Lakers on the Fly??

[RCream]

Hi everyone, I have suddenly found myself very very interested in the idea of catching lake trout, but have never fished for them. Would love to hear any advice you folks have on techniques, flies, gear, etc. I read that white bunny streamers can work? Thanks a lot.

-RC

[hap]

We had the most incredible fly fishing imagineable for lake trout this past June. Sockeye smolts were leaving a large lake and the lakers set up a gauntlet at the river entrance. The terns were working the schools from above and the fish from below. Huge areas of the river surface would literally boil when a school attempted to pass!

They were not huge, though I did bring one of about 15# almost to hand. He took my last huge white and silver streamer and my night went downhill from there. It was amazing! I hooked eight fish on eight casts in one stretch.

The smolts left the river under cover of twilight as it does not get dark around the solstice, so the fishing was slightly complicated.

Lake trout are not jumpers, but will twist and roll when hooked. Often they would hit the surface and toss a rainbow of quivering smolts.

Guessing that type of thing is not available there...

They are very inclined to come to shore to feed after dark and that is what I would focus on early and late. Large streamers with lots of white and sparkle, or perhaps a crayfish pattern. I have caught them during the day on beadhead nymphs while fishing for grayling.

"Trolling" from a canoe or tube in lakes has worked well for me in the past, especially around river mouths and shelves.

Did I mention I hate trolling?
art

[J Castwell]

Through the ice of Flathead Lake, Montana. Jigged an "Airplane" at about 120 feet down. Raised it up and dropped it with 'control' about five feet to the bottom. I may have caught 50 or so (ten to twenty-five pounds) this way. Occasionally a bull-trout too. Would a fly have worked as well? Somehow I rather doubt it.

[RCream]

I'm certainly open to the idea of some ice chumming, but what exactly is an Airplane??

[J Castwell]

Hey, this is not chumming, this is with a short ice rod, casting reel and 12# mono line. An 'Airplane' is a jig with two wings and 3 treble hooks. It spirals when you let it down.

[Jocelin]

I fish for them here in Quebec North Shore region in some rivers the fishing is best after ice out until mid to late June or when the water warms up. I use a 10 ft 7 weight or a basic 9 foot 8 weight rod with intermediate to type 3 sinking line.






here are some of my favorite flies for lakers







Hope this helps

Jocelin


http://nsfa-adventures.blogspot.com/

[Jocelin]

here are some more patterns









Jocelin

[RCream]

Mr. Castwell, no offense meant by saying chumming, thats just what I like to call ice fishing.

Thanks for all the great pics Jocelin, that looks awesome. Love all the pics. Do you do most of your fishing from shore, or do you use a boat?

[ejj]

Fishing is fishing. A lot of my buddies look down on other methods, but there is skill involved with most methods. I fish for lakers and Walleyes using a spinning rig--it is no easier than fly fishing--just different skills.

[MarkKillam]

I fish for lakers with my fly rod on a few mountain lakes in Wyoming. The lakes I fish are small (10-18 acres and about 30 feet deep at max), so I can use a float tube. My preferred approach is a 6 wt with a full sink line. I usually use use Clousers, buggers, heavily weighted double bunnies and squirrel streamers (all in size 6-. I cast out and let the fly sink for 20-40 seconds depending on depth of water and then strip it back in at various speeds. Pretty much any type of streamer should work. Most of the lakers I catch are little guys (12-18 inches) but there are some bigger ones in the lakes (30 inches or so). Since there are also splake and brookies in the lakes, I usually have plenty of action (these fish run 6-16 inches). I didnt get any big lakers this year but I will definitely try it again next year


On bigger waters I would suggest an 8 wt. and a boat. Fishing much deeper than 30 feet is not exactly my idea of fun while waiting for the fly to get deep enough, but it is possible. About the only time the lakers are shallow is right at ice out and around spawning.

Hope this is helpful to you.