Lake Trout

Species image (Illustration Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

What it looks like

• green, grey, brown or almost black back, with lighter sides
• white belly
• light wormlike markings and spots on dark background, none are red
• white leading edge on lower fins, but no black line
• deeply forked tail

Size

• length: 30-80 centimetres (12-31 inches)
• weight: 1-5 kilograms (2-10 pounds)
• Ontario record: 28.6 kilograms (63.1 pounds)

Similar fish

• Splake
• Brook Trout

Where it is found

Species distribution map (modified from Mandrak and Crossman, 1992)

Range

• Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and across the deep, cold lakes of the Canadian Shield
• use Fish ON-Line, an interactive mapping tool, to find specific lakes and rivers

Habitat

• lakes at least 15 metres (50 feet) deep

Find a fishing spot with Fish ON-Line

Angling tips

• found near the surface just after ice goes out in spring, and deeper as the water warms up
• in early spring, some feed aggressively before dark
• in the summer, trout hit best in the morning when surface waters are calm
• use spinners, spoons and plugs with a fly rod, or as summer trolling baits
• use special deep-water tackle in summer – wire line, lead-core line, downriggers, diving planers
• try jigging, or still-fishing with large, dead minnows in deep water in summer
• ice fish with minnows, lake herring or jigs with spoons or bait attached
• take fish under 10 pounds with a medium-action spinning outfit with 8-pound test line
• trophy fish, common in northern waters, need stronger line

Common baits

• spoons, plugs, jigs
• large live minnows or dead bait