Ontario Trout Fishing
Trout Fishing TechniquesOntario Lake Trout Fishing
Spring (Start of Season)
For those bodies of water that hold lake trout, the spring time is the one chance you have to hook up with fish without using downriggers or sophisticated equipment. Early in the year, lakers can be found high in the water column, allowing anglers to flat line their baits for superb action. Minnowbaits and spoons are the two top choices for catching these fish, but they must be trolled with a considerable amount of line behind the boat. Since the fish are high in the water column, they can also be spooky, so a quiet approach with long leads will help to trick these wonderful fish. White and silver are sure bets to fool lake trout, as they will match precisely the baitfish that the fish will be feeding on.
Summer
“Down deep” is the summer phrase for lake trout anglers, as the fish sunk to the bottom in search of cooler temperatures and baitfish. Now is the time to dig out the downriggers and troll the depths for success. Keeping your bait as close to bottom will often be the key, as will working areas of different depths and structure make-up to find out where the fish are hiding. Lake trout will often show up on fishfinders as large marking directly on or near the bottom. Putting a big spoon or crankbait as close as possible to these fish will trigger them to hit.
Fall
Fall is a movement time for lake trout and they will begin to suspend more readily and occasionally move higher up in the water column. River mouths and break walls can also hold fish at this time of year, and shore anglers may be able to take part in the action during early morning or late evening hours. Downrigging will still be your best bet, however, dragging lures at different depths will be the key to finding fish. Run a bait shallow, mid-depth and deep and see which one connects with fish. Paying attention to this “magic depth” will help you to limit out when others might not.
