Fishing Canada For Lake Trout
By Jack Phillips
Just the idea of battling a huge lake lures anglers to all the remote lakes as far north as the Arctic Circle in Canada. These areas yield many 30 to 40 pound lunker lake each year.

In some areas in Canada, the lake are also called Mackinaw or grey trout, but the most common nickname given lake is simply lakers. Lake resemble brook trout, except the tails of lake are deeply forked, while those of the brook are nearly square. Lake in the Great Lakes are silvery-grey with white spots. Elsewhere, they have light spots on a background that may vary from dark green to brown or black.

Lake prefer water from 48 to 54F, colder than any other game fish. They will die if unable to find water under 65 degrees F. During summer month’s lake will descend to 200 feet in search of cooler water.

There are many lakes with water cold enough for lake trout, but lack oxygen in their depths. And as a result lake are restricted to mainly the cold, sterile lakes of the Canadian Shield, the Great Lakes and deep mountain lakes of the west.

Lake grow slowly in these frigid waters. In some lakes in Canada, a 10-pound lake might be 20 years or older. The age of a trophy lake may be 40 years or more. Because they grow so slowly there is always the danger that they could be over harvested.

Unlike most other species lake spawn in lakes rather than in rivers. Lake spawning occurs in the fall over a bottom of baseball to football sized; rocks. Water depth varies, but is usually 5 to 25 feet.

Lake have excellent vision, but because of the poor light at the depths they live, they rely on their sense of smell and on their lateral line to find food. In some water, they feed mainly on aquatic insects, worms and crustaceans. In other lakes they eat only fish, mainly ciscoes, smelt, and sculpin.

A lake trout, brook hy-brid, called splake, has been stocked in some northern lakes including Lake Huron. Splake mature earlier than lake and grow faster so they are less affected by fishing pressure.

Early spring just after ice out, is a great time for lake trout, they crowd into warmer water to feed closer to shore and remain in water 20 to 30 feet deep.

When lake move into shallow water in the spring and in the fall just before spawning, the best methods are casting with flashy spoons or still fishing with natural baits like smelts and strips of sucker meat.

Lake shy away from dark heavy lines, so use clear, low diameter line from 8 to 12 pond test is best. Most fishermen prefer medium action spinning tackle.

In years past heavy reels and wire line was the standard for catching lake in deep water. But now with the new equipment and techniques it is possible to fish deep with much lighter tackle. Downriggers, sonar and technology has made fishing for deep lake a lot easier.

Deep lake are frequently scattered and sluggish, so adding an attractor, such as a dodger can improve your success while trolling.

Vertical jigging for lake is also a popular method in fishing Canada’s north, works best with a lead head jig or vibrating blade. Simply lower the lure to the bottom; then reel it back up rapidly to get that strike.

Casting with heavy gold or silver spoons for lake is a proven technique when lake are concentrated off points, in narrows, along islands or over spawning reefs. Cast from a long distance away to prevent spooking the lake trout.

In the Great Lakes the lake have made a remarkable come-back after they were nearly wiped out by the sea lamprey and commercial fishing. Lake populations have been rebuilt by lamprey controls and restocking programs. These programs have been put in use both in Canada and the United States, both countries have been doing this for some time now and the lakes and anglers are enjoying the fruits of their efforts.

There is nothing like the feeling when you hook up with a nice sized lake on medium action fishing rig. So get out there and just enjoy nature and catch the trophy lake trout.

Article Source: http://www.articleblender.com

Jack Phillips has been an avid Canadian angler for over 50 years. Fishing Canada provides solid advice for walleye, bass, pike, muskie, a variety of ,trout, arctic char bass and more. Idea's on when and where to go on your next trip to Canada. Ice fishing tips. Delicious fish recipes also!