I’ve read several comments about fishing deep for Lake Trout and I know this holds true during the warm water summer months, but in the spring I’ve always caught fish much shallower due to the water being cold shallow. Im wondering if people have had success shallow (10’-18’) in the late season as well. Im thinking that as water temps fall the fish will move up in the water column. Thoughts? Experiences? Thanks!

at this rate you'll be waiting quite a while for water temps to get that low

cyclones30: "at this rate you'll be waiting quite a while for water temps to get that low "

In another 2 weeks it won’t matter as the season will be closed.

Water temps usually don’t get down enough before the season closes. But, I’ve fished for Brook Trout in late October before and many were still 20-30 ft down.

TacoOverland: "

cyclones30: "at this rate you'll be waiting quite a while for water temps to get that low "

In another 2 weeks it won’t matter as the season will be closed. "

So....you answered your own question?

Dang, I thought they were putting lake trout in fall lake.

I thought lake trout came shallow again to spawn

Mocha: "I thought lake trout came shallow again to spawn "

As did I.

Yes to lake trout moving towards shallower waters as the fall turns water cooler and for fall spawning. Years ago, I caught this one from shore with a slip bobber and worm last week of the season -

PriorImage: "

Mocha: "I thought lake trout came shallow again to spawn "

As did I. "

They do -- but it's tied to water temps, not to a specific date. Here in the US, at least in recent years, the water temps have not consistently brought them shallow before the season closes on Sept 30th. Last year we fished Clearwater on the last weekend of the season and found them in almost identical depths to our mid-June trip.

I think if you go to Ontario where the water cools more quickly (or Manitoba where you can fish them in October), you can really capitalize on the shallow-water fall bite. Lake Superior is a different game altogether as well. I have yet to find that September bite in the BWCA. Just my experience.

yogi59weedr: "Dang, I thought they were putting lake trout in fall lake."

Good one, Yogi!

I have found success the last two years (sept 25-30th to close the season) finding fish stacked on rocky shorelines or offshore reefs in 30-40' of water. Both years water temps were still in the low 60's/ high 50's, which really keeps them from coming any shallower than that 25' mark unless they are chasing a bait.

I stopped in to Arrowhead outdoors in Ely yesterday and Steve mentioned he was getting reports of Snowbank surface temps in the high 50's and low 60's already. With the low overnight temps we're going to be getting in the next few days I wouldn't be surprised to see mid-50's on my trip. I still don't think we will see any fish shallower than 20', but that would be nice.

On a mid-October Quetico Trip in 2019, we saw surface temps in the mid to low 50's and did end up catching some incidental Lakers trolling medium depth (15-25') for big pike and walleye. I think the shallowest laker we ran into was just off the tip of an island in 15' of water jigging for walleyes.

Long story short, if you are looking for super-shallow lakers, the week after ice-out is your best bet. Unfortunately, with the late opener schedule here in MN, they likely won't be legal to target at that time unless we have a very late (May 10-15) ice-out, unfortunately.

ericinely: "... I stopped in to Arrowhead outdoors in Ely yesterday and Steve ...

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+1. Always a good source of information.

Thanks for that great write up. Super helpful.

Lake trout do move shallow in fall to spawn and feed,but most of the lakes they inhabit stratify, and the thermocline that sets up usually isn’t punctured before the season ends. There are a few lakes that are small enough, they don’t stratify, but they are very few and far between. If the season stayed open late enough there would be some fantastic lake trout fishing shallow in fall. That is until the population was devastated by over harvest. If your looking for some really good late season lake trout fishing , superior is the place to go. Brookies Browns and Rainbows can all be found shallow in October, and they are fat and delicious.

Today I caught this one on a Tail Dancer over 75ft.

The close of the season was set to protect the spawning trout, which means, as others have said, in most years they're still deep. I have caught them shallow right at the end of the season in unusually cold years.

egknuti: "Today I caught this one on a Tail Dancer over 75ft. "

Smile man! Nice fish!

Speckled: "

egknuti: "Today I caught this one on a Tail Dancer over 75ft. "

Smile man! Nice fish!
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Trout fishing is serious business! :)