Lake Trout Fishing In Canada

THE FISH

Native to northern North America, lake trout are the largest of the freshwater char and are one of the most dominant predators in their food chain. They eat everything from plankton to smaller fish, and their size makes them a popular target for anglers in the region.

With the change in season comes changes to the behavior of lake trout. This means that if you’re looking to land a trophy during your trout fishing in Canada, it’s important to understand their tendencies during the time of year you’re out on the water. For example, lake trout typically prefer water between 48 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit. This means in the spring you should be able to find them in mostly shallow water, 30 feet deep or less. As the year progresses, they will navigate to deeper parts of the lake to find their preferred water temperature. At this point, trolling and vertical jigging are the best options when targeting trophy “lakers.”

Fishing for lake trout on Lake of the Woods opens on January 1st and closes on September 30th.

For those bodies of water that hold lake trout, the springtime 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. Minnow baits 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 for spring lake trout fishing, as they will match precisely the baitfish that the fish will be feeding on.

“Down deep” is the phrase for anglers during summer lake trout fishing, as the fish sulk 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. When you want great results from your summer lake trout fishing in Canada, putting a big spoon or crankbait as close as possible to these fish will trigger them to hit.

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, 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.

Best Methods for Lake Trout Fishing in Ontario:

• In spring, use ciscoes on plain hooks, mostly fishing from shore
• In summer, use a 2-ounce bucktail jig to get the bait to the bottom. As soon as it hits the bottom, start reeling up; the fish will hit the lure on the way up

With its wide variety of fish species, Lake of the Woods is an angler’s paradise for countless reasons. If you want to land a particular fish — especially lake trout — you should have knowledge of the area and a lot of experience. No matter what, the fishing guides at Duck Bay Lodge have been following these waters for years, so they always have something up their sleeves to ensure you experience the best trout fishing in Canada. Check out our rates and specials to learn about this year’s Ontario trout fishing packages. If you are ready to experience the wonders of Lake of the Woods, check cabin availability and reserve your trout fishing charters before it’s too late!