lures for lake trout

[steve schmidt]

Going to Canada lake trout fishing (went last year with someone else) and am taking my own boat etc. Since I simply used the tackle they "hung" on the rods, I didnt pay much attention to exactly what they are.

Can you suggest what type lures I should purchase (spoons, certain cranks etc) Is there some favorite bait that works best. We are fishing on Crow Lake north of Nestor Falls.

[Big Northern]

Steve,

I fish for lakers in Canada most years. We go way up north (Victoria Island.) That far north the lakers never go way deep so we just troll baits with no downrigger, dipsey diver, etc. We use Dardevles and (Blue Fox) Pixies. Dardevle sizes are the Troll devle size and the next size smaller. Pixies are three quarter oz. The ones that have worked for me are:

Dardevles: potato bug (black spots on dark orange background,) flourescent orange spots on chartreuse background, gold scale pattern on orange and yellow background. Pixies: gold spoon with orange plastic center. The same pixies are by far the best for arctic char, the other species we get.
I am sure there are plenty of other good laker baits.
If you mark fish deep jig them with a big (1-2 oz) jig with a piece of belly meat on it. And when you're trolling pump the bait regularly, lakers are famous for following a spoon without hitting it. Good luck.

[Paul S]

I have had very good luck on Crow Lake ( and others) using a #38 Sutton spoon trolled with a 3 way rig. we ususally fish around 60 ft and use a 5-6 oz bell sinker on dropper. As BN said in previous post - pump the rod up and down, trout love to hit the spoon as it flutters down.
Paul S

[steve schmidt]

Thanks....and Paul, Crow Lake by Nestor Falls is where we are going. Last year I was coming off a family tradegy that occured a few months prior to fishing so I was going more to get away. We stay at the resort on Crow Lake not far off the highway. the owners first name is Gordy.

We had a riot on smallmouths last year. Intend to try that again and since I am taking my boat which is a 16 1/2 footer, we can be a little more mobile and go across the road to Lake of the Woods. If you care to be a little specific and share a general area to fish the lakers it would be appreciated. I know, the guy I went with last year went back to the same spot, day after day. We usually caught a couple three during the course of the day.

Also, I just ordered some jigging spoons as some people say that is also very productive. Any additional help would be appreciated.

if anyone wants to email me directly, my email address is: [email protected]

Thanks again.

[gundy89]

I second the sutton's. We use them on Superior and catch a majority of our fish on them. Downriggers and dipsy divers. Good Luck.

[Paul S]

I stay at friends cabin on Crow so it is hard to give directions. His cabin is not too far from that small gas station right on the highway. From that part of the lake we traveled N and W to a large island and fish the west side of the island. Its about 2-3 miles out. From there we head straight North towards the shore and fish the rock walls there. The key is to find hard bottom and some smaller rocks (if possible) with a drop off into deeper water. Hope this helps
Good Luck
Paul S

[IFallsRon]

The preferred methods in my group has been to a homemade strip-on-type rig with smelt and a large spinner at the nose end. We drag that behind a four-bladed cowbell.

We use LARGE Rapalas and spoons, too.

[Stratosman]

I like using steel line when fishing lakers in the summer when they are deep, this gets you down faster and with less line, if you use mono, there is so much of a bow to your line it is almost impossible to stay in contact with the bottom or wherever you are marking fish. It is fairly cheap and simple to set up, just make sure you get a rod with a roller tip or modify one you already own.

Since we started using wire our catch rates have doubled. As far as lure choices, all the above ones will work, and I have had some real good luck using a chrome lazy ike 4" in length.

[JohnO]

We've had good luck lately jigging big saltwater plastics, Yozuri squids, and Luhr-Jensen B2s in particular, white & green glow colors. We've also used the Lindy Tiger tubes with pretty good success. Look for schools of baitfish over deep water, and pretend you're food, be the food...

[Paul S]

Haven't ever tried the wire or braided lines, but we use 17lb NO-Bol which is a no stretch line that works well for the deep water.
Paul S