Lake Trout: Jigging for Summer Success

By Greg Barnes
Fishing & Hunting Sales Manager

Greg Barnes - 27" Lake Trout

Whether you are headed to a destination Lake Trout fishery or just looking for a change of pace in the BWCA; jigging for Lake Trout is a great technique.  In fact this is the fish that originally drew anglers to NE Minnesota / NW Ontario and the deep, clear lakes that can be found there.  In the early spring Lake Trout can be caught in under 40 feet of water by trolling spoons and crank baits.  However, it is after this, when they move to the deeps that will be addressed here.

When fishing inland lakes you are primarily imitating cisco, a common prey species for lake trout.  There are a variety of lures capable of achieving this.  Heddon Sonars, Kastmasters, Sebile Vibratos, Jigging Raps, Blue Fox, and Northland airplane jigs are all viable options.  Color patterns including silver, blue, pink, and green are the most time-tested fish catchers.  Tackle you may already have can also be used.  For example; a 1/4 - 1 oz. Jig head with a plastic tube is another popular rig.  Most walleye fishermen will already have a rod and reel appropriate for this application.  A medium or medium heavy rod lined with plenty of 20 or 30 lb. Braided line is a great set-up.  Fluorocarbon leaders can be added for a finicky bite, but are not necessary.

Marking these bait fish on a good quality sonar unit is the best way to locate where the fish are feeding in the water column.  When looking for spots on a depth contour chart I tend to favor areas with steep near shore drops instead of deep holes out in the middle of bays.  Either types of structure need to reach a depth of at least 60 feet to have good potential and it is not uncommon to fish in over 100 feet.  Often when watching your sonar you will find a school of bait fish first and that is a good spot to begin.  Drop your chosen lure underneath the depth at which you marked fish and begin to jig and retrieve vertically.  Lake Trout will hit the lure both on the retrieve and on the way down.  So, pay attention to any changes in speed while letting down because they could indicate a strike.  Anchoring at these depths is impractical, slow drifting or controlling your position with a trolling motor is ideal.   If fishing without a depth finder I use an easy technique that covers a lot of water. When first attempting to locate fish at a new spot I cover the entire water column.  This is a simple style of fishing, drop your chosen lure all the way to the bottom and reel up at a quick speed.  The aforementioned Sonars, Kastmasters, and Vibratos will be best for this.  It is hard to reel too fast because these fish are fast and prefer to chase their prey.

Mike Barnes - 29" Lake Trout

Good eating size for these trout is right around 20 inches and leaving the bigger ones will help your areas to produce fish year after year.  The the fish can be completely filleted or with the skin left on.  Recipes similar to those for salmon are quite good.  Pan searing with the addition of maple syrup or garlic is delicious.  Lemon butter sauces also accompany the grilled fish quite well.

If you have been looking for a new way to target Lake Trout or are interested in eating fish other than walleye on your next trip to the boundary waters then jigging is for you.  After the surface water temps climb above 60 degrees this technique will catch you fish in to the fall.  Get out and try it or stop in at Joe's for more tips.