Trolling for Lake Trout is done at relatively deep levels. The trout mark as hooks very clearly on my Humminbird Helix unit. Ontario is sprinkled with more cold, clear, deep lakes than just about anywhere else in the world. Ideal trolling speeds range from 2.0mph to 2.8mph when using this method. Rapala trout fishing lures are deadly for trolling and casting at trout. I still remember the excitement of watching the rod bend down furiously and my dad scrambling to … If you are trolling too fast your dodger will start rotating which will twist up your line and you will lose the ideal motion on your lure. If it's early spring, the trout seem to feed in other parts of the day. Bugs, grubs, plankton, and small fish will be brought into … When a fish hits, the line pops free of a clip and the fight is on. The lake trout requires a clean environment and does not do well with pollution or warm water. This varies lake to lake of course, and in places like Lake Superior, trout can be found deeper than 100 feet. It also requires some form of a boat in order to accomplish trolling. Use these tips to beat the heat and use the weather to your advantage. Use a spoon jig or bucktail jig with live bait. Lake trout is a favorite species for many anglers. Where to find them. Lake trout are a slow growing, long lived fish and killing a big one takes a lot of spawning  potential away. Trolling for trout is something that anyone with a boat can do, and is highly productive technique for catching fish. Water color, time of year, and so on, all affect what does the trick for putting fish in the boat. Trolling speed with a dodger. Perhaps that's why we are blessed with so much great lake trout fishing here. That's why you can often catch the fish you mark on your fish finder. To troll, you will need a vessel that can propel your lures through the water at a similar speed to your casting retrieves. When it comes to putting lures in the strike zone--and walleyes, northern pike, and lake trout into the fish box--few late-summer methods are as effective as trolling. Lake Trout fishing tips: Lake trout are caught on open water mainly by trolling at depths of 20 to 60 feet. How to Catch Lake Trout: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Deep water fishing for Brown Trout is most popular in the summer or in winter months. It should offer sunken debris like trees as well as rocks. There is less oxygen in the water at the deeper depths and … Start by identifying any bottom structure that’s solid, firm and different from its surroundings, such as long, protruding underwater points, boulder-strewn reefs, sunken shoals and isolated rock piles. Now that summer is in full swing, one of our favorite pastimes is to hit the lake and troll for lake trout. A three-way swivel keeps it all together. The lake trout are notorious for short strikes when trolling and the stinger hook will likely catch 70% or more of your fish. Trout are big time schoolers, especially when they feed in the depths. Burbot resembles nothing else that swims in our northern lakes and rivers. Trolling Speed for Lake Trout: Pump the Brakes! The copper line was held in your hand, and you gave action to the lure by giving tugs on the copper as you trolled around. This is true when using a dodger as well. Also, when you are using a three way rig, I generally try to keep it just a bit off bottom. If the lake is deeper, fish water 20 to 30 feet deep that’s close to a drop off. Try trolling your boat against the current, where trout have been pushed into coves and backed into deep corners of the lake. Success! Trout trolling can be a bit like rocket science with downriggers, side planers and lead lines, but BUSHY likes to keep it simple. Brook Trout usually don't go deeper … Vertical jigging is perfectly suited to catching lake trout in the summer because the fish concentrate in and around well-defined locations that are easy to find—if you know what to look for. The Bay of Quinte is famous for its world class, four season fishery. In some lakes the trout feed aggressively before dark. Lake trout that are down deep will generally try to expend as little energy as possible when hunting for food. I was lucky enough to grow up on the shores of Francois Lake, and those days spent out on the water blossomed into a full-blown love affair with fishing as an adult. Only We advise beginners to either jig or troll while fishing for lake trout. We will never spam you and will never share your e-mail. Do not use live bait in the summer. At 110 kilometres long, Francois Lake is the second longest, naturally occurring lake entirely within British Columbia. Any other conditions will cause them to Any other conditions will cause them to slow down. There was an error submitting your subscription. CHESTER — Lake Almanor, a reservoir located on the North Fork of the Feather River in Plumas County, is known for its huge rainbow and brown trout, but also one is … Any reef or rise on the bottom will often have a lake trout or two hanging around it. These are the very same lures you would use for lakers in the winter or to catch walleye, bass and northern pike in the summer. That actually