Spring Lake Trout

[mustfish]

I am heading about 60 miles north of Kenora May 22cnd for a week at a fly in outpost. Can anyone tell this Buckeye how long the lake trout stay in the shallow water before they head back into the depths? Never really fished for lake trout so it should be a learning experience. Have learned a lot from doing a search on this site. This site is great!

 

Thank you in advance!

Mustfish

[kickingfrog]

The water temperature is the key. At that time of year in that location they should still be shallow. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit is their preferred temp. So from ice-out until the surface temps start to approach 50 they can be trolled, cast to or still fished with-out any special equipment. The challenge is finding them. Good luck.

[bushart]

With winter hanging on this year the trout will still be up on the May long weekend in that area.

 

Check rockpiles but watch your finder because they'll be up and down the water column---Spring we've caught them anywhere from 60 to 6 feet

 

One year we were fishing jumbo perch in 8 feet with 1/16 oz jigs and my son caught a 10 lber

 

Bushart

[mustfish]

Do they school up or are they loner fish? Great info everybody.

[Raf]

some years, first week in july.. depends how quick the water warms

[bushart]

schooling probably depends if their lunch is around

[tjsa]

Yes, at that time of year they should still be up. In my distant youth, May long was a ritual for the first swim in the lake, and it was always very, very cold.

Hope the ice is gone by then as in the Thunder Bay area we still have 30" on the lakes, and our highs and lows right now are not that far apart. We are still dipping below freezing at night, and not much above freezing during the day.

Probably trolling Willam's spoons in either silver, silver/blue, silver/brass, or Cleos will suffice, never had to use bait myself at that time of year.

We used to catch them into early June right off shore not more than 25 ft. down jigging with chartreuse marabou jigs off of a steep rock shelf.

I have also caught them in August, trolling for walleye in the wee hours of the morning in 12 ft. of water.

 

I do not know if they school up. Never thought about it really.

Edited April 7, 2008 by tjsa

[fishindevil]

Also look for shallow dark bottom bays that have vegetation,this will attract more sunlight therefore warm up faster,fish where the bay opens up to deeper water,thats where to troll or cast for them,they will go right into those warming bays into 6ft of water its amazing,they will be there,eating hatching insects,frogs,snails,minnows,perch....its a lake trouts first spring meal,and they will hit and they are hungry, and its even better if the bay drops off into deep water very abruptly,they will be there....it really works we tried this several years in a row and did very well,i wish i had the pictures to show you,my friend watched this happen many times,he could see the lake trout making a wake in very shallow water,and for the longest time he seen this through binoculars from his living room,at his home,and would be left wondering,as the ice had just gone out and he didnt even have his boat in the water yet,so it took a few years of this before we got it right,timming is the key,it can last for a few weeks or up to a month....rapala J-11 was the ticket,as well as williams wobblers the half & half model, im hoping to be able to do it this year as well,we tried last year and was to early,and i couldnt get back up to haliburton for 3 weeks and it was over....so give it a try & good-luck,you better hope the ice is all gone by then,keep in touch with the people you are going to be with up north and they can keep you updated about ice conditions.....cheers hope this helps a bit

[danc]

I spent about half a dozen May long weekends 30 miles due south of Kenora fishing for Lake Trout. Your biggest concern should be if the ice is off the lake, rather than if the fish are up. I had to miss one year at this location because the ice was not off the lake yet. And this cooler than normal spring, coupled with this winters extreme cold and thick ice, is not making things look real positive for you.

 

I love this picture. May long weekend a few years ago. About 80 miles south of where you plan to be.

 

[tjsa]

Dan, that may be 80 miles south, but isn't it also 6 hrs. east??????????

[danc]

Yes Tom. 6 hours east for us. I used to fish Dryberry Lake south of Kenora on the May long weekend. Fantastic Lake Trout fishing. A 3/4 to 1 oz. bead chain swivel 3 to 4 feet up your line with a light, shiny spoon on the end always produced. I'd like to go back there some day.

[Out4Trout]

Re: schooling - Yes - lakers do school - but they tend to group by size.

 

For example, if you catch a 4lber the ones swimming around it will also be in the 3-5lb range.

 

If you catch a 1lb trout, time to move - no biguns will be nearby.

 

The bigger they are the less they school - it is a survival instinct, and the bigger trout no longer need the

protection of a school.

 

The only time you will get a mix in an area is if there are a whack of baitfish congregated in one spot.

[mustfish]

Great replies everybody, much appreciated I am going to email the people we are going with and ask them to keep me updated on the ice situation. That would stink if we could not go when planned as we have been taking this trip(White River is where we have gone for the past 5 years) for 10 years running. Again thank you for the great response!

 

mustfish