Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Fishing Forum :: Large Lake Trout?
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walleye_hunter |
quote analyzer: "quote bobbernumber3: " " I think it is Boundary Point. Looks like a short, fat Saganagons fish. |
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togue |
@ dicecupmaker, bobbernumber3 ,VenisonSteaks. Nice fish guys. |
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TheGreatIndoors |
1) "don't fish below the fish" 2) "the big ones run deeper" 3) "immediately after ice-out the fish are found throughout the water column" 4) "bigger lures = bigger fish" 5) "lure size doesn't matter" 6) "jigging is more productive than trolling" |
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walllee |
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VenisonSteaks |
quote lundojam: "I could get behind more regulation on big fish in the BWCA. It's not like there aren't already a lot of rules up there. I could envision closing lakes down for a year or two to all fishing. Plenty of paddlers don't fish, so they could enjoy those lakes, while the lakes themselves get a chance to regenerate and the fish get dumber. Then when they open them the lottery would be all hot and heavy. Just an idea." I'm with you on this one buddy. I would totally back more regs for slot limits, designated barbless lakes, etc... I ALWAYS release the big ones. |
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mapsguy1955 |
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rdmarr |
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walleye_hunter |
quote arctic: "I think we have the same mind-set, Pinetree. I'm also a trout guy (including fly-fishing for stream trout). Lakers are special fish, limited in distribution, and vulnerable to exploitation and degraded water quality. Arctic- My laker hole in Alaska had a regulation restricting anglers to one fish at least 26". That seemed to work out very well and allowed the smaller, more vulnerable fish to grow up. I would catch a lot of nice trout out of that lake along with an occasional pig. The fish were a lot thicker than what I catch in canoe country. Maybe grayling are the fast food of laker forage. I usually kept a couple of these each winter as all of the dinks had to go back. And I kept one big one, which serves as a great memory of my trout days in Alaska. These days almost all of my trout over 6 pds go back. I do agree with you that the warm surface waters on inland lakes in July & August can be deadly. However, with proper equipment and a landing net even a 13 or 14 pd fish can be played and released quickly. I do not fart around with the self-timer on my camera during the summer months. I usually keep quiet about my lake trout spots and results. I do post an occassional picture but cut the background out if I think my spot could be easily identified. |
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mgraber |
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mgraber |
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Springer2 |
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PINETREE |
quote Springer2: "My buddy caught this one at the Winton Tap. Snowbank lake use to yield fish like that when the road was first put in there and fishing started in earnest. Many years ago. Use to see pictures of Snowbanks big fish. |
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shock |
quote arctic: "I think we have the same mind-set, Pinetree. I'm also a trout guy (including fly-fishing for stream trout). Lakers are special fish, limited in distribution, and vulnerable to exploitation and degraded water quality.i think a slot or a total catch and release on a select few lakes in the BW would be a great idea ! |
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PINETREE |
quote old_salt: "Quetico lakes." Thanks, that is more than enough information. I was just curious if these were far far north fish like the Great Slave lake area. Would be fun to do a trip way up north. One year in the BWCA-Quetico area I hit it just right in a area I fished before many times with little luck. This one time I caught and released about 8 fish in a couple of days 15-25 pounds. Conditions were right. These fish were caught close to the surface( all were released) and other size trout were extremely aggressive all week. I usually try to keep one about 2-3 pounds for a meal or 2 smaller ones for the two of us. I am pretty much a trout nut,I like to see if there is trout in a lake and once I catch or do not catch any,I am ready to paddle on to another lake and find out what is there. I think the unknown keeps me going. |
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old_salt |
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BearDown |
Thanks for all the ideas, I will definatly be putting them to use. I will be on Fraser Lake, if anyone has any trout tips about the lake they would like to email me, that would be great. I think we will definatly be trying some dipsy diver trolling as well as some good old slow dead bait. Bobber, that is a huge Trout, thats what I'm looking for! I know quetico always has larger fish, as I've spent quite a few years up there. However, Ill be on a bit of a sabatical from quetico as I have a young son, so money is rather tight. But will be introducing him to the BW next year, and there will be plenty of Q trips in our future when hes a little older, probably after he can handle his own catholes. |
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arctic |
The Minnesota DNR could gradually restore the trophy trout potential on those BWCA lakes that historically supported decent populations of large trout, by putting a no-kill slot on all lake trout between 22 and 36 inches. |
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VenisonSteaks |
Any structure is good as long as its deep enough for trout. Make sure you're canoe mate trolls at a different depth then you. I have observed the best lake trout fishing in mid-May to early June. I have fished and hit bottom at ~120 ft while fishing in a canoe using the tri-swivel approach. Tri-Swivel approach: - line to tri-swivel - 1 ft of line on bottom ring with proper weight for depth - 4-6 ft of line of heavy test line, lure or bait on end. http://www.seineriverlodge.on.ca/lake.htm Best part is you never loose a lure just your weights. Trolling lure at depth of 25+ ft in ~50 ft of water. May22 2011 Trolling lure at depth of 10 ft in 60 ft of water. May21 2011 |
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Fisheggs |
A slot limit would be a great idea. This would be for the other people who do keep many fish and for the quality of fishing into the future. There is a reason why the Gold Medal trout streams of the west that are catch and release grow 10 to 15 and even 20 pound trout. |
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dicecupmaker |
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MrBadExample |
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PINETREE |
