Lake Trout

Post by **Camper2009** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:04 pm

Hi All,

I'll be doing a trip up north mid August for some fishing. I am wondering if anyone has any tips on catching some lakers without any rigging equipment etc...

Cheers!

Post by **moonshine** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:06 pm

yep, you need lots of luck without the gear. ok I'll let you in on a secret. PM sent

Post by **Bass Addict** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:19 pm

Jig with a White Tube in forty feet of water...on drop offs or shoals

Post by **moonshine** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:23 pm

Bass Addict wrote:Jig with a White Tube in forty feet of water...on drop offs or shoals

that probably wont work this time of year

Post by **Camper2009** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:27 pm

Im guessing they'll be pretty deep?

Post by **moonshine** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:30 pm

some bass dudes think that lakers will bite on plastics too.

Post by **Camper2009** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:32 pm

moonshine wrote:some bass dudes think that lakers will bite on plastics too.

lol, what kind of lures do you suggest?
I live on the Detroit River so we dont have lakers here...

Post by **rawmanrockdog** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:33 pm

I've heard white jig with a white tube works for lakers in Charleston Lake.

Post by **moonshine** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:37 pm

for lakers use a lucky strike 6 inch canoe spoon. i find that jigs can work early in the year but its a tough go later.

Post by **moonshine** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:42 pm

well you need to imitate the feed in the lake. Temagami has whitefish so try canoe spoons. i also use a variety of Mepps cyclops, williams wabblers and lucky strike Superflash #3. with these in your arsenal you can't miss. lakers like a slow troll like walleye

Post by **Camper2009** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:46 pm

AWESOME! added to my shopping list!

Post by **JimW** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:35 pm

I haven't fished for lakers up north in the summer for quite a few years, but if you are trolling you will need to get down deep (downriggers, divers, longlining with leadccore or wire).

Every August for our family vacation for 15 plus years, we fished Lake Kipawa in Quebec, my dad always went for lakers using downriggers, but jigging in deep wayer with large white or silver jigs, or jigging spoons such as Swedish Pimples or Hopkins smoothie produced fish as well.

Williams wobblers and other trolling spoons will definitely work, but unless you have a plan to get those lures near bottom all you will be doing is "washing lures".

Lakers will definitely "eat" plastics, they are finding lots of plastic baits in the stomachs of lakers on Charleston Lake.

Come on moonshine let us in on your secret.

Best of luck Camper2009.

JimW

Post by **Dore** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:43 pm

moonshine wrote:
Bass Addict wrote:Jig with a White Tube in forty feet of water...on drop offs or shoals
that probably wont work this time of year

Ohh yes it does

Post by **Buckshot** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:48 pm

Those white tubes will out fish steel and down riggers in the middle of summer. THe key is staying vertical over the structure that you are fishing and using a no stretch line and a rod with a fast tip and some back bone. You might surprise your self with what you see.

Post by **Out4trout** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:56 pm

The depth is very dependent on which lake you will be fishing. Some lakes that are spring fed will have a higher thermocline. Many Highland (eg Algonquin lakes) will have Lakers cruising only 35ft this time of year. Riverfed and slow drain lakes are warmer, thermocline will be 45-65ft.

Without downriggers, my first choice would be early morning flat water - jigging.
The downside of jigging is that you have to be on top of the fish. If you don't have sonar, then you'll have your work cut out for you. Find a deep shoal in about 80 FOW, ideally near a steep shoreline.

Drop the lure to the bottom, lift 5', jig 30 times then raise 10' and repeat. As you work your way up from the bottom, keep track of the depth where you get your first hit.

As for lure choice, bring a few heavy spoons (1/2oz) for jigging and some thin flutter (eg Mooselook) for trolling. Don't go too heavy or you'll lose the flutter on the drop. Silver on sunny days, gold on cloudy.

An alternative to jigging is trolling with a 3-way swivel setup. You can do this with paddles from a canoe - just Google 3-way swivel lake trout and you'll get all the info you need.

Have a good trip!