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Lake trout question

baitballin

baitballin
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GAMBLER

GAMBLER

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Ibay the lakers are usually east of Shipbuilders on the flats out in deeper water.  When I had my boat on Ibay, I fished them 135' or deeper all season.  This time of the year, I would find them all the way out to 220' on the bottom.  Out of the Oak,  I have heard reports of guys getting them good once they hit 70'.

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baitballin

baitballin

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Ibay the lakers are usually east of Shipbuilders on the flats out in deeper water.  When I had my boat on Ibay, I fished them 135' or deeper all season.  This time of the year, I would find them all the way out to 220' on the bottom.  Out of the Oak,  I have heard reports of guys getting them good once they hit 70'.

Ok thanks I will give it a try I have some days off coming up so I will have time to try both spots. I will post my report and I hope to catch them off my gambler rigs. Thanks again and see you out there.

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GAMBLER

GAMBLER

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As for depths they find them at in Mexico Bay, I'm not the guy to ask.  I have never fished Mexico Bay.  If the follow the pattern of the Rochester basin fish, most will stay deep and some will move shallow. 

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jimski2

jimski2

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With the cold spring water temperatures they will chase bait right up to the beach. This the time of year when 90 per cent of the fish are in 10 per cent of the water. Mainly from 24 foot to the beach except when bright sun chases them to deep water.


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Sk8man

Sk8man

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Just a couple of additional things to the good info above. As you can see from the depths mentioned the strategy of fishing just one particular  depth regardless of where you are in the lake is of limited value - especially at his time of the year as much of the bait is deep yet and that will primarily guide their locations. Lakers are creatures of habit but they are also opportunists with a somewhat varied diet. At this point in the season some of the big ones may venture into shallower water to scrounge because they don't fear other predators (such as big pike in the Finger Lakes that they actively compete with in the shallows) but for the most part groups of lakers can be found out deeper especially around any bait (which is often very bottom oriented at this time and sometimes present but hard to see on many depth finders) and the lakers are most often also found very near the bottom as well because of this rather than suspended as they can be in the warmer water temps. So this pretty much guides the strategy. You may want to start out at the 70 ft mentioned and work outward on diagonals from there to the 2 hundred range and then back with your setups very near bottom (e.g. peanuts and Spin N Glows behind cowbells) or downrigger weights with short leads on the setups. They are often curious about any commotion near bottom probably thinking it is an active school of bait on the move or something.

Edited by Sk8man
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baitballin

baitballin

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Just a couple of additional things to the good info above. As you can see from the depths mentioned the strategy of fishing just one particular  depth regardless of where you are in the lake is of limited value - especially at his time of the year as much of the bait is deep yet and that will primarily guide their locations. Lakers are creatures of habit but they are also opportunists with a somewhat varied diet. At this point in the season some of the big ones may venture into shallower water to scrounge because they don't fear other predators (such as big pike in the Finger Lakes that they actively compete with in the shallows) but for the most part groups of lakers can be found out deeper especially around any bait (which is often very bottom oriented at this time and sometimes present but hard to see on many depth finders) and the lakers are most often also found very near the bottom as well because of this rather than suspended as they can be in the warmer water temps. So this pretty much guides the strategy. You may want to start out at the 70 ft mentioned and work outward on diagonals from there to the 2 hundred range and then back with your setups very near bottom (e.g. peanuts and Spin N Glows behind cowbells) or downrigger weights with short leads on the setups. They are often curious about any commotion near bottom probably thinking it is an active school of bait on the move or something.

Thank you for explaining that. I have good electronics and have been scanning for bait, but need more practice. I use cowbells with spin and glows and dipsys with spoons with little luck so far. The scans show a lot of fish but no bites. I'm thinking I need to find the active ones that are feeding on bait. Just a matter of time before I lock into them. I will work those depths and scan fist before putting lines out.

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GAMBLER

GAMBLER

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The cowbells must be run within 5' of the bottom AND below 1.8 mph ball speed to be effective. Scan for marks laying on the bottom. Those are the ones that you want to target. The suspended ones will come down and hit. I have had a couple customers send me videos showing them come down and hit.


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Rich D

Rich D

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Had no problem finding lakers in 60-75' out of Hughes, never put a bell/peanut rig in the water. Ran. Dipsey 5-8' off bottom with flasher /fly, and 2 riggers with stingray spoons, down 30-35', fish wanted the spoons more than the flasher/fly. Had a slide diver out with a spoon and it took a laker also. Have caught them as
Shallow as 10' this year. With the temps still in the 40's they can be anywhere!!!! Good Luck!!

Capt Rich


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Rich D

Rich D

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A lot better fight on lite line and spoon, I run my bt rods and 12 lb line on my riggers with spoons. No need to use the bells right now, they will eat spoons as good or better!! Lakers had gobies and smelt in there stomachs.

Capt Rich


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GAMBLER

GAMBLER

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A lot better fight on lite line and spoon, I run my bt rods and 12 lb line on my riggers with spoons. No need to use the bells right now, they will eat spoons as good or better!! Lakers had gobies and smelt in there stomachs.

Capt Rich


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Better fight but most of the time they come up too fast without the drag of cowbells.


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