Trolling for Lake trout.

[Water Wolf]

Are bottom bouncers an effective terminal tackle rig to troll for summer lake trout?
If so what weight {size} is appropriate?

If not what what is a better technique to troll for them and get your lure to the bottom if you don't own a downrigger?

How far should the lure be from the terminal tackle?

WW

[Neptune]

Check out this article, it goes against what most of the old timers tell you works....

http://www.anglers-experience.com/ax/art_finesseforlake.asp

I have tried something similiar to what this article says but trolling shallow instead of drop shotting and it works even in the middle of summer!!!  I'm still trying to find the best location for the "Big Ones" but hopefully that will be worked out this year....


Good Fishing!

[Water Wolf]

Neat article Neptune, thanks for sharing it.

The article mentoned that they were catching the big ones in 25 feet, how shallow do you go for them?

I know shallow water is a great place to fish.
Most folks around here fish for walleye and pike during the day in deep water 20 -30 feet, but I have had just as good luck in 5 - 10 feet.

WW

[Neptune]

The shallowest water I have trolled in is about 20 feet with my lures right on the bottom.

I run downriggers and it depends on  the day how far from the ball I run gear, and it depends on what gear I am running.  Rapalas, plugs, Apex and spoons varies between 20 and 40 feet behind the ball.  Flasher and squid or fly I usually run closer 15-20 feet behind the ball.

The day will really dictate how far I put stuff back.  I usually setup with different lures that have all caught multiple fish before and see what works for that day then move to that general direction if it works more than once.  Any lure will work Once!  But it if works multiple times in the same day I stick with it and move other lures to that color patern or duplicate the setup...


Good Fishing!

[TroutFishinTommer]

Most people think that to catch a lake trout you have to fish the bottom. While this is true of where lake trout are much of the time, the most active lakers(the ones that are more likely to bite) are those that are suspended often at the thermocline. These fish are here because they are looking for bait fish which prefer the temp/oxygen levels found around the thermocline. I have found a fish finder to be a very helpful tool in fishing/trolling for lakers. Fish the depth at which you are marking fish. As far as not using downriggers, leadcore line works well for getting your lures to where the fish are. The colored line allows you to know what depth your lure is at. Also dipsy divers off of a linecounter reel are excelent, inexpensive ways to get lures deep. They come with a chart that tells you how much line to let out to fish the desired depth.

[Neptune]

I think what you will find is that fishing for "Mackinaw" is just like any other fish...you need to be where they are.  However Macks will travel up the water column to strike a lure, but not normally more that 5 feet.  They won't go down to strike a lure though(at least not in my experience).  For a trout they often can seem lazy and lathargic(sp).  Then other times they can hit like a freight train.


Good Fishing!

[littleoldlady]

Here's an idea...put on a three way swivel, with a one ounce weight on the bottom ring...a floating Rapala on the second ring, and your line
on the top ring.  We use this for trolling for lakers out of our canoe...the weight will carry the lure to the bottom.  I put the Rapella on about
20 cm of line...works for us!!

[fishin fanatic]

here in sask the only time iv seen lakers come out of 20 fow is in the fall and that is really hit and miss...

[Water Wolf]

Thanks for the laker tip everyone, all good advice.

When using crankbaits for lake trout, do they like a natural sounding, natural colored calmly swimming crank, or do they prefer a loud wide wobbling crank with rattles and bright colors or will they go for both?

WW

[PGKris]

The warmer the water, the slower you troll.

I like a more natural looking bait doing a sloooowww wobble

[Inwellb4light]

Ive seen bottom bouncing work for lakers in about 25-35 FOW any deeper than that it gets pretty tough...invest in some downriggers or a good lead line rig...

[Neptune]

So Water Wolf, did you ever get any Lakers.  Now is a great time to fish for them because they are coming in shallow and feeding pretty hard right before they spawn here in another month or so...


Good Fishing!

[Water Wolf]

No, unfortunately Neptune.

The lake trout lakes are quite a ways North of me, with work I am lucky to get out to fish the close lakes.

Maybe this winter we shall see, never know.

I will someday for sure though.
They are on my to catch list.

WW

[Litchfield Fisher]

Most people think that to catch a lake trout you have to fish the bottom. While this is true of where lake trout are much of the time, the most active lakers(the ones that are more likely to bite) are those that are suspended often at the thermocline. These fish are here because they are looking for bait fish which prefer the temp/oxygen levels found around the thermocline. I have found a fish finder to be a very helpful tool in fishing/trolling for lakers. Fish the depth at which you are marking fish. As far as not using downriggers, leadcore line works well for getting your lures to where the fish are. The colored line allows you to know what depth your lure is at. Also dipsy divers off of a linecounter reel are excelent, inexpensive ways to get lures deep. They come with a chart that tells you how much line to let out to fish the desired depth.

I think it depends on the time of year we tend to troll for big brookies on flies and often catch big touge trolling for brookies in less then 10 feet of water even right through the end of june into july and then we often catch them shallow in the evinings in july trolling streamers or casting in a hatch and they then seem to stay up shallow for a couple days after and we still catch them and we often catch brookies trolling for touge in the summer in more then 60 feet of water so if there is one thing they have taught me is not to go by the tecxt book because most of my fish are in the "least" likley places when caught or on the oddest things such as a fly that leaterally looks like a snarl of mylar that I catch 20 + inch brookies on but thats just me