An experiment for lake trout

[Lip-ripper]

I was at the cottage over the weekend and had the chance to get out to do some exploring. I decided that this weekend was going to be dedicated to experimenting as I have had luck catching good number of lake trout, but no real size except it seemed for the odd decent 2.5-3 pounder.

 

My first experiment was to run deep. We had been catching lots of shakers at around 50-60 feet down, in anywhere from 60 to 140 FOW.

Sunday night was the first such opportunity and after getting set up, along came Mr. Wind to spoil the party. Wind doesn't usually stop me from fishing, in fact, I prefer a decent chop. However, this wind won the battle as it was one of the rougher days I've been on the lake and I relegated to drift fishing for Pickerel--Another experiment I wanted to try.

I wasn't having much luck and as the wife and 2 dogs patience wore thin with the bobbing boat, we retreated for the night...

 

 

The next morning (Monday) I headed out alone with my hound dog, determined to get into some fish. It was alot nicer and I decided that flatlining with steel line, deep, would be the first order of business. I had marked several fish on bottom and figured that was where the beasts were hiding.

 

I let out around 350 feet of line, and with the 4 oz bottom walker along with all the tackle I was running, I had no problem tagging bottom in 90+ FOW. It was a beauty morning and I was expecting good things.

 

 

The only good things that happened was the bonding with mother earth I experienced for 2 hours. I did manage to rid the bottom of the lake of some old fishing line though...

 

Somewhat defeated, I decided to throw on an old jointed Rapala I've owned for 20 years, and find a nice comfy 25-30 foot depth range and troll home. Coupled with a healthy enough amount of weight, I soon starting tapping bottom nicely.

 

I had caught pickerel in that depth range, as well as pike, and figured this would be as good a shot as any at getting some redemption.

About 15 minutes into the troll I get an very solid hit and the fight is on! This was a Pike for sure I thought. It had all the signs. A very hard strike, long runs and a very heavy weight it. I nursed it to the surface and to my surprise, it's a lake trout, biggest I've caught trolling this summer @ 5 pounds. Not giant, but I'll take it as we wanted some fish for the table.

 

I couldn't believe that after spending all this time (and numerous previous weekends) trolling the depths, here I am catching a nice laker in 25 FOW on a rapala in a section of the lake I hardly ever fish...

I was pretty pumped and stunned but still had a few hundred yards to troll to get back to the cottage so back down the rapala goes.

 

Sure enough, about 10 minutes later, another strong hit and again it's fish on! Same type of fight but with more head shakes and now I was convinced this was a pike, surely lightning doesn't strike twice.

 

Well, it did...

 

 

I ended up getting the 2 lakers both over 4.5 lbs. The biggest I've caught this summer, in 25 FOW on a lure I haven't used since I was a teenager...

Here I am thinking I was finally figuring this lake out...

[otter649]

Never know what might bring in a Lake Trout or any fish for that matter. A few years

back my brother was fishing for smallies with a leech & let out alot of line which ended

up going quite deep and brought in a Lake Trout......

[Joeytier]

Awesome! I have always heard that in many lakes the bigger lake trout will consistently be in shallower water than the smaller fish.

[GbayGiant]

Great results. Always try and think outside the box.

[Broker]

the older lures sometimes work the best! nice fish

[Rod Caster]

Very cool. SOunds like it was a bit of an educational trip...mix that in with some dinner and your on top of the world

 

Are you going to try deep another time....just to see what that was hanging on bottom?

[Lip-ripper]

Absolutely! Might try jigging deep or steel line again... Something massive must be down there...

[Christopheraaron]

Absolutely! Might try jigging deep or steel line again... Something massive must be down there...

 

Grandmas for lake trout sounds like another interesting experiment.

[sneak_e_pete]

That is one of the things I love ( and hate) about fishing...fish are there one day and gone the next. What a rush when you find a new pattern though. Cool report dude.

[beagle dad]

spend alot of time jerking spoons on steel...have found on most lakes in the minden/haliburton area most our big fish come off flats 20-30 feet water...lots of nimbers in 30-50 feet but usually smaller

 

here it a experment for you....big fat salty tubes white/pearl dragged and jigged...might be surprised how many you catch and how big..well done go gettem

[spincast]

great report - and a real nice lake you have there. Nic eaters.

 

 

 

[EC1]

Sweet! You're proving more of a point as to me fishing too deep last time I tried for lake trout. I was in 60 - 90FOW.

[cja]

nice fish

[solopaddler]

Two nice fish for sure, congrat's.

 

For what it's worth I've caught plenty of lakers in the middle of summer on smaller shield lakes simply flatlining deep diving crankbaits.

 

One of my favourites is the Luhr Jensen Power Dive minnow, chrome with a blue back.

 

On a long line with braid it'll get down pretty deep.

 

Even in the summer the thermocline on most of those smaller deep shield lakes isn't that far down and the lakers will roam following the baitfish. They're not always right on the bottom...

[4x4bassin]

Great report and nice catch ! I get out quite a bit for lake trout during the soft water season and this is what I have figured out

on the couple lakes I fish.

I agree with Mike , leave the steel line at home and get yourself some deep diving cranks like the rapala tail dancer(this bait will dive to 25')

and long line with some braid . Since the lakes I fish are some what clear (10'-15' visibility) I always tie on a 4' fluorocarbon leader.

A lake trout has no problem seeing and chasing a bait from a great distance , seen them come up off bottom 30' to nail my jig on the finder YE HA !!!

I have also found good sucess with bucktail jigs and a gulp minnow trailer , this bait has been so good for me I use it 90% of the time

and hardly ever troll anymore !

I have found that the smaller or less active lake trout roam the deep basins of the lake , and when you see them on your finder in 30'-40'

of water they are at that depth to feed and are active . I don't even waste my time anymore on those deep fish , I head straight for the

outside of the deep basins in the 20'-50' areas and if you can find a steep drop off in that area even better !

If you can find them I have a couple reports on here with some good lakers I caught with my jig set up , one of them was my personal

best at just under 32"

Good luck and look forward to some more lake trout reports

[Moosebunk]

A lesson learned and I can imagine you'll be applying it again soon.

[mirogak]

Nice report and beautiful fish. Will definitely keep this in mind.

[singingdog]

spend alot of time jerking spoons on steel...have found on most lakes in the minden/haliburton area most our big fish come off flats 20-30 feet water...lots of nimbers in 30-50 feet but usually smaller

 

here it a experment for you....big fat salty tubes white/pearl dragged and jigged...might be surprised how many you catch and how big..well done go gettem

 

Great advice. Snap jigging those tubes very aggressively is another tactic to try: 5/8 oz jig heads to get them down, then snap them hard off the bottom. I know a young guy that does very well in the summer with 6-8" musky tubes...lakers pounce on them.

[turtle]

I just spemt 2 weels fishing for lake trout in north east Haliburton area. Surface water temp was 24C the first week. I marked most fish deeper than the 45-50 foot max for my lead core set up and not on or around the typical locations. I also marked good fish suspended 40-60 ft down in deep water 100-215 ft. The pattern that worked was trolling spoons in the deep water, stopping the boat to let the spoons flutter and start trolling again. I caught a few with the boat stopped, most slow trolling and one with only 4 colours out (20 ft)reeling in when a buddy was fighting a fish. Bonus was not hooking the bottom and losing gear.