I agree,like you said a few select lakes with some type of slot, it would have to be lakes that have had a past history of big fish and-or the food source to grow big fish. Some of the lake trout lakes do not have a large fish forage base which is needed. Even in fast growing lakes a 10 pound fish is probably over 20 years old. That said even lakes that grow fish of up to 3 pounds are precious lakes we also have to respect. Each lake has its own character. Like also mentioned above peer pressure to respect the resource is very important also. I think 20 years ago very few fish of any species was released,unless huge numbers over their limit was being caught. |
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timatkn |
A mid 30's inch laker or bigger is over 20 years old. I'd be ashamed to keep a fish like that now, but 20-30 years ago that was the norm. I'd say right now I struggle to find 2-3 pound eaters, most lakers I catch are far bigger than that and get released. So maybe catch release is already helping, but will take many years to see results. T |
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togue |
I here ya walleye_hunter. I'm real happy getting a fish close to 30in. in the bwca to be honest. I think it may be where your fishing as many lakes in the bwca produce fish that size. |
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HighnDry |
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fadersup |
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timatkn |
T |
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old_salt |
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Tyler W |
That being said, our biggest trout were only 31" and 33". But, they both came from shore in a bay less than 20 feet deep. Interestingly, it was the same campsite, opening weekend, but several years apart. I also don't think trout are very picky in general. I have never seen the stomach contents of a large trout, but I check every trout I fillet. Often times they have burrowing mayflies in their stomach, but they were caught on crankbaits or spoons. I figure it must be hard enough to find a meal in those low productivity lakes that they eat whatever gets within reach. It makes it hard to pattern them in the spring. They could be eating bugs on the bottom, chasing ciscos in open water, following perch into warm bays or ambushing spawning suckers at stream mouths. 6 might also be true, but we only jig if the structure is too small/ steep to troll effectively. |
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mapsguy1955 |
Best I've caught... Baker Lake, Nunavut 2007 |
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mapsguy1955 |
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HighnDry |
old_salt: "Try fishing large, deep running cranks, with lots of flash. Run a snap sinker, 2-4 oz, 5-6' ahead of the lure. The snap weight is easy to remove when you are fighting the fish. I use 10 lb mono, and have caught many 20-30 lb lakers using this method. But, you have to be on lakes that support a population of these behemoths." That's interesting OS. I've used braid to avoid the stretch that I get with mono. Having said that I've also caught my share of two-footers on mono as well. |
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old_salt |
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HighnDry |
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Tyler W |
MrBadExample: "I would like to catch a 30+ inches from shore!! That would be a wild ride." It is pretty great. But I don't know if it is better than catching one in a canoe. Certainly easier to take pictures... |
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Arlo Pankook |
quote shock: "quote arctic: "I think we have the same mind-set, Pinetree. I'm also a trout guy (including fly-fishing for stream trout). Lakers are special fish, limited in distribution, and vulnerable to exploitation and degraded water quality.i think a slot or a total catch and release on a select few lakes in the BW would be a great idea !" +2 |
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old_salt |
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Basspro69 |
quote shock: "+3quote arctic: "I think we have the same mind-set, Pinetree. I'm also a trout guy (including fly-fishing for stream trout). Lakers are special fish, limited in distribution, and vulnerable to exploitation and degraded water quality.i think a slot or a total catch and release on a select few lakes in the BW would be a great idea !" |
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bobbernumber3 |
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walter |
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timatkn |
In the spring, mid-may is when I have caught most of my 30-40" trout suspended in deep water. They tend to school up so if you find them, you can catch one after another that size, but they move around a lot so hard to pattern. Smaller trout (12# or under) tend to be on the shallower structure in spring. That's just my limited experience. T |
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walleye_hunter |
It should be noted I am still seeking my first 20 pd Boundary Waters laker so I am by no means an expert. |
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PINETREE |
quote old_salt: "Try fishing large, deep running cranks, with lots of flash. Run a snap sinker, 2-4 oz, 5-6' ahead of the lure. The snap weight is easy to remove when you are fighting the fish. I use 10 lb mono, and have caught many 20-30 lb lakers using this method. But, you have to be on lakes that support a population of these behemoths." One question,were these in the BWCA or Quetico? A simple yes or no is enough. Lakers being vulnerable, I myself would never say where I caught them by specific lake. |
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old_salt |
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arctic |
Stick to June. I've caught my biggest BWCA/Quetico lakers then, all of which swam away fine. I do agree that the biggest trout don't spend much time suspended, from my experience. Suspended fish seem to top out in the 10 to 12 pound range, although these are very nice inland lake trout, by all means. Catching big lakers has a LOT to do with WHERE you fish. Many/most trout lakes have few, if any, true trophy-sized lake trout. Luck and time on the water is also a BIG part of the equation. |
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bobbernumber3 |
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BearDown |
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lundojam |
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analyzer |
quote bobbernumber3: " " Looks like the campsite alittle east of spam Island. Nice laker!! |
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Basspro69 |
quote togue: "+1 |
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bobbernumber3 |
quote walleye_hunter: "quote analyzer: "quote bobbernumber3: " " I can neither confirm nor deny that statement... |