Spring
Some of the best fishing for spring lake trout is right after ice-out, usually in the first week of May the ice drops onPipestoneLake. Lake trout cruise the shoreline shallows and reefs in depths less than 20 feet. They will hang out at these depths until water temperatures start to rise later in the spring. Early spring laker fishing with cut-bait or live minnows suspended beneath a float work well.
Another deadly tactic is trolling with a large 5-6 inch live baitfish on a Lucky Strike in-line spinner attached to a 3-way swivel with a 1-3 oz weight, the weight depends on trolling speed and fishing depth. We usually have a small supply of these locally made spinners available for sale at the lodge.
Another successful method for spring fishing is long-line trolling a spoon or minnow-style crankbait 75 to 100 feet behind the boat in water 5-20 feet deep. Trolling over the trout will usually spook them, but a long line allows the fish enough time to return into the path of your lure; a planer board will work well in these situations. Areas to troll include: points, breaklines, shoals and bays. Troll slowly in large S-turns when working these structures to cover different water depths. Concentrate on the shallowest waters during low light conditions…..morning, evening or cloudy days.
Summer
Once the water warms above the mid 50 degrees range, the lake trout seek the cooler depths. Look for the summer time lake trout feeding in depths from 40 to 90 feet, there will be lakers deeper, but generally they are the in-active lake trout. Rocky shorelines and points with steep drop-offs, as well as deep humps are the sweet spots to fish. Trolling with downriggers, dipsy divers or weighted 3-way swivels are popular fishing techniques to get the crankbaits and flashy spoons into the strike zone.
Vertical or drift jigging 3/8 to 1-1/2 oz jigs with white Berkley Power Grubs, or white buck-tail jigs tipped with a minnow or cut bait is another excellent summer fishing method that produces good results. Jigging spoons are also another productive method, spoons such as the Little Cleo (blue/silver color) or Krocodile (silver) are both great lures.
Fall
In the fall, when the water temperatures start to drop, lake trout return to the shallows feeding heavily prior to their fall spawn. Lake trout spawn at night over a bottom of rocks, in depths from 5 to 20 feet. Because spawning lakers are easy to catch, lake trout fishing season closes at the end of September.
Use the same fishing methods and techniques that work in the spring. Casting or trolling near rocky reefs and shorelines with spoons, jigs, crankbaits, along with cut-bait or live bait will produce the same great fishing that spring time fishing did; sometimes even better.
Regardless of which season it is, lake trout usually are most active in the morning until about 11:00 am and than again in the evening, they will feed periodically throughout the day. Usually when you catch a trout, within a short time you will likely have landed another one or two also. The key to success is good electronics that will help you locate the baitfish and trout.
Recommended Rods and Reels for Lake Trout Fishing
Jig Fishing- 6’ to 7’ medium spinning rod/reel combo with 6-12lb line
A fast-action rod will give a good immediate hook set. Large capacity spool on reel, use a clear fishing line such as Vanish fluorocarbon.
Trolling- 6’ to 7-1/2’ medium or medium-heavy bait casting rod/reel combo with 12-20lb line. Although not as durable, a spinning rod and reel combo is also suitable.
Braided line such as Power Pro works well with a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader attached.
Lures and Tackle
- Deep diving crank baits such as Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk, Luhr Jensen Kwikfish, Flatfish,
- Shallow water crank baits including the Floating Rapala, Husky Jerk, in white, black, gold, silver and blue colors
- Spoons incl. Krockodile, Little Cleo, Williams Wobbler in silver or gold, Len Thompson Five of Diamonds,
- Mepps spinners in various sizes and colors.
- 3/8 to 1-1/2 oz jigs.
- Assortment of Berkley Gulp or Power Bait soft plastic tubes and grubs in various sizes and colors, white is usually the best choice.
- Terminal tackle including 3-way swivels, 1-3 oz weights, snap swivels, barrel swivels
- Polarized fishing glasses, measuring tape, camera and fillet knife.
These are some of the more popular tackle used by guests of Little Moose Lodge when fishing for Lake Trout on the Clearwater-Pipestone Chain of Lakes.
