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Kastmaster for Trout

Over the years several lures have become ‘the’ classics for trout fishing. One such lure is the Acme Kastmaster spoon.

Fishing a Kastmaster for trout is not unlike fishing any other small spoon however their design is a little unique.

There are thousands of different spoon designs available from simple shaped copper to much more complicated shapes and expensive materials.

The Kastmaster sets itself apart from a lot of other spoons by virtue of just how thick the body of the lure is.

It has a very simple shape but the thickness of the body is what differentiates it from lighter more slender spoons.

Because of this thicker body it quite heavier than other trout lures of a similar size. This added weight makes it great for casting and getting down into deeper water.

Best Kastmaster Colors for Trout

You don’t need to have a tackle box full of different color Kastmaster’s or a full range of sizes either. With just a handful of these lures you can cover just about any situation.

1. Gold Kastermaster

The gold Kastmaster is the go to color kastmater of choice. If you are working a new stretch of river or a small lake that you do not know then the gold is the first one you should try.

It can work well on both over cast and bright days. It is easily the most popular and has landed thousands of trout over the last 50 odd years.

2. Silver/Blue

On duller days silver can be more effective than a gold spoon. On a brighter day a silver lure can be a little bit too reflective for picky trout. If the water happens to be running a little high after a heavy spell of rain the brighter silver can be better when worked through the darker waters.

3. Patterned Colors

The above gold/silver versions are the most important colors to get. After that you can branch out into some of the patterned colors.

Colors such as Fire Tiger, Brook Trout and Metallic Perch are all good performers especially on larger rivers or small lakes where there is a natural supply of small baitfish or minnows for trout to feed on. 

How to Fish a Kastmaster for Trout

As mentioned above what makes a Kastmaster a little unique among spoons is the thick body. The thicker body for the surface area of the lure makes it  comparatively heavier than other similar sized lures.

You can use this added weight to your advantage…

Casting

Extra weight on a small lure means much longer casts on lighter trout fishing gear.

On small rivers and streams you should aim to find out where the trout will be hiding out. Trout love to wait around in deep pockets, run offs and eddy’s or pools.

They have a habit of waiting for small insects or minnows to float/swim past as the current over powers them.

Once you have identified a potential spot where you think a trout might be waiting it is then time to start working the lure in the right way.

Always cast upstream and beyond where the trout might be. Work along the river bank casting in a fan like pattern.

Seek out the deeper spots and try to cover as much water as possible. Moving on once you have covered it a few times. 

Retrieval Speed

With a lure like a Kastmaster how fast you retrieve it is crucial. Too slow and it will sink and snag on the bottom. Too fast and you may not get any strikes.

A fast retrieve can also effect how the lure swims. It should have a very pronounced wiggle that sends out pulses through the water.

One of the best ways to find the correct speed it to work it right on the surface on a calm stretch of water. You should be a very defined ripple behind the lure as it cases a small wake.

You generally do not need to go much faster than this.

Depth Control

Controlling the depth of how a Kastmaster is a combination of two things:

• Countdown before you start to retrieve
• Speed of retrieval

As soon as the Kastmaster hits the water on your cast you can control how deep it goes by a quick count before you start to retrieve it. 

In really deep water this count might be as long as five seconds. In shallower water you may not want to wait. Instead you can start to pull it in as soon as it hits the water.

Obviously a slower retrieve will make the lure run a little bit deeper than a fast one. You need to experiment a little with the speed depending on what size lure you are using.

A super quick retrieval speed will generally work the lure just under the surface. Just be careful not to go too fast or the natural action of the Kastmaster will be lost. 

Kastmaster Setup

Although you can use the smaller Kastmaster lures on ultralight spinning gear, sticking with a light to medium sized setup is probably best.

For rod selection a 6.5 foot trout spinning rod with a fast action should fit the bill.

Reel selection will usually be decided by your line rating so a 6 pound line used in conjunction with a sized 2500 spinning reel for trout would be a perfect match for the rod.

If you intend to troll using a Kastmaster then you will want to up the size of the lure and also your setup.

A trolling setup with heavier line and perhaps the use of a downrigger may be needed depending on just how deep you want to go.