Nestled a number of hours north of Toronto lie the Muskoka Lakes, famend because the playground of the wealthy and well-known, with prized cottages dotting the picturesque lakeshores. The true trophies, nonetheless, are under the floor of Lake Rosseau, Lake Muskoka, and Lake of Bays. Lakers inhabit the depths of those lakes — large, hard-hitting, bulldogging, good-eating lake trout.
Lakers at 300-ish toes
In keeping with an Ontario Ministry of Pure Assets (MNR) State of the Useful resource Examine, these lakes comprise the most important concentrations of lake trout in southern Ontario exterior of Algonquin Park. I goal them from ice-out till fall, however actually take pleasure in being on the water on vibrant, summery days. From late June till September, lakers escape the nice and cozy higher layer of water to reside in 9 to 11˚C water between 40 and 80 toes. Since they are extensively dispersed and down deep, trolling is one of the simplest ways to achieve them.
Downriggers, Dipsy Divers, and snap weights all work, however I favor trolling with metal line or lead core line to get spoons down the place they reside. These outdated methods are simple and efficient for deep summer season lakers — particularly when enhanced with some improvements.
I exploit a line-counter reel to know the way a lot line to place out. Trolling 300 toes of line at a velocity of two mph (3.2 km/h), most trolling spoons get right down to 40 toes.
Heavier spoons like Little Cleos or diving bodybaits go deeper sooner so much less line out is required.
Gentle flutter spoons like Sutton River spoons or Michigan Stingers want extra line out to achieve the strike zone.
Minor velocity changes are wanted for every lure to provide its greatest motion. Verify lure motion along with the boat at completely different speeds to seek out the candy spot. Typically the sooner you go, the extra line you might want to set free to achieve the strike zone.
Lead core or metal
Lead core and one-pound, metal strains sink at practically the identical charge. It handles extra simply on the reel and is available in colored sections so you possibly can hold monitor of how a lot you have got out and not using a line counter. Nonetheless, it deteriorates and weakens after two seasons. I’ve misplaced good fish and lures attributable to lead core breaking.
A spool of metal line will final you a lifetime in the event you hold it from kinking, however you have to a line counter reel to know the way a lot of it you have got out.
Including lead
To get into the strike zone quick (40 to 50 toes down) with much less metal or lead core line out, I add a one-ounce in-line weight or keel sinker to the top of the metal or lead core line. Then I tie on a rod size of 14-pound fluorocarbon chief and a good high quality snap swivel.
A snap weight positioned 50 toes up from the lure has additionally labored for me.
Within the zone
In summer season, the strike zone is the layer of water just under the thermocline. The thermocline is the five-to-eight-foot-thick layer the place heat water meets chilly, deep water. Within the large Muskoka lakes, that can be round 35 toes in June and down round 40 toes for the remainder of the summer season. In the event you flip up the achieve in your sonar, you may even see the thermocline as a hazy, darkish band. That is induced by the focus of microscopic biomass or zooplankton that thrives within the oxygen wealthy, cool water at this depth. It’s generally known as the cisco layer as a result of these fish, also called lake herring, focus there to feed on zooplankton.
Lake trout, in the meantime, cruise under the thermocline looking for herring or smelt simply above them.
I rely closely on my sonar to remain in 50 toes of water or extra in order that I can troll my lures at or just under the thermocline round 40 toes without snagging on backside. Actively feeding trout can be at this depth.
Deeper waters
Inactive trout present up on my graph resting near the underside at 70 toes or deeper. Trolling deeper has not produced in addition to trolling close to the thermocline as a result of deeper fish are both inactive or not lake trout. Additionally, and not using a downrigger, it takes a ridiculous quantity of metal line to get that deep.
