How To Catch Any Fish
  How To Catch Any Fish
  • Home
  • Species Guides
    • Saltwater Fish >
      • Barracuda >
        • Great Barracuda
        • Pacific Barracuda
      • Barramundi
      • Bass >
        • Calico Bass
        • Sand Bass
        • Spotted Bay Bass
        • White Sea Bass
      • Billfish >
        • Black Marlin
        • Blue Marlin
        • Pacific Sailfish
        • Striped Marlin
      • Black Drum
      • Bonefish
      • Groupers >
        • Broomtail Grouper
        • Goliath Grouper
        • Leopard Grouper
        • Tropical Cods
      • California Sheepshead
      • Dorado
      • Emperor Fishes
      • Giant Needlefish
      • Halibut (California)
      • Halibut (Pacific)
      • Lingcod
      • Mackerels >
        • Cero Mackerel
        • King Mackerel
        • Pacific Sierra
      • Napoleon Wrasse
      • Pink Salmon
      • Redfish
      • Rockfish
      • Snappers >
        • Barred Pargo
        • Golden Snapper (Fingermark)
        • Green Jobfish
        • Mullet Snapper
        • Mutton Snapper
        • Pacific Cubera Snapper
        • Red Bass
        • Yellow Snapper
        • Yellowtail Snapper
      • Sheepshead
      • Silver Salmon
      • Snook
      • Speckled Trout
      • Tarpon
      • Trevallies and Jacks >
        • African Pompano
        • Amberjack
        • Blacktip Trevally
        • Bluefin Trevally
        • Brassy Trevally
        • California Yellowtail
        • Giant Trevally
        • Jack Crevalle
        • Longnose Trevally
        • Queenfish
        • Rainbow Runner
        • Roosterfish
      • Tuna >
        • Albacore
        • Bonito
        • Dogtooth Tuna
        • Skipjack Tuna
        • Yellowfin Tuna
      • Wahoo
      • Yelloweye Rockfish
    • Freshwater Fish >
      • African Tigerfish
      • Arctic Grayling
      • Arowana (South American)
      • Bass >
        • Hybrid Striped Bass
        • Largemouth Bass
        • Peacock Bass
        • Rainbow Bass
        • Smallmouth Bass
        • Striped Bass
        • White Bass
      • Catfish >
        • Blue Catfish
        • Channel Catfish
        • Redtail Catfish
        • Suribim Catfish
        • Vundu Catfish
      • Clown Knifefish (Featherback)
      • Dolly Varden
      • Jacunda
      • Jaguar Cichlid
      • Machaca
      • Muskellunge
      • Panfish >
        • Bluegill
        • Crappie
        • Central American Cichlids
      • Payara
      • Pike
      • Piranha
      • Sardinata
      • Sheefish
      • Trout >
        • Brown Trout
        • Lake Trout
        • Rainbow Trout
      • Walleye
      • White Sturgeon
      • Wolf Fish
  • Tackle Guide
    • Lure Reviews >
      • Bomber Fat Free Shad
      • Heddon Super Spook
      • Heru Bobara Lure Review
      • Heru Cubera Popper
      • Sebile Stick Shadd
      • Surface Iron Review
      • Yo Zuri Crystal Minnow Review
    • Recommended Baitcasting Reels
    • Recommended Spinning Reels
    • Recommended Saltwater Conventional Reels
    • Recommended Freshwater Rods
    • Recommended Saltwater Rods
    • Recommended Line and Leaders
    • Recommended Terminal Tackle
    • Recommended Lodges and Guides
    • Fishing Apparel
  • Fishing Advice
    • Gear Selection
    • Fishing Knots
    • How to Release Fish
    • Lure Fishing
    • Bait Fishing
    • Tackle Tips
    • Pound for Pound Fight Ratings
    • Miscellaneous Tips
    • Seasickness
    • Getting Kids Into Fishing
    • California Party Boat Fishing
    • Float Tube Fishing
    • Fishing Travel Tips
    • Preventing Insect Bites
    • Spear Fishing Link
  • Trip Reports
    • US and Canada >
      • God's Lake Canada - Pike, Trout, and more
      • Colorado Trouting
      • Admiralty Island, Alaska Lings and Things
      • Lake Tawakoni - Catfish and Stripers
      • Shallow Water Bull Redfish - Louisiana
      • Lake O the Pines Texas Crappie
      • Cocodrie Louisiana Marshes
      • Alaska Sportsman's Lodge - Rainbows, Salmon, and Bears
      • South Florida Freshwater Exotics
      • Aniak River, Alaska - Trout, Salmon, Sheefish
      • Calcasieu and Venice Louisiana - Redfish and Trout
      • Southern California - A Summer of Party Boat Fishing
      • White River Arkansas - Brown Trout
      • Dry Tortugas, Florida - Massive Reef Variety
      • Boca Grande - Goliaths and Much More
      • Hawk Lake Ontario - Bass, Pike Walleye
    • Central America >
      • Quepos Marlin and Roosterfish
      • Drake Bay, Costa Rica - Inshore Quick Trip
      • Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica and Punta Burica, Panama - Offshore and Inshore
      • Osa Peninsula Costa Rica - Inshore Pargo and Roosters
      • San Quintin, Mexico - Yellowtail and Calico Bass
      • Cebaco Bay, Panama - Inshore Popping and Jigging
      • Rio Indio Nicaragua - Tarpon, Rainbow Bass, and More
      • Lake Agua Milpa Mexico - Family Bass Trip
      • Puerto Vallarta - Marlin, Mahi, Tuna, Pargo
      • Puerto Vallarta - Big Offshore Giants and Pargo
      • San Quintin, Mexico - White Seabass and Barracuda
      • Puerto Vallarta - Roosterfish Mania and Freshwater Bass
      • Puerto Vallarta - Inshore/Offshore Slam
      • Puerto Vallarta - Summer Inshore Monsters
      • San Evaristo Mexico - Baja Inshore Variety
      • Rio Parismina, Costa Rica - Tarpon
      • Mariato Panama Fall Giants
      • Mariato, Panama Inshore Bonanza
      • Mariato, Panama - Wind and Tuna
    • South America >
      • Colombia - Amazon Peacocks and Payara
      • Trinidad Tarpon Madness
      • Colombia Pacific Coast
      • Amazon Bolivia - Big Payara and Variety
      • Amazon, Brazil - Peacock Bass, Wolffish, and Catfish
      • Amazon Brazil - Peacock Bass and Exotics
    • Australia and the Pacific >
      • Burdekin, Australia - Big Barramundi and Reef Variety
      • Great Barrier Reef Australia - Insane Reef Variety
      • Aitutaki, Cook Islands - Giant Trevally Popping and Napoleon Wrasse
      • New Caledonia - Popping Giant Trevally
      • Marshall Islands- Remote Reef Exotics
    • Africa and the Middle East >
      • Tanzania Offshore
      • Tanzanian Tigerfish
      • Oman GTs and Inshore Variety
  • About/Contact
  • Videos
    • How To Videos
  • Best Places to Fish
    • Aitutaki
    • Amazon
    • Belize
    • Bolivia
    • California
    • Costa Rica
    • Florida
    • Great Barrier Reef
    • Mexico Fishing - Baja
    • Panama
    • Puerto Rico
    • Puerto Vallarta
  • Trophy Gallery
Picture
Lake Trout in Lake Michigan, Illinois
Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush

