On Episode 267 of the Great Lakes Fishing Podcast, host Chris Larsen sat down with Christian Carlson, founder of Northeast Troller, to talk about how a small Maine-based lure company has carved its place into the Great Lakes trolling market. Co-hosted by Captain Casey Prisco and recorded at the Greater Niagara Fishing Expo, this conversation offers an inside look into lure development, regional fisheries, and the passion that drives an independent tackle manufacturer.

From handcrafted spoon designs to personally mailing orders from his family’s shop, Christian has built Northeast Troller from a hometown specialty brand into a growing national presence—one spoon at a time.

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From Maine Fisheries to Great Lakes Charter Racks

Northeast Troller began roughly nine years ago with a simple goal: produce trolling lures tailored for the fisheries Christian grew up around. Based in central Maine, the company built its early reputation on spoons designed for:

• Brook trout

• Lake trout

• Landlocked salmon

• Rainbow trout

• Brown trout

Anglers on waters like Moosehead Lake and Sebago Lake began relying on Northeast Troller spoons for trophy fish in some of the Northeast’s most storied trout and salmon fisheries. Christian recalls seeing brook trout exceeding seven pounds, a true giant in that fishery.

But about three or four years ago, Christian began traveling west to fish the Great Lakes and attend shows. That step changed everything.

“We started coming out to the Great Lakes and made inroads, doing bigger pattern stuff—and here we are.”

Bigger water meant bigger spoons, heavier flashers, and patterns tailored to king salmon, steelhead, and west-coast strains of brown trout. Today, Northeast Troller produces:

• 3.5" trolling spoons

• 3.75" salmon spoons

• 4.5" mega-pattern spoons

• Paddle flashers

• Fish flashers

• Dodgers specific to lake trout programs

From Maine streams to Lake Ontario charter spreads, the brand has expanded far beyond its original footprint.

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Trolling in Tight Spaces: Fishing Small Lakes vs. Big Water

Christian spent part of his early life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with Lake Superior visible from the shoreline. Eventually, moving to Maine meant learning how to troll much smaller, tightly structured lakes.

In his home region, trolling programs are compact and precise.

• Shorter boat lanes

• Tight spreads

• Slow speeds

• Large, traditional spoons

• Hybrid setups mixing live bait with trolling gear

As he describes:

“Guys would run all the colors of lead, dragging bottom with Murray-style spoons or spinner blades and live suckers.”

When transitioning back into open-water trolling on Lake Ontario, Christian had to re-adapt—but what he learned from small-water fishing has helped him develop flexible designs.

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Customization: The Key Advantage of a Small Manufacturer

One of Northeast Troller’s strongest attributes isn’t mass-produced inventory—it’s responsiveness.

“We’re small enough to be nimble.”

If a captain calls with a new idea, Christian can test-paint prototypes in days—not months.

This flexibility has led to:

✔ Custom glow intensities
✔ Small-run pattern drops
✔ Region-specific foil combinations
✔ Color variants named and developed by captains
✔ Faster market entry for new trends

Family also plays a big role.

• Christian paints the spoons

• His wife and daughters assist with packaging

• His friend Pete helps brainstorm designs

This structure keeps the business personal, hands-on, and efficient.

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The Big Sellers: Patterns That Built the Brand

When asked about his most popular Great Lakes products, two spoons stood out immediately:

The Confused Carlson

This spoon has earned legendary status on charters.

It features:

• Bright glow front and back

• Green accents

• Black striping

• Crushed-ice reflective tape

The spoon began as a different name entirely, but one captain on Lake Ontario radio chatter jokingly renamed it—and it stuck.

There are now variants including:

✔ Yellow back editions
✔ Blue versions for Lake Michigan
✔ Steelhead-friendly color combos

The Down & Tight Spoon

A hybrid between traditional classics and modern reflective tape, this spoon includes:

• Yellow nose cap

• Black edge profile

• Glow body

• Hex-nickel reflective backing

Kings hit it. Browns hit it. Steelhead hit it.

Because of its versatility, many captains run it daily in the spring and fall transition periods.

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Regional Color Trends in the Great Lakes

One of the most interesting parts of the discussion was how patterns change based on location.

Across fisheries, certain preferences stand out:

Lake Ontario

• Yellow is king in Mexico Bay

• Bright glow patterns dominate low-light periods

• Chartreuse-based spoons move big kings

Lake Michigan

• Lime green and UV chartreuse are staples

• Early-season coho demand orange accents

Christian mentioned that the Coho Killer spoon—a fluorescent orange/chartreuse combination—was responsible for outstanding spring catches last year.

Lake Huron & Wisconsin shops

• Neutral silver-based designs

• Steelhead-oriented multi-color options

• Subtle UV accents

Regional differences matter because water color, clarity, forage density, and sun angle all influence visibility and attack response.

And knowing where spoons ship helps Northeast Troller refine patterns even further.

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Spoon Manufacturing: How It's Really Done

Many anglers never think about how a trolling spoon goes from sheet metal to a fish-catching lure.

Christian lays it out clearly:

1. Blanks are stamped from nickel, brass, silver, or gold finish metal

2. Paint primer coat is applied

3. Color patterns are airbrushed

4. Glow coat or UV overlay is added

5. Foils and tapes are hand-placed

6. Protective clear coat seals it

7. Split rings are applied

8. Hooks are attached

9. Products get packaged

Every spoon is painted by hand.

“At the end of the day, if somebody’s spoon pad has at least one of mine hanging on it, that’s huge.”

It’s rare today to find companies still applying small-batch craftsmanship to trolling gear.

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Expansion Across the Midwest

Northeast Troller now appears in:

⭐ Multiple Lake Ontario tackle shops
⭐ Retailers across New England
⭐ Outlets in Wisconsin
⭐ A growing western Great Lakes customer base
⭐ Online orders nationwide

YouTube channels like Big Lake Little Boat have contributed to brand awareness, with influencers running—and showcasing—results from Christian’s spoons.

And that leads to one of the best parts of Christian’s story.

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The Motivation: Building Something for the Fishing Community

Christian doesn’t just make spoons—he genuinely loves seeing fish caught on them.

“When I get pictures from customers or captains, I still get that dopamine hit. Like I was on the boat.”

He shared how meaningful it is to be part of anglers’ experiences.

For many fishermen, a “catch picture” is proof of success.
For Christian, it’s fuel to keep innovating.

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Why Northeast Troller’s Story Matters

In a fast-moving Great Lakes trolling industry, where mass production is becoming more common, Christian represents the craftsmanship side of lure building.

• He paints his own products

• His family helps package orders

• His designs start from real-world fishing

• He stays responsive to captains

There are no gimmicks, shortcuts, or outsourced manufacturing lines.

Just family-driven passion.

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Final Thoughts

Whether you're trolling Maine’s deep inland lakes for trophy brookies or chasing spring kings on Lake Michigan, Christian Carlson is proving that small-batch lure design still matters—and still performs.

His approach echoes what many Great Lakes pros believe:

Precision gear leads to better fishing decisions.
Better decisions create better days on the water.

And like many captains, guides, and anglers featured on this podcast—Christian continues to innovate, adapt, and contribute to a growing community of passionate Great Lakes anglers.