Summer fishing techniques vary depending on how long and hot the summer is.

In cool summers, Aurora Trout can be found in shallow water, but if the summer is hot, they will go deep and stay there until the water cools to below 68°F/20°C.

In the north, temperature rarely stay warm for extended periods of time and the nights are usually quite cool. However, some summers in recent years have seen temperatures reach well into the 90s°F/lower 30s°C.

Deep Water Fishing Tips

When the water is warm, the Aurora Trout can only be found in the shallows feeding on schools of bait fish. However, this does not mean that they are willing to chase a single lure into shallow water. Fish where the schools of fish are for best results.

When fishing for Aurora Trout in deep water, trolling and casting techniques are best. Simple minnows work best, but don’t go small and avoid the really large minnows. Too small and you will just end up catching small fish and too large and they will ignore the presentation all together.

While the largest Aurora Trout ever caught weighed in at over 6 pounds, the average size caught is about two to three pounds.

Due to their endangered status, be sure to check with the provincial and federal fisheries and wildlife as some lakes have moratoriums that can change from year to year. Kirkland Lake is a long way to go to find out you can’t fish for Aurora Trout.

Summer Tackle Tips

Medium to light tackle is recommended with nothing more than 8 pound monofilament line and avoid large lures unless you are trying to catch Walleye or Northern Pike.

Casting with live bait using worms, grasshoppers and may flies is effective when they are in shallow water, but minnow lures work best when trolling of them in deep water.

Rigging Tips

When fishing for them in rivers and streams, put a trout float on your line about 90 percent down from the hook. Every six inches, place a light weight on the line. The sinkers control the way the bait floats down stream so use the smallest ones possible.

When a fish hits the line, the float reacts immediately and by keeping your bait just off bottom, it is best placed o catch Brook Trout if they are in the area. If you do not get any action after about 15 minutes, move on to a different part of the river.