After all, the extra fish I see on my graph the higher. I circle again by areas of upper concentration a number of instances. However seeing fish on the graph doesn’t all the time translate into successfulful outing. I’ve had outings the place I noticed few fish on the graph however caught my restrict and different instances the place the graph was peppered with fish however didn’t get a strike. Lake trout feeding exercise activates and off like a change. Typically, I fish for hours and not using a strike after which all of the sudden get hit after hit.
I exploit navigational charts to seek out humps or shoals near the thermocline surrounded by deeper water and troll round them. Different good areas to focus on are 50-foot flats the place lake trout can relaxation close to the underside and ambush prey simply above them. Fifty toes of water close to cliff faces are good spots as a result of lake trout herd faculties of herring and smelt up in opposition to an impediment then choose off the stragglers.
Stress examine
Lake Rosseau, Lake Muskoka, and Lake of Bays are all large lakes and have to be revered. I solely head out in truthful climate and mild winds in my 15-foot runabout. Fortunately, fair-weather circumstances with excessive barometric strain translate to truthful fishing as a result of in an prolonged interval of excellent climate, lake trout can discover the mix of meals, oxygen ranges, and water temperature that enable them to keep up predictable feeding patterns.
A falling barometer after a sustained high-pressure system will set off a sizzling chew as a result of decrease air strain ends in decrease water strain, inflicting zooplankton to float increased within the water column. This triggers a feeding frenzy for baitfish which activates the lake trout as effectively. A falling barometer additionally means unhealthy climate on the way in which, so I don’t push it too far on large water.
Baits
Lake herring and smelt are the prevalent baitfish in Lake Muskoka and Rosseau so I troll with spoons or bodybaits that resemble herring like the Williams Whitefish, Williams HQ, or silver bodybaits. Lake of Bays has predominantly smelt, so I am going with lengthy, skinny bodybaits just like the Rapala Unique Floater (Reside Smelt sample), or blue- and green-coloured spoons.
Laker love
When a laker hits, the rod bows and bucks within the rod holder and the fish begins ripping drag. After a number of runs, it provides in to the reel. However cranking in 300 toes of line nonetheless places a burn on the forearm and wrist. The actual battle begins near the boat the place the fish dives once more or rolls again and again twisting the road round its mouth and gills.
Lake trout in Muskoka waters common between three and 5 kilos however can develop past 20. I’ve had fish on that overpowered my deal with. Once they broke off, after a see-saw battle, I had extra line out than after they initially hit. The primary time I noticed a lake trout’s large head and gaping white mouth rising from the depths, I used to be hooked.
Bother with trebles
On my favorite spoons, I swap the treble hook for a single siwash. This enormously reduces snags and fouling if the lure touches backside or goes by tall particles. Nothing is worse than discovering out you’ve been trolling with a fouled lure.
Gown your spoon with simply the head of a minnow to place a scent path within the water and incite following lakers to strike. An entire minnow will impede the motion of the lure and cut back its effectiveness. The lakers that comply with it would strike quick and get away with the minnow.
Muskoka lakers
Lake trout reproduce naturally in these lakes, however they’re a slow-growing fish and are simply topic to overfishing. The day by day restrict is simply two on a sport fishing licence and one on a conservation licence. Fish below 75 centimetres are fit for human consumption, according to the Information to Consuming Ontario Fish.
Huge lake trout, containing extra contaminants, are good candidates for catch and launch as a result of they will survive being pulled up from deep water. With a launch duct on their swim bladder you’ll hear them burp out air to equalize their inside prescertain to the decrease water strain on the floor with out hurt.
To discover a boat launch go to: www.discovermuskoka.ca/muskoka-boat-launches
Consuming your lakers
In the event you plan to eat your lake trout, bleed it instantly by slicing its throat and eradicating the gills and guts. Then put it on ice in a cooler. Earlier than prepare dinnering, filet it like a walleye, pores and skin it and trim off any gray meat and fats. Any sturdy flavour can be eliminated with the fats and pores and skin.
Initially printed within the August 2024 subject of Ontario OUT of DOORS
