Anglers from all over ask me two questions. First, they want to know the secret to successful trout fishing in Ontario. And second, they want to know what is special about Ontario fishing lodges and resorts because they have heard a lot of talk about them. After talking with these inquisitive fellow anglers, I have determined what they really want to know is what is the secret to catching trout in deep water in Ontario.
I will answer the second question with a diplomatic answer. I cite an article published in USA Today by Richard Corrigan on January 15thof this year that stated that the highly sought-after game [fish lake trout] are fairly rare because “lake trout are found only in deep, cold, clear lakes, primarily in the region known as the Canadian Shield. Lake trout are most common in Ontario.” So, Ontario fishing lodges and resorts are excellent places to fish for trout. This is also a partial answer to the first question.
The first question is pretty generic, so I must give a generic answer. The question is about what the secret to successful trout fishing in Ontario is. My answer is, pick a specific lake in northwest Ontario and go there. Bring your own experience with you, but also bring an open mind. Talk to a lot of anglers and local bait suppliers in the area and ask them what is working for them on that lake. And then try that.
Now I will tackle the implied third question. What is the#1 secret to Ontario trout fishing in deep water? That, fellow anglers, is the question. People are hoping that I can tell them the one magic thing to do that will yield big lake trout from deep water in the lake. The answer is complicated. I will break it down into six parts.
The secret, part one, is knowing when lake trout are in deep water.
Water temperature is all important. The changing temperature of the lake water drives a cycle of behavior in lake trout. Lake trout prefer to hang out in water that is 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake trout will cruise shallow water in the spring because the water is still cold. This is actually when they are easiest to catch. As the lake gradually warms, lake trout retreat to increasingly deeper water. By summer, lake trout are hanging out in the deep parts of the lake.
In the summer is when you can find lake trout at depths of 40 to 100 feet or more.
The secret, part two, is knowing how deep lake trout are cruising.
Lake trout gradually retreat to deep water that stays comfortable for them. By summer, the lake water has formed a thermocline. The thermocline is a relatively thin zone of water of rapidly decreasing temperature that acts to keep the water beneath it pretty cold. Summertime cruising depths of lake trout will vary a bit from lake to lake and from year to year.
Use a fish finder to find both the thermocline and the lake trout.
The secret, part three, is knowing where in the deep water to find lake trout.
Like most animals, lake trout take cover to hang out in. Their preferred cover changes through the seasons because lake trout change depth through the seasons. In the summer, depth is their primary cover. That leaves a lot of lake to search. Look for areas of the lake where the water very suddenly turns dark. That indicates a drop-off to deep water. Also, think like a big trout and look near their preferred food.
Find lake trout near natural drop-offs and ledges and find lake trout under a school of bait fish.
The secret, part four, is knowing what bait or lures lake trout will hit on in deep water.
Again, think like a big hungry trout. Lake trout feed on lots and varied kinds of food. This includes zooplankton, insect larvae, small crustaceans and clams, leeches, snails, juvenile fish including lake trout, grayling, minnows, smelt, sticklebacks, suckers, whitefish, and many other things that find themselves in the lake. Go to local bait shops near the specific lake you are fishing and ask them what bait is working the best for lake trout. They will tell you. That is what this population of lake trout is hitting on at that lake. Use that live bait or use a lure that mimics that bait. The lake trout are telling you what they want to eat.
Lake trout will hit on the specific bait fish, or lure that mimics it, that are in the thermocline in the lake you are fishing.
The secret, part five, is knowing which technique will attract and hook lake trout. ![lake Trout.jpg]
A lot of anglers swear that the best way to catch lake trout is to troll for them. Here is one way. Try trolling as slow as you can with your boat so your line will sink and not rise up. Use a medium action rod with 10 to 20-pound test line to a 3-way swivel. Use 20-pound line to a duo lock snap for the weight. Use 30-pound fluoro carbon line for the live bait or lure. The weight can be 1 ounce to 10 ounces, depending on how deep your lake trout are. Use live bait appropriate to the depth. For lures, check to see what is working locally. Or try a Mepps #2, Sutton spoons, or some of your favorites.
The other school of anglers think that vertical jigging is the only way to go. This is often successful because although lake trout don’t school, there are often several individuals hanging out in the same sweet spot because the water is cold, has shelter, and it has food. Try a medium spinning rod with 20-pound braided line. You can use any lures that act like lake trout bait fish or try the new Savant Spoon that was developed by an industrialist who loved to fish for Lake Trout at Lake Savant in Ontario. It works well. Or ask locally what is working where you are fishing.
I recommend being open-minded and flexible and trying both methods and variants of each.
Trolling and vertical jigging are both the correct technique.
The secret, part six, is having the perfect weather.
Fair weather equals fair conditions for catching lake trout. Try to arrange that for your fishing trip. A cold front advancing on your lake will cause the air pressure to drop. This has several effects on all the fish in the lake. A feeding frenzy happens just before the low pressure arrives, but then bait fish slow down and stop feeding. Lake trout are attracted to the bait fish when they are feeding. So, then all the fish slow down. Fish have air bladders. Big fish have big air bladders. When the air pressure drops, fish can feel it because their bladders expand. The bigger the bladder, the more it expands and this is uncomfortable. Lake trout go deeper to get comfortable. It is still possible to catch lake trout during a cold front, but that is not the condition you want.
Part of the secret is that there are some things you cannot control. Learn to adapt.
One of the fun things about trout fishing in Ontario is that as an angler, there is always more to learn. And we often learn best from each other. I am offering some solid lake trout fishing tips here, but I recommended that you ask local anglers and suppliers what is working for them because none of us know everything. Good luck on the water!
Wildewood on Lake Savant is a fishing adventure resort located in the remote wilderness of Ontario, Canada. Andy Kerecman manages their blog (https://wildewoodonlakesavant.com/about-resort/blog/