by Rex Trulove

Created on: August 31, 2008

If you ask a bait fisherman what the best bait is to use to catch rainbow trout, chances are good that they will name only one kind of bait, ignoring the many others. This is because the majority of fishermen have a single most favorite bait, usually because it is something they've had success with.

For an expert fisherman, though, 'best' is a relative term. What works well in certain conditions in one body of water won't necessarily work in different conditions in the same river, stream or lake, or in the same conditions in a different location. So instead of defining the best bait to use for rainbow trout, they will usually mention several baits that are good to use.

It is then up to the individual fisherman to discover which works best for them, in which bodies of water, and under what conditions. However, it is worthwhile to look at some of the better baits for the bait fisherman to use.

* Eggs: Single eggs can be useful for catching rainbow trout in lakes, rivers, and streams. These are usually treated salmon eggs, and can be very good for use during the times of year that the rainbows are spawning. Rainbows are cannibalistic, so if there are already eggs in the water, they will be more inclined to take an egg on a hook. Single eggs are best for rainbow trout less than a pound in size, however.

* Egg clusters: While the individual eggs in a cluster may be smaller than single eggs, a cluster is presented more like actual roe. The size of the cluster also makes it more ideal for fishing for large rainbows, such as those found in lakes. Five or six pound trout are often taken with this kind of bait.

* Minnows: In many places, use of live minnows is prohibited. However, frozen minnows seem to work nearly as well, especially in lakes. Minnows are most often used for catching larger rainbow trout as well, and this is useful bait for a lake fisherman.

* Worms: There is probably no bait that is more versatile than worms for catching rainbow trout. This is because they are present in nature, near virtually any body of water. Rainbow trout tend to strike readily at worms, regardless of the size of the trout. This makes worms an ideal bait for use in nearly all rivers, streams and lakes, no matter what size the body of water is, and no matter what size the trout are in the body of water.

Worms also are fairly inexpensive to purchase, they come in a variety of sizes, they can be harvested in our own yards, and they are easy to raise. For these reasons, worms are the most

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