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Trolling for Lake Trout


Trolling for lake trout produces BIG fish! If trophy fish are on your agenda, and you're willing to spend a little more time between fish, trolling is your best method for catching big lakers. While you'll catch some smaller fish in the 4-to-10 pound range, more often than not you will be going head-to-head with some of the largest fish caught that day by anyone on the lake.

You're probably saying to yourself, "I've tried that...trolling is boring...I'd rather keep casting." Well, the choice is yours, but for the big lakers, the #1 big fish producing method is trolling! You'll cover more water in less time and after you hook into your first 20-plus-pound fish, you'll be a died-in-the-wool trolling fanatic.

Don't get me wrong, I love casting as well for most fishing situations. But there is a time and a place for trolling and that time is summer and fall. In fall, try the 8-15 foot contour on a good spawning reef in northern Canada, Minnesota, Colorado and Utah reservoirs, the Great Lakes, or, for that matter, any lake that is known to produce good-sized lake trout. Trolling always produces the largest fish!

Trolling is much more than just dragging your lure around the lake in hope of catching something. This is especially true during the spawning season for lake trout.

How To Catch Lake Trout While Trolling


Use your fishing electronics, such as a flasher, to keep your lures in the target zone of 8-15 feet of water. Without the aid of a flasher-type unit, it'll be a hit-or-miss proposition. The flasher will keep you off the rocks (too shallow), and out of deep water (20 feet plus). As long as you stay on the outside edge of the reef in 8 to 15 feet of water, you'll see action.

By keeping your eye on the flasher, you'll execute turns at the proper time as the direction of the reef edge changes. This will keep your lures at the correct depth almost 100% of the time.

Aids To Trolling for Lake Trout


Most trolled lures have a tendency to ride too high off the bottom. To solve this problem, use a bottom-cruiser-type weight like the about 30 inches in front of your lure. Some good examples of bottom cruisers are as follows:

Since lake trout usually relate to bottom, they won't chase down lures running ten feet over their heads. On the other hand, pass that same lure in front of their noses on the bottom and they'll slam it!

Another important piece of equipment any lake trout fisherman should own is a water temperature probe. Lowrance and Eagle manufacture good units. Some units are hard-wired and others are battery operated making them very portable. Some of the models available will register temperatures between 30 and 90 degrees down to a depth of 70 feet. Use it frequently to stay on target.

While no two lakes are identical in their depth, size, forage base, and bottom composition, fisheries biologists state that all lake trout, regardless of their geographical location, will react to water temperature in a similar manner. Now grab a casting rod, your trolling rod, and go catch a lunker lake trout!

Trout Fishing Tip | Bottom Bouncing for Trout


How heavy? For trolling with bottom bouncers, use 1 ounce of weight for every 10 feet of depth. Keep your line angle under 45 degrees where it enters the water for maximum feel and lure control. If the bouncer touches bottom only occasionally, you've got it right!

Top Lake Trout Fishing Lures