might not be the best approach and in this post, I'm going to be talking about the best way to catch lake trout in the summer. They can be found near shore in spring and fall or miles off shore during the summer. Once mid September approaches try using red and orange colours as this will look mimic a spawning Kokanee. Amazingly, the lake trout continues to provide good angling opportunities in all the Great Lakes, including Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. In most cases they will go to the deepest part. A simple yet effective way to target large, summertime trout from a kayak. Today’s ice anglers have more quality gear to choose from than ever before. Both of these lures mimic the perfect forage that the rainbows are searching for and they can be trolled faster to entice that hard-hitting trout. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the sonar for large fish arches below the schools of fish as these are trout feeding. You can see the image below. They can be found near shore in spring and fall or miles off shore during the summer. As the day progresses Trout also become less active and somewhat lazy. The weight is drug on the bottom and the lure runs above the bottom. In many freshwater lakes, lake trout are the largest fish you can fish for and have a healthy appetite during the summer months. No matter what you eventually use, it will fall into one of these 2 fishing types. There is very limited shoreline access for the angler and so most fishing requires using a boat. In the mid to late summer when the lakes have a strong thermocline established the Kokanee will stack up in this zone. Since the trout are aggressively feeding trolling speeds can be much faster than when fishing in the summer months. Go to the south end of Lake Michigan. I'm using the silver/blue American Smelt model crank bait. Only the lake trout know why. Most people go super deep, drop their line down, and start to troll. Traditionally the most popular colors would have been gold and silver. Inexpensive, bullet-proof suggestions for the ice angler on your Christmas list. Talk to most anglers visiting Northern Ontario on a fishing vacation and they'll tell you they'd dearly love to catch some of the magnificent lake trout for which the province's North Country is justifiably famous. The Silver Doctor spoon, Len Thompson in blue/silver, and Eppinger Daredevle in yellow five of diamonds also account for many fish. My go to choice is trolling, as you cover the water more efficiently. 2. If there is a better lake trout spoon made, I've yet to see it. We have caught some of our biggest Rainbows by using this method and we are sure it will work for you too! However, speeding up or slowing down your troll can trigger fish that are following your lure. Find news, promotions, and other information pertaining to our diverse lineup of innovative brands as well as … Please see our privacy policy. Before going through each part of this technique, it’s important to first understand the context that we were fishing in and how we came across this method. During summer, the majority of the lake trout seem to hold in 40 to 60 feet of water. Yet dropping or dragging the weight in the mud does trigger lakers to strike as well. Choose from Walleye, Salmon and Trout and then select the charter operator that suits you best. Trolling for Lake Trout is done at relatively deep levels. For some lakes this can be 40 feet deep and in others as much as 260 feet deep. Where to find them In summer they can be found as deep as 30 feet. Steps on How To Catch Trout With Lures . It also helps you understand the depth of the thermocline. The trout mark as hooks very clearly on my Humminbird Helix unit. Rapala makes a few different lures for these trout fishing applications. My favourite spoon for lake trout trolling is the classic Willams Wabler in silver and brass. This fishing is very much like hunting, as you drive around with your boat until you mark some fish and either drop a white tube jig on them or troll. The Best Lake Trout Lures: Lake Trout Fishing 101. Some of the most experienced anglers will agree that the top two trolling applications during dropping water temperatures are fishing plugs and bucktails. In the summer the sun is hot and bright which will push the fish deeper into the water column. You need heavier gear to fish this way, but the strikes are arm jarring. Once you know where to find open-water lake trout, catching them is a piece of cake. Now that summer is in full swing, one of our favorite pastimes is to hit the lake and troll for lake trout. Try These 2 Techniques For Targeting Winter Brook Trout. During summer, the majority of the lake trout seem to hold in 40 to 60 feet of water. Every lake is a little different and even the same species of trout in different bodies of water. The best thing that you should consider in catching any elusive lake trouts is to use the best lake trout lures that skilled anglers always put in their fishing tackles. Now that summer is in full swing, one of our favorite pastimes is to hit the lake and troll for lake trout. One effective trolling method is to troll 4-inch plugs