Lake Trout Rookie, Strategies

[LegendHasIt]

Most of my efforts are dedicated to walleye and pike. I get a handful of days on the water in the spring each year for lake trout. And have only been fishing lakes with trout for a few years. I've long lined with/without planner board, shallow with down rigger, with/without flasher, pitching to docks, casting the shallows with spinners, white tube jigs and various plastics/lures.

I have had very limited success with each technique. Leading me to continue to question location and method. Perhaps slightly more successful with the long line and spoons.

The next two seasons I want to try and dedicated my time to a technique or two. Will take them and hit various locations.

I am hoping that someone more accomplished with the lakers then I, will convince me which one(s) to stick with.

Anyone out there willing to push me in the right direction?

Much appreciated.

[Seguin Fisher]

I've been spring trouting in the Muskokas and on Georgian bay for quite a few years now, and have done fairly well,( got lakers up to 40 lbs on the bay in spring). Sometimes at first ice I've found it takes a week or so before a lot of fish move shallow. I've done well by jigging tubes while holding with the trolling motor,( just like ice fishing, same depths as winter). When the fish are up shallow, my best rig has been planer boards and suspending jerkbaits. The medium and larger huskie jerks and x-raps have always been good for me, I've also had a lot of luck with the live target smelt the last couple years. Mostly smelt like colours but we've done well on brighter pinks, purples, and oranges as well. As for speed, most guys will tell you that you need to go SUPER SLOW in spring but I've never trolled slower than 2 mph. I've found the faster you go,( within reason) the more fish you're gonna put the bait in front of. A lake trout won't have any trouble catching a lure at 2-2.5mph. Also, if you're releasing most fish or even just to make it easier to get them unhooked, remove all the trebles except for the rear one. It doesn't affect the action while trolling and almost every fish comes up from behind and grabs the back of the lure. Way easier to take out one hook when there's no others stuck in a net or gills etc. Good luck, and keep at it. Nothing more fun than that first big old laker of the spring smashing a jerkbait so shallow that you can see him!

[LegendHasIt]

Awesome info. Much appreciated. I haven't had any luck right away after ice out. Generally a little later, but I can't say that I've had enough luck to say that i"m convinced of a pattern. I really enjoy fishing lakers shallow, I just wish I had more time in the spring to get out and test things out like I do in the summer. The longer days for me means more time on the water.

40lbs! Man, what a beast that must have been.

[Seguin Fisher]

It was a giant! I was trolling with my wife,(girlfriend at the time). We were using 10' light action rods with 10lb test and a small husky jerk on a planer, looking for rainbows at the time. She realed it in, took her about 20 min. Hit about 6' down over 50' of water. On the bay it seems we actually get most of our fish on the planer board that's out over deep water. They usually bite better after the water warms up just a hair but I've actually broke through skim ice to catch them. One time we were trolling alongside the ice edge on a bay that hadn't opened yet and they were loaded up just under the ice edge. Ya never know where your gonna find them.

[LegendHasIt]

When you describe shallows, do they need to be adjacent to deep water or does it seem to matter? Where I am the shallows that can be casted from shore are larger sand flats. Lots of options when on the boat. But from shore most areas are generally large shallow bays.

[Seguin Fisher]

It all depends on the lake and what they're eating and also weather. If there's a creek entering the bay where smelts might be spawning or other minnows then that'll hold more fish. Sand flats can be a real good spot but sometimes there's not that many fish and they're spread out so casting isn't gonna find as many as trolling. Also, if it's real sunny and calm they're gonna be a bit more spooky than if it's cloudy or there's a breeze to break up light. Shallow shoals with deeper water around can be pretty good in spring,( summer smallmouth spots). I know of a few shallow sandy bays with a feeder creek coming into them where the trout stack up to chase smelts, some days you can catch fish on every pass through there.