Trout plugs work in lakes with no trout without a question. I have caught fish on the Slammer at Clear Lake and at Calero where there are no trout. Mike Shaw has caught a lot of fish at San Antonio on the Slammer as well, another lake that does not have trout. Big bass like a big bait and in certain lakes they respond really well to trout lures despite the absence of trout. The only way to find out is to go throw plugs and see what happens.