Fishing lake trout (splake) for beginners!

[Isabella Ploszaj]

Hi guys! I have a cottage on a lake near Bancroft. They stock the lake with Splake (lake trout and Brooke trout hybrids). I haven't been able to catch one yet, and i don't exactly have a good understanding about these species ( lake trout). I am an avid bass fisherman but i just haven't been able to get and Spake.

I am guessing that they would act similarly to lake trout. Does anyone have ant tips for a beginner, anything and everything will help! I just want to be able to catch some this year!

Any help is appreciated, thank you!

 

[Dozer]

I'll write you a bit tomorrow and make sure you get one this winter

 

[Paul1913]

I'll gladly take some info too. My wife booked an ice fishing trip this coming weekend where they have same.

 

[Dozer]

Go shallow, VERY shallow. We have hit them in less than two feet of water before. Try finding an area where there is a rock to sand transition, they love this type of habitat it seems. Wood structure is cool too. Sometimes they can be cruising 10 - 15 feet down over very deep water but most of them sit shallow. I've never caught a big splake in winter ( or any other time for that matter ) so I can't tell you where the monsters lurk. Live minnows work wonders as well as worms but the retards will hit just about anything from spoons to jigs. They seem to come in waves so once they are there the action is fast and furious. Get ready to lose quite a few as they are wiggling masters of spitting the hook and make you grind your teeth. Spring and fall are my favorite times of the years to get them and I find that first light or as the sun sets are best times, not sure how this translates into the winter months as I've never been able to make it to a lake for first light during the winter months due to the cold, hangovers or upset stomachs from drinking and eating chili the night before. Anyways if you have more questions ask away and enjoy fresh splake - IMO the best tasting and hardest to catch fish in Ontario waters

 

[BoomerMuskoka]

live minnow in the winter if its allowed in your lake, i find they don't like deep water as much as a lake trout..

 

[wschinke]

In the Temiskaming area I've caught tons of them on BITS of shiners. Just BITS. Not the whole thing. That seems to always be the trick. I find the back third (just the tail and a bit of the body) of a medium sized shiner on a small, brightly-coloured jig head works great in the lakes I've been on. And like Troutddicted said - shallow. I've found the area around beaver lodges to be pretty much guaranteed spots, assuming they're somewhat adjacent to more open water.