HOME
Other Species

Lake Trout Description


Lake trout are the bruisers of the trout world, although they are actually in the Char family along with Dolly Varden and Brook Trout.  They inhabit deep, cold, clean waters in the Northern part of North America where they are native, but have been introduced in other parts of the world such as Europe with varying degrees of success.  They need a high level of oxygen in the water to survive.

Lake Trout can potentially live over 60 years, although 10-20 years is a more common lifespan.  They reach sexual maturity at 6-7 years.  Like their cousins the Brook Trout and other Char, they develop striking colors during the spawning period in the fall.  They primarily eat fish, although there are some in lakes without forage fish that adapt to eat plankton.  These are much smaller and rarely caught by fishermen.

Lake Trout are related to Brook Trout and sometimes hybridize in nature with them.  These offspring are called Splake, and in some places are intentionally raised and stocked as an additional sport fish.

Lake Trout can get to a whopping 100lbs, although fish that size are extremely rare.  Most fish are in the 24-36 inch range, which translates to something more like 5-25lbs or so.  They are fairly robust, and so are a good candidate for catch and release, although like all fish you should handle them carefully and as little as possible if you are planning to release.

​
Picture
My daughter's first Lake Trout, caught jigging a rubber tube jig in Canada
Lake Trout Pound for Pound Fight Rating - 6 out of 10 on the Freshwater Scale

Lake Trout are capable of putting up a solid bulldogging fight.  They are very adept at shaking their heads to dislodge hooks, so constant pressure must be maintained.  Larger ones will make a run or two when they see the boat.

Lake Trout Tackle

Lake Trout can be caught on relatively light tackle for their size since they don't tend to run into structure.  Heavier tackle is only needed if you are trolling large lures for them.  For jigging, a medium rod in the 10-20lb class is fine, along with 15lb or 20lb test line.  Click here for tackle recommendations.
Picture
A nice specimen caught in the rain while jigging in Canada
Lake Trout Techniques

Lake Trout are primarily caught by either trolling or jigging.  I'm generally not much of a troller, so I prefer jigging.  They are sensitive to warm water temperatures, so you may need to fish pretty deep in the summer.  In the spring and fall, they may come into shallow waters if they are cool.  Sometimes they can be caught casting during those times.  However, they are primarily a deeper water fish.

When jigging, drop your lure to the bottom, give it a couple of jigs up and down, and then reel up quickly.  Lake Trout may strike anywhere from right on the bottom to right next to the boat.


Lake Trout Lures

Lake Trout primarily eat other fish, so lures that mimic baitfish are the way to go.  When trolling, Flatfish are popular, as are various large wobbling spoons.

For jigging, a plastic tube such as the one below work well (white and chartreuse are good colors).  Bucktail jigs can also be deadly.
Picture
Note the differences in color of two fish of approximately the same size caught at the same location within minutes of each other.
Picture
Picture
Lake Trout Baits

Although they may opportunistically hit other baits, the best baits are forage fish that are native to the areas you are fishing.

Where to get the big Lake Trout

Canada is the place for big Lake Trout.  Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories are famous for their large Lake Trout.  However, other large lakes in that area hold big ones too.

Other Lake Trout Resources

www.wibigfish.com  If you don't want to head into Canada, this guy will put you on the fish if you are in Wisconsin.

This is a nice lodge in Canada that offers good Lake Trout fishing:  www.godslake.ca

I have never been there, but these lodges are probably the most famous large Lake Trout places:  www.plummerslodges.com

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture