I do fairly well on the river chucking streamers with my fly rod for chunky brownies, but what do you guys use at the lakes on spinning tackle? Ive been chasing them for the past couple years to no avail. Big to me around here is anything bigger than 5lbs

Great lakes brown trout are suckers for jerk baits & trolled stick baits. 

While I do not usually target big brown trout, early season while looking for brown bass with jerkbaits, I catch a few.

Here's my two best from last spring 

?

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

Big brownies are fish eaters. Jerkbaits seems to be one of their preferred targets. A Lucky Craft Slender Pointer has been a solid bait for me.

Fathead minnows and crayfish make up the forage too

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Big brownies are fish eaters. Jerkbaits seems to be one of their preferred targets. A Lucky Craft Slender Pointer has been a solid bait for me.

I’ll have to give that a try, Blue. I was throwing Yo-Zuri pin minnows and Rapala Countdowns all day until my wrists hurt from ashore. 

11 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Great lakes brown trout are suckers for jerk baits & trolled stick baits. 

Recommend any good stick baits to troll with?

12 hours ago, Dorado said:

Recommend any good stick baits to troll with?

Original floating rapala & the jointed version both in the J-11 & J-13 sizes. Also LC pointers. Ima flits, rapala husky jerks & smithwick rogues.  

19 hours ago, Dorado said:

Recommend any good stick baits to troll with? 

The Original Storm Thin Fin is very effective.  The best color for me is Metallic Silver Blue and the 2.5" size works better than the larger one.  These have great action and cost less than $5. This does not have the typical stick bait shape, but don't let that dissuade you, it works.  I have caught just about everything trolling this; but it is especially good on brown trout.

This brown trout I caught in Lake Michigan on a Kastmaster spoon

 

When i lived in CT i did well on medium sized crankbaits.  The rapala flat rap got me a few in the 3-5 range.  Never had a huge one.

I've caught just about everything, from crappie to big northern pike, on blade baits. Vertically jig likely structures. You'll get bit.

My brother inlaw uses big jitterbugs over river pools in northern Michigan at night. Catches some tanks. 

14 hours ago, brgbassmaster said:

My brother inlaw uses big jitterbugs over river pools in northern Michigan at night. Catches some tanks. 

That sounds like a blast.

Spoons, hands down, are my favorite.

 

On 11/20/2018 at 11:13 AM, A-Jay said:

While I do not usually target big brown trout, early season while looking for brown bass with jerkbaits, I catch a few.

Here's my two best from last spring 

?

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

d**n, those are huge!

12 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

That sounds like a blast.

He says its awesome! I always want to try but the draw of super fat northern Mi smallies always wins ??. 

My biggest browns have been caught on sculpin.

This time of year on Lake Michigan the browns are in or near the harbors. If there is ice in the harbors, live bait on tip ups. If the water is open, jigging flukes, tubes, and Kastmaster spoons