below the school of fish. All good fish marks, rock piles, or reefs are marked with a GPS way point . The Summer Lake Trout Trolling Game I mean, the biggest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Superior, is filled with giant trout. From finding them in deep depths, to fighting their incredible strength, lake trout offer a type of challenge that many freshwater anglers don’t get to experience often. Lake Trout Lures Spoons Rapala’s Flatfish Fishing for lake trout, you could pick from 100’s of different lures, pick from different action, worry about how deep to fish, are you trolling, what hook type to use and what speed Gord Ellis is a lifelong resident of Thunder Bay, Ontario and a full time journalist, broadcaster and professional angler. Lake trout are often caught in the 15 to 40-pound range, so lacking high-quality tackle is not an option for the serious angler. In most cases they will go to the deepest part. When Will Ontario Lakes Freeze Over This Winter? Also, check fishing bait here. The more you practice, test and experiment, the higher your success rate will be. Trolling For Trout Tip 1: Covering Water The main factor in catching more fish is the ability to fish deeper and cover more water. Summer lake trout are nearly always deep, as this is where they can find the preferred water temperature of about 50 -54 F. Some people don't like fishing the deeper trout, but I'm not one of those people. We were trolling in Wickiup Reservoir early in the morning after camping at a nearby trailhead. Ditto for all of the other stellar lake trout hot spots like Lake Temagami, Lake Huron, Georgian Bay, Lake Nipigon and Trout Lake to name just a few. In the summer time, Lake Trout hit best in the morning between first light and 10:30 AM. My preference for trolling is decidedly old-school, but still rather effective. As low as 2 mph or even slower. Trolling Speed for Lake Trout: Pump the Brakes! This will mimic an injured Kokanee that is appetizing for a hungry trout looking for an easy meal. They will hit better if the surface of the water is dead calm and it's a clear sky with high pressure. Shasta Lake trout and salmon feed heavily on Shad in the summer so flashers or dodgers combined with small spoons or lures will draw the attention of the silver fish in Shasta Lake. In the summer, the best method of fishing for them is trolling with lead core line or downriggers using minnows or a copper, white, or silver lure. Trolling for trout in lakes and streams can be a lot of fun and a lot of action. Summer --> Summer is the tricky part. Using lures that are made for faster trolling applications tend to yield greater results in mid to late fall. If the lake is deeper, fish water 20 to 30 feet deep that’s close to a drop off. The traditional method of using copper was hand-lining with it. In the summer months, it pays to find the thermocline. As the years wore on, and my familiarity with the lake grew, I couldn’t stare at the big trout taunting me at breakfast any longer. Any reef or rise on the bottom will often have a lake trout or two hanging around it. In summer they can be found as deep as 30 feet. Work several passes through a zone you are marking fish and remember: If you catch one, get that bait right back in the water. Today we're out here in Lake Ontario flat-line trolling for lake trout. The three-way rig uses a large weight (4 to 6 ounces) on a 3-foot dropper  line (20 pound test) with the lure on a 3-foot leader of 15 pound test. Trolling speed with crankbaits for lake trout are between 2.2 – 2.8 mph. Mimicking this Kokanee pattern will entice large trout to strike! Deep water fish are easy to find with the help of sonar and nothing catches more lake trout than a classic fishing set up known as the attractor rig. Slow trolling here can be very effective. Ideal trolling speeds range from 2.0mph to 2.8mph when using this method. If you want a trophy mount, it's hard to beat a graphite replica. The only problem with downrigging is you don't feel the strike. If a trout stream in August has 10% of the Trout it had in April, then you can see how its tough fishing. The traditional method of using copper was hand-lining with it. So don't forget to add this extra special touch. Use this trolling tip during the mid to later summer when fishing for Rainbow Trout. LUXCO NEWS Check out what we are up to! Ice adventures for Lake Trout fishing across Northern Ontario, Sign up now to get stories, news, and travel tips. While you can catch a trout at any time of the day, make sure to target the early morning or later evening if you are going to fish specifically for lake trout. If a trout is holding 10-15 feet off bottom, it is in hunting mode and will likely strike. 