The Best Panther Martin For Rainbow Trout (Updated for [year])

If there’s one lure that’s synonymous with rainbow trout fishing, it’s the Panther Martin spinner. And it’s for good reason that they’ve been dubbed, “The Greatest Fish Catcher of All Time”!

And even though there are many different variations of the Panther Martin, in my mind there lives just one that is the best for catching rainbow trout.

In my experience, the best Panther Martin for rainbow trout is the Classic Tear Drop Spinner. My favorite is the black body with yellow dots and a yellow blade with black dots. The problem is that this particular color combination can be tricky to find.

So my other favorite is the black body with yellow dots with a gold blade, like in the picture below.

These things are absolutely deadly! As a matter of fact, any time I fish a body of water that’s new to me, there are two lures that I use to test the area out first; this Panter Martin and a brown rooster tail spinner. These are my top go to lures for rainbow trout…hands down!

What I Like About The Panther Martin Spinnner

• Compact Design: This allows for maximum casting even with the lightest weight Panther Martins. You’re going to love this feature alone!
• Trolling and Casting: I use Panther Martin spinners in all different scenarios, including trolling and casting; in both lakes and in streams.
• Blade Design: The large rotating blades tend to move a lot of water which you can feel through the tip of your rod.
• Multiple Species: Panther Martin spinners are great for more than just rainbow trout. I’ve caught many bass, bluegill and perch on them as well.
• Streams and Stillwater: These lures have caught fish in all different kinds of bodies of water. I’ll use them everywhere.

Panther Martin trout fishing lures were my top choice growing up, and are still my top choice for rainbow trout to this day.  

With an almost endless selection of colors, patterns and designs to choose from, you won’t have any problem at all finding one that works best for you and the area you’re fishing in.  

I’ve caught many different species of fish with this lure, but none more than the rainbow trout.

How To Fish Panther Martins For Rainbow Trout

Lakes and Ponds

I like to use the smallest sized Panther Martin lure as possible for rainbow trout, especially when fishing lakes and other calm bodies of water.  When fishing for rainbows I’ll keep the lure as close to the surface of the water as possible. Smaller, lightweight spinners are perfect for staying close to the surface.

Rivers and Streams

On the other hand, if fishing for rainbow trout in the river with faster water, I’ll move up a couple sizes because I like to cast the lure in these situations.  

The larger trout lure not only provides a small amount of additional weight so I can cast farther, but it also allows the lure to drift closer to the bottom where the fish lie waiting in the current for their meal to come to them.

Where You Get One Of These Panther Martins?

Like I mentioned earlier, I’m always carrying around one of these lures in my tackle box no matter where I go. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a small collapsible rod as well as a small tackle box that floats around in the back of my car all the time.

And I’m sure you can imagine what’s in that tackle box. Yep.

If you want to pick up a few of these to carry around with you as well, you can just go to any one of these online retailers that I’ve partnered up with (plus you’ll help support this website by doing so!).

Or, you can check out any one of these places which all sell Panther Martin lures.

• Amazon – Amazon is probably one of the easiest places to pick up some fishing gear. However, the colors that are available on Amazon are always changing. It’s worth checking out though.
• FishUSA – FishUSA is one of the nation’s leading online retailers of fishing tackle. Worth checking out.
• Cabelas – One of my favorite stores to buy fishing gear. Not because they have the best deals, but because the selection that’s available is insane.
• Tackle Direct – Another great option for a huge variety of Panther Martins.

More From Fishing Skillz

• What Kind Of Lures Do Rainbow Trout Like?
• Best Bait For Trout (Reviews): Top 5 Secret Trout Baits
• The Best Trout Lures for Streams, Rivers and Lakes (Top 8 Trout Fishing Lures)
• The Best Fishing Line For Trout (Top 5 Reviews Plus Buyers Guide)