Haliburton Gold Trout

[OxtongueBasser]

Hey all, just a curiosity post looking for some intellect / stories.

I've been up fishing the Haliburton area quite a bit the last couple years with friends at a cottage, have had great luck for bass in summer. This year we're testing our luck through the ice, and targeting the Haliburton Gold Trout. Anyone have any luck with this in any of the resident lakes? I assume fish habits and angler techniques are similar if not identical to lake trout through ice, but never hurts to ask the local experts.

Keep on keepin' on,
OB

[Corvus Lacus]

The "Haliburton Gold Trout" are just a strain of Lake Trout with some unique colouring on the belly and fins. We used to catch them at my uncle's cottage on Redstone Lake. They tasted great smoked "Indian Candy" style.

My "go to" for catching Lakers through the ice is a white tube jig...pearl with silver, blue or purple speckles. Something about tubes that Lake Trout can't resist. My other tip is bring a sonar unit out on the ice... not only to zero in on drop offs or humps, but very often Lakers will suspend in the water column, sometimes cruising just under the surface of the ice.

Generally we think of Lake Trout as residents of the cold and deep...but I've found that sometimes they will momentarily leave the depths and chase bait right into the shallows, even in the middle of summer. I caught the fish below in 15 fow drop-shotting for Smallies with soft plastics in the middle of August. Surface temp was 78F. Even though the fish hit shallow, there was +90 fow a stone's throw away. Just before it bit, the water in front of the boat "boiled" with jumping Cisco... a pack of Lakers must've chased them right up on to the shallow reef.

[OxtongueBasser]

Thanks for all the info, great story and great looking laker!

I'll definitely have tubes and paddle tails in the bag and report back later in the winter if we have any luck. The cottage is also on Redstone so it's good to know there's monsters in there.

OB

[Corvus Lacus]

Just to clarify...that fish is from the Central Frontenac area, not Redstone.
I haven't fished Redstone in 20 years...it was a good numbers lake but never pulled anything big out of it...but who knows...lots can change in that time.

Unfortunately, most lakes in my home area are now closed to winter fishing for Lakers . There are a few exceptions, but my focus in winter is now Crappies, Walleye and Whities.