Trolling is an exciting form of fishing, especially when you are going after big game species like tuna, marlin, kingfish, and others.
There is an abundance of trolling lures on the market and while that is a good thing, finding the best trolling lures can be a challenge, especially if it’s your first time using one.
Our favorite is the Capt Jay Daisy Chain Fishing Lure with its durable construction and value for money price tag.
Here’s the thing. Not all trolling lures are created equal.
Some are great and others are, well, outright pieces of junk. You don’t want to spend your time, money, and effort only to get disappointed when you are out on the water.
Fortunately, you are reading this guide. We’ll cover some of the very best trolling lures available on the market, particularly those designed for catching monster fish species both in freshwater and saltwater conditions.
Pay close attention to the pros and cons, as these will help you decide which lure is best suited to your fishing needs.
Let’s get started!
Best Trolling Lures – Reviews & Buying Guide
Best Overall: Capt Jay Daisy Chain Fishing Lure
Product Overview
Capt Jay Fishing makes some of the best fishing tackle available, so it is not surprising that its Daisy Chain Fishing Lure takes the top spot on our list.
The set consists of four durable and brightly colored lures that are great for targeting game fish, such as mahi-mahi, tuna, kingfish, sailfish, and marling, among others.
Consider this option if you want an affordable fishing lure teaser for trolling that also offers great value.
Featured Spec
- Color: Red and Black
- Size: 6.5 inches
- Target Species: Game Fish (Marlin, Tuna, Kingfish, Sailfish, Wahoo)
Pros
- Affordable price point
- Professionally rigged on 9.5ft leader with 7/0 hooks
- Great choice for tuna, mahi-mahi, and other game fish
- 100% money-back guarantee if unsatisfied
- Good for slow trolling
Cons
- Not ideal for fast trolling
Product Review
When a select group of charter fishing captains is in charge of a fishing tackle company, chances are they’ll manufacturer some of the best trolling lures on the market.
That’s the case with Capt Jay Fishing, a Key West Florida local fishing company. The business is run by pro fishing charter captains, so you can expect great value when you buy these lures.
The lures have chrome-plated plastic heads that work great, especially at this price point. And the red and black skirts give the lures tight swimming action that attracts fish.
Professionally rigged on a 9.5-foot ultra strong classic leader in 300-pound test with 7/0 big game hook. These are ready for use right out of the box.
For best results, consider trolling the chain teasers at an average speed of 3 to 6 miles per hour (between 3 and 8 knots). While the lure will work in nearly all conditions, it is better to go slower on rough days and a bit faster on calm days as a general rule.
The lures come in a durable mesh bag for convenient carrying and safe storage.
Runner-Up: Krazywolf Daisy Bird Squid Fishing Lure
Product Overview
This pack of 3 fully rigged big game trolling lures from Krazywolf is ideal for going after big tuna, dolphinfish, sailfish, and more.
The lures come complete with a 5-inch teaser bird, three 6-inch squids, and one 9-inch squid. They include three brilliant colors so you can fish just about any day, regardless of the weather.
For the price, these lures offer great value and will most likely get you more hits.
Featured Spec
- Color: Multi-color
- Size: 5 inches, 6 inches, 9 inches
- Target Species: Big Game Fish (Tuna, Marlin, Dolphinfish, Barracuda)
Pros
- Fully rigged with 100-pound test mono
- Tight swimming action
- Suitable for use in all weather conditions
- Lures of different lengths and colors
- Comes with a teaser bird
Cons
- May require redoing rigging before use
- Bead color might bleed
Product Review
If teasing fish is part of your fishing technique, Krazywolf’s offering might be the right trolling lure for you. It comes with a teaser bird that’s about 5 inches in length. That’s in addition to three 6 inches squid and one 9 inches long squid lures.
To make things even better, the trolling lures are rigged with 100-pound test mono so you can get right to fishing without further delay. Large fish species are attracted to these lures, thanks to the tight swimming action that mimics real baitfish. In addition, you can use the lures in all weather conditions and water types.
They come in yellow, blue, and pink colors. If you’re targeting kingfish, you will likely get better results with the yellow squids. Kings find them simply irresistible! Also, you can target mackerel, tuna, and wahoo with these trolling lures.
Although the lures come fully rigged, it is usually a good idea to redo them before using them if you want to get the best out of Krazywolf fishing lure. Other than this modification, the lures are great and do what they are designed to do, they catch fish!
Alternative: Capt Jay Fishing Trolling Lure
Product Overview
This set of eight trolling lures from Capt Jay are larger, making it an excellent pick for offshore big game trolling for those monster species like sailfish and kingfish.
The good thing about these lures is that they are easy to use and re-rig.
Also, they are available at a great price point, so you’ll get a lot of bang for the money. And if you are not completely satisfied with your purchase for some reason, you can ask for a refund and get your money back, no questions asked.
