Great Lakes Fishing
targeting lake trout
7/21/14 @ 3:15 PM
OK fellas. With things being so slow I have decided to put more effort into targeting lakers in the hopes of catching a few smaller ones to smoke. Problem is I just can't seem to catch any no matter what I do. I have tried f/f and spoons in various sizes and colors and fished the bottom 25 feet in 80-100 fow even out to 150 fow and still no dice. What gives? I am fishing off of Racine and Milwaukee. Do I need to slow down or something? Stumped. Anybody with some good advice?
Displaying 1 to 15 of 17 posts
I have a guy that has never caught a laker and wants me to try and get him one. Not a species I target and have read most of the posts here, but was looking for the prefered depth and any special gear. Thinking of running silver or white flashers with spin and glows close to the bottom in 70 - 100 fow. Any other suggestion would be appreciated. I'll be fishing out of MKE.
Get as far north (whitefish bayish) as you can. Find sand and clay bottom. My favorite laker rig is the old license plate with a spin n glo. If you can, bounce the bottom. As you pull those things through the sand you'll pick up lakers. Bouncing bottom is not required.
Rule of thumb is usually trying too slow will pull lakers. It seems to be true. I catch a lot of medium sized lakers suspended higher up, especially in this years colder water. However most of my large lakers come within 15 feet of bottom on flashers/dodgers.
Target them in early spring. Keep baits right on the bottom. Wire line and pound balls with smaller dodgers and flies or float'n spins used to do the trick. Bouncing bottom once in a while seemed to help. They're pretty much an incidental catch later in the year. Best of luck....I love them smoked too. Mesquite charcoal grilled is a great second option.
Displaying 1 to 15 of 17 posts
