Any trip that last more than a day gets treated like the trip of the year. Lake Trout come to the shallows in early spring and just like the last three springs I'll be there sifting through the biggest reservoir in the state in search of a real trophy fish. I,m no expert at this species of fish but I'm smart enough to realize that when 50 lb fish are in 5 feet of water willing to eat anything that swims, I should probably attend. After three years of researching the body of water and where these lakers are at different times of the year, I have learned that spring is my best shot with the gear that I have.
here is a list of stuff I take for a three day session...
12' aluminum flat bottom boat
4hp 2 stroke Johnson
5 gallons of fuel
12 battery
minnkota motor
9' inflatable pontoon boat for windy conditions
oars
2 pair of waders one neo one breathable
5 rods
9' 8wt fly rod with sinking 8wt line and 15' 15 lb test leader "not tapered"
9' 5wt fly rod with floating 5wt line and 12 foot tapered leader "sink tip sometimes"
7' medium action spinning rig w 8lb test
7' medium/heavy action spinning rig w 12lb test
and an 8" heavy troller led core w 17 lb, 18' mono leader + steel leader
all the flys, lures, hooks, and sinkers I got
half the clothes I own
no- tent, have to sleep in the truck it will get below zero at night.
These fish are big and hungry and fight like no other! You must know more than the fundamentals of fishing to even go for them, Like any other kind of fishing it comes down to getting a plan and EXECUTING it, just like I always say.
During the three springs on Blue I have had three strikes that I know were lakers, two of those were fish on the line and the other was an empty run with dead live bait. One of those three made it to my hand and the others will see me again.
This fish weighed in at 16 lbs, 33 inches and 22 ingh girth
You ready for the KICKER he hit a giant 7 inch flat fish, I had to force myself to use tackel this big.. I mean come on two days before, I was using a 22 midge on 4lb test, OH yea the kicker............look what was hanging out of his throat.
That's A brown trout just under 16 inches long, gee ya think a 7 inch minnow is too much? or not enough?
I'm going to try a tandom rig this year putting this in front of that same flat fish... now were going down!!
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Yeah, there's 2 feet of ice on the lake right now, but maybe early spring.
About the line tho…….?
Oatkan, don't wait until summer, you'll never get down to them. By july there 100 feet deep! go get em now if you can.
Thats a serious Laker. What kind of fly line are you using. Are you just going @ them with floating line, or do you use a sinking tip, or even shooting head system?
What flies have you taken them on? streamers? Bass popper's?
We have a beautiful alkaline lake,its like an enormous spring creek where I live. Salmon, browns, lakers, rainbows, bass, 5hp limit on boats, basically perfect for lake fly fishing. I've been wanting to get into it this summer, jon boat 'n the whole 9, thanks for the info