Featured Spec
- Color: Multi-color
- Size: 9 inches
- Target Species: Big Game Fish (Mahi-Mahi, Tuna, Kingfish)
Pros
- Great value for money
- Pre-rigged on 6ft leader with 9/0 hooks
- Mesh carry bag included
- Reasonably priced
- 100% money-back guarantee if unsatisfied
Cons
- Risk of hurting yourself
- Too large for targeting medium-sized fish
Product Review
This is another entry from Capt Jay Fishing. Like our best overall pick, these trolling lures come with a 100% money-back guarantee. That’s how confident the pro fishing charters captains are of their lures.
Weighing 3.8 ounces and measuring 9 inches in length, the trolling lures are available in a variety of colors, including black-red, purple-black, blue-white, purple-orange, yellow-green, and bleeding dorado.
A variety of colors in a set is a big advantage as it allows you to use the most appropriate lure for each weather condition. For example, a dark-colored lure will be ideal for fishing on a cloudy day and light-colored ones will work well on brighter days.
Using these lures is pretty straightforward because they come professionally rigged on a 6-foot ultra strong 130-pound classic leader with 9/10 big game hooks. You only need to attach them to your rod and you’re good to go. And to increase the chances of a hit, consider tipping the hook with fresh ballyhoo.
Since they are pre-rigged, you need to be extra cautious with these Capt Jay Fishing trolling lures. They have extremely sharp hooks that can easily hurt you if not carefully handled. Thankfully, they come in a mesh bag for safe and secure storage.
Alternative: Kmucutie Copper Head Octopus Skirts Trolling Lure
Product Overview
You’ll want to pay attention to the Kmucutie trolling lure if plan to go fishing in the deep sea. This option is available as a set of five lures designed with special features to attract fish.
No doubt, this is one of the best trolling lures for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Getting this set saves you the cost of buying separate lures for fishing different water conditions.
It also doubles as the best slow trolling lure on this list. So, you’ve got a fantastic option here if you’ll be trolling at 5 to 8 knots (5.7 to 9.2 mph).
Featured Spec
- Color: Multi-color
- Size: 8 inches
- Target Species: Big Game Fish (Billfish, Wahoo, Bull Dolphin, Tuna)
Pros
- Well made lures
- Highly quality skirt
- Lifelike features
- Realistic swimming action
- Bright colors for attracting big game fish
Cons
- Not suitable for trolling at high speeds
- They don’t come rigged
Product Review
Big fish species usually find the Kmucutie fishing lures hard to resist for more than one reason. First, these lures wear bright and highly attractive colors, a mix of five different shades that give the lures a fish-like appearance.
Another feature that makes the lure irresistible to marlin, tuna, bull dolphin, and other big game fish is the copper head that looks like that of a tiny baitfish. To make it even more lifelike, the head has realistic-looking 3D eyes attached.
Cleverly built into the copper head are five jet holes. These combine with the octopus skirt to generate large smoke trails of water bubbles that fish find very enticing.
Speaking of the skirt, it is made of high-quality PVC vinyl material for increased durability. Measuring eight inches from the copper head to the tip of the octopus skirt and weighing approximately 88 grams, the lure has a realistic swimming action that increases your chances of catching more big fish.
The lures work with a variety of hooks, depending on the exact fish you are planning to catch. However, a 9/0 or 10/0 hook will be ideal if you are targeting marlin, tuna, and similar-sized species.
Keep in mind that there are no hooks included with the lures. On the plus side, this gives you the flexibility to use a single, double, or even triple-head hook, depending on your preferences.
Alternative: Ocean Cat Trolling Lure
Product Overview
This set of six offshore big game trolling lures is an excellent pick if your idea of fishing is trolling behind a boat between 6 and 8 miles per hour.
Ocean Cat keeps things quite simple but effective with these lures. They are lifelike with soft rubber skin, 3D eyes, and crystal heads.
You’ll need to use a leader line of at least 150lb strength with these lures.
We highly recommend this option for targeting a wide variety of game fish species, provided you handle them with extra caution due to the several sharp hooks and corners.
Featured Spec
- Color: Multi-color
- Size: 6 inches
- Target Species: Big Game Fish (Sailfish, Mackerel, Ahi, Barracuda)
Pros
- Includes re-usable carrying case
- Vivid 3D eyes like real fish
- Has lifelike movements
- Comes pre-rigged with 7/0 circle hook
- Lead weight inside crystal head
Cons
- Keeping lures separate in the bag can be tricky
- Sharp hooks can be hazardous
Product Review
Ocean Cat makes the best trolling lure for mahi-mahi, tuna, marlin, and other big game species. The set of 6 trolling lures come in a durable mesh bag for convenient storage and carrying. You can even re-use the bag, depending on how well you maintain it.
