A bubble is a clear bobber. Most are egg shaped that you fill with water to add weight for casting. You can find them at Bass Pro and the like. They apparently don't spook the fish as much as an old Red and White bobber. That may work on wild trout but I don't think it matters much to a hatchery released fish. The like anything bright colored.

I fish for trout all the time, best bait is Berkley power baits in the paste, usually the most glitter is the best. They come in many difference colors. Use a very small trout salmon egg type hook and just "ball up" the paste on the hook and get ready! I fish with 4lb test and a 1/4 ounce sinker tied 18" above the hook and let it sit on bottom.

salmon eggs, soft plastics, shrimp,

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0011724190671a.shtml

chartreuse

In-line spinner baits in bright colors work very well.

I have had the best luck with z-ray lures. I took some to Roaring River and caught trout almost every cast and those fish see just about everything. It was fun - had people wanting to know my secret and offering to buy my lures. Gave most of them away to kids before I left. I caught several trout last year at Tyler State Park using the rainbow colored z-ray.

http://www.zray.com/enter.html

Lots of great input here, but four of the top producers for trout aren't listed. Unfortunately the best stocker baits are not readily available locally.

With the possible exception of flies, the two best baits in northern waters for big trout are undoubtedly suspending Rapalas/Rogues/Xraps, etc, and 4" tubes. Yes, metal works very well, too, as do all the worms, PB, salmon eggs, and such.

To really knock 'em dead learn fly/bubble fishing, but with propeller flies.

...but without a doubt, over the last few years, if I could only take one bait/set up, it would be Gulp eggs. I have seen literally thousands of trout, from stockers to trophies, from bows and browns, to brookies and cutts attack this bait with abandon while the rest of the anglers were getting their butts kicked.

More than the bait, however, is the system that makes Gulp eggs so phenomenal. When the time gets closer, if any of you come upon some of these little beauties, and wanna learn about technique and setup, just give me a hollar.