling the swimbaits for stripers at Castaic lake. Ken Huddleston Sr., made the first wooden trout to target LMB and that started the swimbait revolution about 1987 as I recall.

Tom

I remember working in a tackle store when the AC Plug rage hit I believe mid 90's and the first Castaic Lure Trout were really amazing looking.  Thought for $35 no way would I pay that much...wish I had bought one just to have on the bookshelf.  But remember the guys buying the AC plugs and taking them to Castaic and Casitas and bringing back pictures of the fish they were catching as well as stating the amount of big fish that would follow the baits. Only difference now is they seem to be a lot smarter then they were back then on what they choose to eat.

The 1st wooden Huddleston sold for $60 at the Mini Mart and Gallions in Castaic, came in baby bass and rainbow trout, today they are rare and sell for over $300.

Alan Coles AC plug was a creation by his son for a school project and Alan sold them in several local tackle shops starting in 1991, did a deal with Arbogast in the late 90's that didn't work out. Alan still makes the AC plug today, just not very popular anymore with the bass anglers, stripers anglers still use them.

The salt water Worm King paddle tail soft swimbait came out around '91 in a 12" and 16" trout pattern called Dinosaurs, Robowski followed with a silk screened painted soft plastic trout, both were salt water lures before becoming fresh water lures.

Everyone was copying the AC plug, buying wooden cedar dowels making home swimbaits in the early to mid 90's. Boats from all over the country were on Castaic and Casitas in the early to mid 90's, swimbaits by the hundreds were cast and trolled around these 2 lakes, it was a circus back them. There was a million dollar reward offered by a magazine for a new world record bass and our small lakes were crowded with anglers trying to catch it.

Tom

Trout colored swimbaits just work whether you have trout in your lake or pond or not!! It's worked out like that for me also even in a smaller lake with the only other fish in it is Bluegill, then frogs, and crayfish, but the 6" & 8" rainbow swimbaits get hammered there also BIG TIME with!!!!

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/137644-8-savage-gear-3d-line-thru-trout-review/

Only 1 lake in Kansas that they stock them in year round, and they for sure take advantage of them