The lures are ready for use right out of the box, as they are pre-rigged to double circle hooks. They weigh a mere 0.9 pounds and are suitable for use with 7/0 hook size.
Ocean Cat designed the multi-color lures to have lifelike features, including vivid-looking 3D eyes that look like those of real fish. Inside the crystal heads are lead weights and the body is made of soft rubber with skirts that splash water when trolling at certain speeds and mimicking real fish.
Like many other lures, you might need to trim the skirts to get them to run well. In addition to targeting mahi-mahi, consider Ocean Cat’s option if you are in the market for the best lure for trolling sailfish, ahi, barracuda, wahoo, mackerel, and kingfish.
Here’s one more thing to keep in mind if you go with Ocean Cat’s trolling lures. Keep them out of the reach of your kids or any other children for that matter! These lures come with extremely sharp hooks that can be very dangerous.
While this is a great option, you may want to opt for another trolling lure on this list if you have extremely curious and nosy kids.
Trolling Lures FAQ
How do I make my lures deeper when trolling?
Fishing with lures in deep water to catch big fish will require a few different approaches when you are trolling. To make your lure go deeper, you can either use a diving device or add lead weights to your line.
Whether you use a diver or lead weight, these will be attached to your main line while your lure goes at the end with a lighter leader. Letting out more line will allow the gear to go deeper to your desired depth.
To keep things simple, here are a few tips on how to make your lures deeper when trolling:
Slow down your trolling speed: Weighted divers will go deeper (even it is by a few inches) if you slow your trolling speed. That’s because slowing down creates less drag.
However, you need to find a way to maintain the right speed that will increase the chances of more strikes while allowing the lure to troll deeper.
Use the smallest diameter line possible for trolling: Line diameter comes into play when you are trying to fish deeper, so it is important to carefully choose the type of fishing line to use if you want your fishing lures to go deep down when trolling.
You’ll experience more drag with larger diameter lines, as they tend to create a bow that makes it difficult for your lure to go deeper into the water. Choosing the smallest diameter line possible for your fishing technique can reduce the effects of drag.
Use lighter tackle: When you are trolling, you can experience additional drag you’re your terminal tackle. If possible, use a tackle that won’t contribute to the drag so that your lure can go a bit farther into the water.
How do you rig a fishing line for trolling?
The correct way to rig a fishing line for trolling will depend on how you plan to present your lure. For example, if you are trolling for crappies in freshwater, a simple flat-lining rig might be your best bet since these fish species are usually found at moderate depths.
On the other hand, a downrigging might be the better choice if you are trolling for walleyes because they tend to stay at deeper depth down in the water.
Rigging a fishing line for trolling in saltwater usually involves putting out two or more lines with fishing lures at various distances. Rigging your fishing line for trolling in saltwater allows you present fishing lures that mimic how baitfish swims. This entices bigger fish species and triggers their instincts to strike.
How do you get deep without a downrigger?
The most straightforward way to get deep without a downrigger is to add weights to your line or use a diving device.
While divers are great, using weights such as a clip-on option that attaches to a slider on your main line is a lot easier to add and remove. This way you can remove quickly remove the weight if you want the lure to be shallow or attach the weight if you want to fish deeper.
Keep in mind that using a diving device might help you go real deeper than merely attaching clip-on weights. However, in most cases, adding weights will get the job done when you need to get deep without a downrigger.
What lures to use when trolling?
All the fishing lures on this guide are great for trolling. They will increase your chances of getting strikes and catching big game fish.
However, before you choose a lure, consider the fish species you plan to catch. For example, the best lures for trolling striped bass might not work well for trolling tuna, kingfish, wahoo, or marlin.
Generally, you want to look for skirted trolling lures if you are going for big game fish deep in the ocean. On the flip side, if you are targeting freshwater species like bass or trout, the best trolling lures for lake trout would be crankbaits, large spoons, and swimbaits.
Keep in mind that the results you get will depend on the type of lure you use and the season you use it. For example, the lake trout lure to use during the summer will differ from a lake trout lure for fishing in spring, fall, or ice fishing.
Tube jigs, bucktail jigs, and jigging spoons will work fine for ice fishing trout. When they spawn during fall, crankbaits and swimbaits are better options to target lake trouts.
Conclusion
Trolling allows you to cover more ground, or lots of water, which is why it is a good technique for catching more fish in a shorter amount of time.
However, it can be a bit tricky if you are looking to land larger species in deep water. You will need the right type of trolling lure as well as know how to use it to reach the desired depth.
In this review, we’ve seen the best trolling lures for catching giant fish species. Regardless of the option you choose from this list, you should be getting more strikes and catching more fish.
We highly recommend the Capt Jay Daisy Chain Fishing Lure. It is not only great for targeting game fish, but it is very affordable as well. Plus, it is easy to use.
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