Lake Trout Fishing From Canoe

[Lenny]

Hi all,

I'm heading on a canoe trip to Algonquin Park with 9 friends (Opeongo/proulx/big crow/crow river/laveille/dickson/opeongo) and was wondering if anyone has any tips how to get 30-40 feet while trolling in the canoe. Right now I'm thinking a 3-way rig but it looks like it would create a lot of tangles. I'd rather not invest in a leadcore setup if I don't have to. If anyone has any experience fishing these lakes I'd love to hear any advice on fishing there. I'm very experienced with brook trout but I find the lakers much more intimidating.

Cheers,

Lenny

[Jimmy_1]

I'd suggest using a dipsy.

Great when kayaking.

[RJ]

Drop weights are another option.

RJ

[smitty55]

Lenny, check out the Fish Seeker. http://www.davisnet.com/marine/products ... ?grp=m15-4

Cheap, lightweight and easy to use with light line. Can't use them with deep divers but work great with spoons, spinner rigs and shallow running hard baits. Totally adjustable as well.

Cheers

[banjo]

I have never used one out of a canoe, but a drift sock really helps my 14 foot boat drift slow enough to do a slow troll, while almost jigging, and getting down that deep with a heavy spoon. I have used dipseys and jet divers with some sucess, but there are always tangles if there are multiple lines out or its really windy. I have caught a few lakers out of a canoe by using a deep diving rapala... the ones that go down 20 or 30 feet, I usually take the rear treble off and I will tie a nice sized streamer or minnow imitation fly behind it a few feet. You can do the same thing with a big heavy spoon as well.
Good luck.

[Bis4ben]

I second the dipsy - great success on Laveille! I've never had an issue with line tangles while trolling two in a canoe.

It's been awhile since i've done the roughly 5km portage between Bonnafield and Dickson ... enjoy it!

[Lenny]

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know how it goes. I'm looking forward to it! (except the 5km portage). And if anyone is going to be doing that route this weekend feel free to stop by the campsite with 10 goons on it for some whiskey!

[mblaney]

I did this on Cannisbay; you are trolling very slow so fancy equipment is probably not needed. I used a spinning reel (walleye rod) with a small size lake troll (not the big Christmas trees, the ones about 18 - 24 inches long). I put two or three bell sinkers at the front on the swivel... no problem getting deep. I forget how many we caught but I had kids taking turns catching them. Used 4" Gulp shads, blue rapala, or ripplin redfin tied back a couple of feet.

Lead core would also work very well

I use dipseys, pink ladies, etc for bigger water (bigger boat!).

[Tip-up]

The dipsy depending on size can have a tremendous amount of drag, and may even make it tough to paddle unless your packing a trolling motor. The dipsy is great if your two anglers in the canoe and wish to get one line away from the other. If your alone, and since noise won't be and issue spooking fish look into the drop weights as RJ suggested. That's what I use most of the time when I troll and have one or two 5-6 ft above a little cleo or Williams.

Three weigh swivel would be you next best trolling method if your going finesse but hard to dial in your depth like you can with the dipsy and chart.

Another option is to jig keep it simple and jig. That would be my first option lol. Anything that looks like a baitfish or minnow, match the hatch and hold on tight..