1. That actually might not be the best approach and in this post, I’m going to be talking about the best way to catch lake trout in the summer. I used a canoe to troll this tiny pond early in the morning for native brook trout in Baxter State Park, Maine (2) Love the smaller brook trout ponds: Trolling conjures up images of large deep lakes fished with big expensive boats and heavy electronic down rigging equipment. Mark the schools of Kokanee and then troll anywhere 10 to 20 feet below them. This will easily lure in the lake trout to your bait. Eleven year old Liam Whetter beams with pride over the 10-pound lake trout he caught trolling with a Jet Diver in a small lake in Northern Ontario. Ice fishing for crappies on a lake in Northwestern Ontario. Sometimes you catch them fishing near the surface while targeting steelhead, or often near the bottom on drop-offs and structure. Lake trout … *Lake Trout are curious fish. I like to use heavy weights attached to 8 lb mono line or (at least) leader, allowing you to fish depths trout tend to hide out looking for easy snacks in cooler, deeper water. During the summer months your trolling speed will need to be quite slow. One of the top lake trout fishing tips is knowing the best lake trout jigging lures to use. Early morning hours are the most productive time of the day to slow-troll a shiner for large brown trout. Lake Trout stay suspended in 53 thermal layers, which is usually around 55-feet deep. Shasta Lake trout and salmon feed heavily on Shad in the summer so flashers or dodgers combined with small spoons or lures will draw the attention of the silver fish in Shasta Lake. Trolling for Trout Locating Trout in open water is the greatest challenge when learning how to fish for Trout in a lake. They also are a fish that can grow to impressive size of 30 pounds and more. Rapala trout fishing lures are deadly for trolling and casting at trout. All you need to do is to drop your line to the bottom and jig it to the top. They will hit better if the surface of the water is dead calm and it's a clear sky with high pressure. If you know how, it is possible to succeed with some old fashioned flat line trolling. Trolling can ease this burden by covering a lot of water at various depths in a systematic way. With depths plummeting to just over 800 feet, this lake is nothing to shake your head at. But many—dare I say most—summer days I can catch as many or more lake trout simply jigging a 4-inch white tube jig, a soft plastic swimbait or lipless crankbait on … At the end of your line you want to attach a snap swivel. Many lake trout anglers prefer to use a downrigger when they fish for lake trout, as this tool takes your line down to a certain depth and keeps it there via a large weight. Final thoughts on trolling for trout. 1. This tight schooling effect makes Kokanee an easy target for large trout to forage on. Only the Great Lakes offer depths down to as deep as 1,300 feet. It’s best to run your presentation at the same depths as these large fish. But even bottom-hugging trout are generally going to take a swipe at your lure. Mark the schools of Kokanee and then troll anywhere 10 to 20 feet below them. Lake Trout Techniques for Open Water Trolling If you troll the open waters of Michigan’s Great Lakes you have no doubt caught Lake Trout. In summer, when surface temperatures can rise well above of 80 degrees, the thermocline is a sanctuary for trout because it harbors cooler water and food. The gear that you will use on a small lake, trolling for planter trout that are under one pound will vary greatly from the gear you will use when fishing deep waters for lake trout or mackinaw. Filed Under: Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, TIPS, Trout, Tip – Fishing Line Setbacks off Downriggers, 5 Tactics to Catch More Kokanee this Spring, A Community Coming Together for Kokanee Conservation, Our Wild Neighbours – Part 2 | Fish & Mammals | South Chilcotin, BC, Best Ice Fishing Lures For Trout - 7 Of The Deadliest Trout Lures -, Ice Fishing for Rainbow Trout Using Weed Lines, Top 5 Tactics for Trolling Rainbow Trout in Dirty Water - BC Fishn, TIPS – HOW TO RECOGNIZE MATURE (SOON-TO-SPAWN) FEMALE TROUT, Kokanee Fishing The BC Cariboo - Bridge & Deka Lake. This is definitely the lure to use if you are wanting to catch a lot of fish and not particularly focused on just catching the larger lake trout. In June, July, and August you'll typically catch lake trout at depths below 45 feet. However, much of the most accessible lake trout fishing is done inland, in one of the hundreds of waterbodies that that hold the lake trout. Imagine the lake all to yourself, your trolling boat, lightweight line and 3-way swivel. I like to use either a large, in-line banana weight or what is called a three-way rig. How to Catch Trout In a Lake The way I see it there are only two categories of bait to catch trout in a lake. This increased water traffic can shut off the bite and drive the … One of the first big fish I ever caught was a lake trout. Because lakers favor water colder than 50° they are often found on or near bottom in deep water. If you’re going to be trolling or casting for lake trout, spoons and jerkbait will both work equally well. The copper line was held in your hand, and you gave action to the lure by This will mimic an injured Kokanee that is appetizing for a hungry trout looking for an easy meal. Top Trolling Lures For Shasta Lake Summer Trout and Salmon One of the most effective tackle combinations on Shasta Lake is the dodger/spoon combination. 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