Lake trout prefer the colder water temperatures found below the thermocline in the summer months. This is the zone where water temperature drops and oxygen increases, making a preferred habitat for forage fish like cisco (whitefish).
What depth is best for lake trout?
Warming water sends lake trout to the cool depths. Look for them in depths greater than 40 feet. Troll with downriggers, wire line, or bottom bouncers, using crankbaits or spoons. Try vertical jigging with spoons or jigs tipped with minnows or cut bait.
What is the best temperature for lake trout?
between 40 and 50°F
Lake trout prefer and require cold water, generally between 40 and 50°F, but they can spend time outside of this range when needed. That said, it’s unlikely to find lake trout in temperatures greater than 59°F.
What is the best bait for lake trout?
Live bait is generally the most consistently effective way to fish for lake trout. Minnows are usually the best option. Other good live bait options are nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, or anything similar to their native prey. One of the best artificial options for deepwater trout is a big bucktail jig.
What trout is most tolerant to warm water?
Rainbow Trout
Rainbow Trout can tolerate warmer water (55-65 degrees F. is optimal) and tend to be somewhat hardier. The rainbow trout is gamier than the brook trout often leaping from the water to strike a fly and is also excellent eating. Brown Trout are also very hardy and more resistant to warmer water temperatures.
What depth are lake trout in winter?
The nice part about fishing with the absence of a thermocline in the cold months is that many fish are not as deep as during the summer months. Anglers can capitalize on catching trout from 10 to 35 feet deep in ice-cold waters during December, January, and February.
What colors do lake trout like?
Work With Bright Jerkbaits
Since many of your prized monster trophy Lake Trout will reside in darker waters, it’s imperative to use brighter colored jerkbaits. Blue, silver, orange, pink, and chartreuse are all great colors to ensure your lure is visible at depth.
What depth do trout feed at?
With a depth finder, fish your lure/bait between 10 feet and the surface following winter, between 35 and 45 feet deep in mid-spring, between 50 and 65 feet deep in late spring and at the 53 degree thermal layer in the summer.
Where do trout go when the water is warm?
Most trout are going to move to the most comfortable water. Wild fish are smart enough that as water warms they move up to the headwaters. Stocked trout may be left behind.
What is considered a big lake trout?
Lake trout vary widely in size and weight and are commonly found around the 19-inch mark but can reach lengths of over 48 inches. According to the International Game Fish Association, the world record lake trout caught on rod and reel is 72 pounds in 1995 on Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories.
What color do trout see best?
The trout’s eye is also more sensitive to the red spectrum than the human’s. The color it has the least ability to discern is green and the color it sees best is blue. Rod cells are very sensitive in low light and give the trout excellent night vision. These cells do not see color.
What is the best time of day to fish for lake trout?
The best time of day for lake trout fishing is early morning from dawn until 2 hours following sunrise. The second best time of day is late afternoon 3 hours before sunset all the way until dusk. Lake trout can be caught in very deep, colder water during the middle of the day but the midday day can be very unreliable.
What type of lures do lake trout like?
Lake Trout Fishing Lures; Common lure selection for medium to small lake are: small swimbaits, jerk or twitch baits, jigs, flies crankbaits, spoons, spinner and inline spinner baits. Habitat: Lake trout require, cold, clear, well oxygenated water, so they are found almost exclusively in oligotropic lakes.
Do trout like shallow or deep water?
In the summer months, Trout will seek deeper water for colder temperatures, but not so deep that the pressure exacerbates them. In large bodies of water, Trout hold to the thermocline, which is a gradient layer in the water column where cold water meets warm water and mixes nutrients and oxygen.
How deep should my trout pond be?
eight feet
Pond conditions dictate numbers and species of trout to stock. The average one acre pond with a depth of eight feet that stays full all summer with fresh water can generally support 300 trout.
What time of day are trout most active?
The truth is these are the worst times of day on most days to catch trout. What is the best time of day for trout fishing? The best time of day to catch trout is early morning from dawn until 2 hours after sunrise and the second-best time of day is late afternoon from 3 hours prior to sunset until dusk.
Where do lake trout hang out in winter?
Concentrate on structures rising up to 30 to 60 feet found within lake basins and on deep flats. Rock walls adjacent to deep water are another hotspot. Trout trap baitfish against the steep breaks. Icy water temperatures give trout the freedom to go where they please.
Where do lake trout eat winter?
What Do Lake Trout Eat In Winter? In winter, trout usually stay in shallow waters because they can’t stand the coldness on the bottom waters. Usually, you will find them near their food source, small fishes, bugs, etc.
What eats a lake trout?
Many wildlife species, including the grizzly bear, otter, and bald eagle, depend on cutthroat trout for a portion of their diet. Most predators can’t catch lake trout because the trout live in deep water, spawn in the lake, and are large.
What size hooks for lake trout?
size 8 to 14
In general, trout hooks that are size 8 to 14 are going to be best. Always use barbless hooks for trout unless you plan to eat what you catch. Smaller hooks are always best for trout because they will see larger hooks if the water is clear enough.
What month is best for trout fishing?
It’s also year-round in most areas. Normally, the best months to target trout are July to Early September when the waters are at their warmest and many insects are hatching. Because of this, dry fly fishing becomes incredibly effective.
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