My Top 5 Lures for 2011 Southern Alberta Fishing Season

I  Wanted to write a quick post in regards to my go to kayak fishing lures this fishing season.After quite a few descent outings this year I repeatedly found myself relying on a lot of the same lures time and time again.Sometimes I may not have changed as often as I should have and who knows what giants I may  have missed out on but these 5 lures,in no particular order, seemed to produce extremely well in certain situations and I will always be sure to keep them close at hand when on the water.

 #1 - Thomas Buoyant Spoon 1/4 once in Brown Trout Color  : When hitting stocked trout waters I have  had incredible luck with the Thomas Buoyant spoon in Brown Trout finish.I have to admit the first time I was introduced to this lure by a close friend and fishing buddy I really thought very little of it . I may have even given him a hard time for spending money on it. It wasn?t long after seeing his success that I was eating my words and begging to give it a try.My opinion on the Thomas Buoyant on wild trout waters is a little mixed but its success on stocked trout waters is unquestionable.Cast or trolled this wobbler has an erratic action that mimics a fleeing baitfish.It has a quality baked-on enamel finish that holds up very well to the riggers of fishing .Two of my largest trout, +/-11pds, were caught at Phyllis Lake ,Alberta on this lure this year which is why I will always have it on a rod when hitting stocked trout waters.
 #2 - The Rapala Countdown 9 in Brown Trout Color : This is quite possibly my favorite go to lure for every situation.I have hooked Pike,Walleye,Trout,Mooneye and Whitefish with the Rapala CD9 this season.Finishes of Silver and Rainbow also work well but brown seems to show the best results.It can be  trolled or cast in the usual manner.Its controlled sinking action allows you to put it exactly where you want, just above weed tops or on bottom structure for deeper feeders.It may be one of the most popular lures used in this region and for good reason.It?s success on trophy trout in The Bow River alone make it worth keeping a few of these around.
 #3 - Blue Fox Vibrax Spinner in Silver :This simple spinner has saved so many days for me on the Bow River when trout fishing that I have to include it on the list.It has a two-part body emits low-frequency sound vibrations that attract fish while also eliminating line twist.It has become the go to lure among myself and my fishing buddies when all else seems to fail.When Targeting large trout on the river without any success the Vibrax Spinner tends to find its way on the end of the line by the afternoon.So much so that typically after a shore lunch on a slow day it?s become a running joke to got to the silver spinner.On more times then I can count the Vibrax Spinner has turned around a day of slow fishing.It doesn?t produce the same quality and size of trout as the Rapla CD 9 but what it lacks on front it makes up for in sheer numbers.Typically hooking non stop 6? to 12? Browns and Rainbows.Any lure that can time in and time out save a slow fishing days is always worth having on your kayak.
  #4 -  Aglia Long in size 4 with the Redbo Blade : My Passion Pike fishing grew quite a bit this year and I spent a lot more time targeting them.In the past the bulk of my time has been chasing trout so the was quite a bit of knowledge I picked up this year as far as Pike are concerned.Although I never seemed to have a hard time finding them and even getting them to chase lures to the kayak getting them to commit to hit was sometimes a different story.Having played with a few types of jerkbaits and spoons with mixed results I found that the Mepps Aglia Long in size 4 with the Redbo Blade to be the lure that ensured the pike didn?t just follow but hit with a bang.Aglia Longs can be trolled but are very easy to cast to target areas which is my preference.Its blade hugs the body while moving allowing it to stay in deep during the retrieve.some of my best moments this year were some hard pike hits sending me for a 180 degree spin while standing in the Jackson Coosa Elite Kayak. And finally
 #5 - Rapala Skitter Pop size 7 in Firetiger : The last lure on my list isn?t one that I have had a ton of success with exactly but the one I may have had the most fun using.Although I only hooked 2 Pike with the Rapala Skitter Pop all season I loved watching it dance and gurgle its way across the water surface.With one of the loudest spitting actions and fished with walk-the-dog or twitching retrieves it can result in some crushing strikes from aggressive surface feeder Pike.Having Pike hit on a topper water lure has no comparison in my book and is something I plan on working on a lot more in the future. These lures are by no means all that I carry as after all I am A kayak Fisherman and as we know just about any lure may work at any given time.But that said these lures always impart a sense of confidence in me when I tie them on.
 These lures are by no means all that I carry as after all I am A kayak Fisherman and as we know just about any lure may work at any given time.But that said these lures always impart a sense of confidence in me when I tie them on.

 Check out Kayak Fishing info at: Fishnhound - Kayak Fishning   http://fishnhound.canadiankayakanglers.com/

Tight Lines and Happy Paddling!