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Water
Bodies Services Interactive Misc.
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Winter Lake Trout Fishing
The Lake Trout, Salvelinus namaycush, is also known as the gray trout, laker and mackinaw. The lake trout is a large, fresh water fish that is native to Canada and Alaska. The lake trout's life span is approximately 20 years, can grow large than fifty inches and known records exist of the lake trout attaining weights of more than one hundred pounds. The oldest fish taken on record is 65 years old taken in the North West Territories. In it's native environment the lake trout's diet consists of fresh water shrimp, crustaceans, insects, suckers, whitefish, smelts, ciscoes, and even small mammals. Lake trout prefer a temperature of ten degrees Celsius.
Set lines tipped with small minnows pay off for pan fryers! Now that we know a little bit about the lake trout let's talk ice fishing for them! Lake trout can be found anywhere in a lake in the winter as their temperature range is usually maintained through out the area. Locate prime areas for lake trout such as flats that are 15-40 feet deep that taper into deeper water. Rock or boulder piles on flats in water 20-50 feet deep. Sand flats are a huge hit as lake trout can find ciscoes and whitefish rooting around for their food. Sharp breaks such as a cliff near shore or a sudden drop in the main lake are all good choices to start. Set lines baited with a large minnow work well. As lake trout look up to hunt. Set minnows well off of the bottom. Usually one third up from the depth you are fishing. Lake trout hunt looking upwards. Lake trout will hit hard and swim off with a minnow. Set the hook right away if you plan on releasing lake trout as they will swallow your bait quickly. Play them out slowly so they have a chance to deflate their air bladder. As they are doing this you can sometimes notice large bubbles of air as the lake trout nears your hole.
Bernie Schneiders eases in a large lake trout. Jigging spoons such as Northern Buckshots, Rattle Snakies and Hopkin Spoons, and jigs such as hair jigs, large tube jigs and airplane jigs are a mainstay for the lake trout angler. Control of the depth you are fishing and action play a large part in enticing a lake trout to bite a spoon. Lake trout can be found through out the water column so jigging from top to bottom will help you locate lake trout. Lake trout mostly hit a spoon on the drop and you realize you have one when you begin the upward swing of your jigging motion. As with a set line play the lake trout so it may pressurize itself. Handle a lake trout with care as they are a fragile fish if you plan to release it. Care must be taken when placing your fingers near it's gills. Lake trout are notorious for bleeding profusely from their gills. Handle the fish quickly and get it back into the water as quick as you can. Ice fishing is associated with cold temperatures and the fish will freeze fast.
Roger Mayer with a lake trout. As the lake trout may only spawn once every two years and the age it takes them to reach sexual maturity, we must maintain the fishery, please release the large lake trout so we may have angling opportunities |
