I have been casting a fly rod since seventh grade. I’ve laid out line and flies on waterways in more than a dozen states and half a dozen countries and provinces, and I truly love the combination of relaxation and thrill, the challenge, and the rewarding memories this pastime offers. But, I also like to hook and play game fish, so I’m certainly not above turning to alternative baits when flies are being completely ignored. My backup baits of choice would be lures.

During the winter, half a dozen sportsmen were together one evening and the subject of favorite lures came about. Oddly, five of the six selected a different lure as their ideal bait for brook trout and salmon. Only two agreed on a particular lure, but when everyone got to select five lures, there was significant duplication. When we started selecting sizes, shapes, and colors, a good deal more disagreement ensued.

Since that discussion I’ve given a lot of consideration to past fishing experiences, current tackle box inventory, and weather and water variables that affect Maine trout and salmon fishing. After careful deliberation I’ve come up with my own top 10. If I could only have 10 lures, spoons, or plugs to cast for the rest of my brook trout and landlocked salmon fishing days, they would include the following eclectic choices.

Durable and dependable

My first lures are a terrific trio that caught fish for me 40 years ago when I was in grade school and have continued to produce to this very spring. All three of these baits can be cast and retrieved or trolled behind a boat and will produce strikes either way. Each of these three lures has a very unique shape, and most anglers recognize them at a glance. They all come in a variety of sizes and colors, too, but certain specific combinations work best for me.

Every tackle box should have a Dardevle, a Super Duper, and an Al’s goldfish. Unlike many new lures, these old-time favorites are all metal and require constant motion to stay off bottom. Don’t settle for imitations; buy name-brand originals, like Eppinger Dardevles, and stick to original colors, too. Most productive for me for many seasons have been the red and white Dardevle, the Silver Super Duper, and the gold Al’s goldfish.

Each one of these old-time lures has a particular movement through the water that combines with the flash or color to attract regular strikes. I’ve tried bronze and silver goldfish; gold, pearl, and even red Super Dupers; and black and white Dardevles with only moderate success compared to the original colors. As for size, I’ve found the 11/2- to 21/2-inch lures to produce trout and salmon strikes regardless of water conditions, temperatures, and depths on lakes, streams, and rivers.

Plugging away

Plugs are the modern version of lures, generally formed from wood or plastic to resemble a minnow or baitfish in form and size. Some are painted to imitate smelt or other small fish, but many others are in bright and even psychedelic color combinations. Despite these bright hues that mimic no living minnow, they work remarkably well sometimes, but my preferences still lean toward the more realistic body patterns and colorations.

Of my four plug choices in the top 10, two are from older established companies, Rapala and Rebel, and two, Mirror Minnow and Yo-Zuri, have really established their effectiveness in the last five years. Floating plugs with diving lips sized to seek depths 1-4 feet below the surface are my favorites over deep-diving, sinking, or suspending models. Size-wise, my proven preferences lean toward what Rapala refers to as size 7 plugs, which measure about 21/2 inches, although any plug between 2 and 3 inches will perform well when trolled or cast on local waterways for brookies and landlocks. I never use snap swivels to connect plugs to my line, having noted better lure movement tying leaders directly to the nose eye.

Regarding specific color choices, I would select the reflective silver finish on the Mirror Minnow, and the holographic silver with slight purple hues along the sides of the Yo-Zuri pin smelt. As for the Rebel plug, my first pick would be the new black and silver hologram minnow, but a close second would be the red and white combination on the old-style solid or jointed plug.

Rapalas still remain my go-to plug when all others fail. In the original floating style, fluorescent red and rainbow trout alternate as my favorite colors, but the X-Rap Xtreme in olive green may be the new prodigal plug. X-Rap uses a set of inner bearings to add noise, vibration, and a very erratic side-to-side and up-and-down darting motion that triggers aggressive strikes.

Heavy metal

For spring river trolling when water is still murky and fairly fast flowing, if you can’t take fish on a Sutton spoon, you probably can’t take fish at all. The larger versions are also very effective during the late summer when fish have gone deep in the lakes and schooled up.

Sutton’s No. 61, all silver or silver on one side and bronze on the other, is a 21/2-by-?-inch lure and my choice for rivers. For lakes I go with the No. 32 silver/bronze combo, a larger 4-by-1-inch fish taker, especially effective on salmon. You may have to search a bit to find a source of Sutton spoons, which are made in Naples, N.Y., but they are worth the effort, so stock up when you do find a supply.

What lure list would be complete without a Mooselook wobbler among the mix. Over the last five years, my personal pick from the many brightly painted and oddly shaped offerings is the rather bland bronze Thinfish. Actually referred to as an ultra-thin flutter spoon for trolling, the Thinfish is a 1/8-ounce, 3-by-3/4-inch lure that drives fish to distraction with its erratic bob and weave mobility.

Mooselook lures and spoons are meant to resemble a wounded baitfish. Occasionally lifting and dropping the rod tip as you troll will accentuate the movement. Bronze works best for trout and the silver version elicits strikes from more salmon. This is another lure that is deadly for downrigger or lead-core line fishing when warm water sends fish deep during the summer.

Small but mighty

My last recommendation just happens to be the smallest lure on the top 10 list, and in truth is more of a spinner than a true lure. Check any old timer’s tackle box and there’s sure to be a Panther Martin in one compartment or another. I favor the 1/16-ounce version and my favored color combo is a silver leaf, silver teardrop body, and an orange hair dressed tail around the treble hook.

Panther Martin has a new lure this year called the Holograph Vivif Minnow. I haven’t tried it yet, but it looks deadly, comes in five color combos, and imitates a true swimming baitfish. The rainbow/silver and silver/silver color mixes for spinners and plastic bodies got my attention; now to try them on fish. Lures that attract fishermen don’t always attract fish!

So there’s the top 10 lures that I’d want in my tackle box if I were stranded in the wilderness and surviving depended on catching fish. Every angler has their own personal favorites, of course, but I’m betting some of mine are on most lists, and of course, whenever possible it’s good to have a greater variety of sizes and color variations to fall back on.

I should also mention that my partiality to plugs and some small lures is due to my use of a fly rod when trolling. Even if my streamers aren’t taking fish, that doesn’t mean I can’t get the full enjoyment of my 6-weight fly rod when playing the fish, even if they are on a lure.

If your current selection of lures is on the skimpy side, perhaps it’s time for a visit to the local sporting goods store or neighborhood tackle shop. Trolling season is still in full swing, and soon it will be time to wade and cast, and when flies are ignored, it’s good to have a backup plan. Lures, plugs, spoons, and spinners won’t let you down.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com