For much of Canada and the northern United States, Summer arrives in June and is gone by early September in cool years and late September in warm years.

 

The Lake Trout is a close cousin of the Brown Trout, but as mentioned on the Introduction page, it’s a Charr and not a trout and is the largest of the Charr family capable of reaching an astonishing 102 pounds. It is rumoured that one was caught in the 19th century at 120 pounds/54 kilograms.

Trolling for Lake Trout

Trolling for Lake Trout is done at relatively deep levels. For some lakes this can be 40 feet deep and in others as much as 260 feet deep. It just depends on the depth of the lake. In most cases they will go to the deepest part. Only the Great Lakes offer depths down to as deep as 1,300 feet.

 

Go to the south end of Lake Michigan. There you’ll want to know at which level the thermocline is located. Once found, target your trolling for this depth. In most lakes this will take you close to the bottom of the deepest parts.

Technique

Trolling slowly is the best way to catch Lake Trout. Lures for trolling are flashy spoons and diving plugs. As always, right size the lures for the size of trout in the lake.

 

Note: Trolling at a faster rate will only result in you catching sunburn.

 

The use of a down rigger or planers is the best way to ensure that you are able to troll at a particular depth. Double or triple planner boards are often employed by charter boats which allow you to closely control several fishing rods at once.

 

If unsure, check with the local tackle shop or guide. Casting is not the most effective form of fish when the Trout are very deep.

Lake Trout Retreat to Deep Water

As spring progresses and the weather warms up, Lake Trout starts to move into deeper water. Of course the timing of this varies greatly throughout its region.

 

Those parts of Canada in the Arctic Circle and Alaska see summer coming much later and only lasting as short as 6 weeks for places like Cape Dorset of Baffin Island. Here summer does not truly arrive until July and leaves in August.

 

For much of Canada and the northern United States, summer arrives in June and is gone by early September in cool years and late September in warm years. It may come as early as late May in warm years.

 

In Nevada summer comes early and temperatures warm up some lakes much quicker than in the north. As such, summer fishing techniques for low altitude lakes in Nevada should follow summer fishing techniques in spring. As much of Nevada is high altitude, like much of the Lake Trout distribution, summer comes in keeping with the same time as much of the northern United States and southern Canada.