How to Catch Trout

Forget about steel lines. They can be cumbersome and down right boring to fish. Downriggers are always a useful tool, but we’re going to keep it simple and avoid them this time.

Call us crazy, but we are going to troll for trout using a light rod on a line that is eight pound test or less. It can be done. All you need is the right spoon, a three way swivel and a small weight.

Sure, there are advantages to steel lines and downriggers, but this method has its benefits too. For one, the lighter line reduces friction in the water. This enables your lure to get to the bottom faster and reduces your requirement to let out more line.

And best of all, it’s simple.

The only work for you to do is to perform some light surgery on your 3-way swivel. Take your swivel and tie two, three foot sections to it. Secure your weight on one section and a light flashy spoon on the other.

Contrary to popular belief, lake trout are more likely to hit a small fishing lure than a large one. Some successful trout lures include an old fashioned silver spoon, a #1 Mepps or a small Cleo or Cyclopes. Lake trout can’t resist them when presented properly.

The depth you fish for lake trout will dictate the size of your weight. As a general rule of thumb, using a one ounce weight works well for 40 feet of water or less. If you are fishing between 40 and 65 feet, try a 2 ounce weight. Anything deeper will require a 3 ounce weight.

The speed of your troll is very important. You need to troll just fast enough to get an easy and natural movement out of your lure. This means trolling slowly. In fact, back-trolling is often done when fishing for lake trout in this manner.

Another key measure to lake trout fishing is finding the bottom. Be careful you don’t let your line out too quickly as it is likely to get tangled on the way down. A slow, controlled descent is what you need.

As the boat moves forward, run the line through your hand with a grip just tight enough to let the lure slowly sink. Letting the line out a few feet at a time works well to prevent tangles. In fact, you can get a good rhythm going this way. Once you are on the bottom, bring it up a couple of cranks.

As you learn how to catch trout this way, you will notice that the fish hit in different manners. The small ones often hit with authority and there is little doubt when you have one on. On the other side of the coin, the big guys tend to lean into your lure and consume it in a lazy fashion. Many anglers think they are snagged in this instance, so be cautious you don’t do anything too erratic.

Use the shoreline to determine where you are going to troll for trout. Imagine how the structure of the shore might extend into the lake. Trout tend to lurk at drop-offs and underwater shelves. Make sure you troll parallel to these fishing hot spots. And remember, when you catch one lake trout, chances are there are more around.

Don’t forget that trout can be found suspended in the middle of the lake as well. This is particularly so during the summer months. Often you can find them between 30 and 80 feet. Open water trout can be tough to catch, but they are often larger in size.

Another important thing to remember when learning how to catch trout is that their depth varies by season. In the spring lake trout are shallow, often between 15 feet and the surface. As the water warms they can be found between 15 and 30 feet during the mid-spring. Late spring will find them as deep as 50 feet. And as the summer warms up, lake trout are often caught between 50 and 80 feet.

No matter the season, if you want to learn how to catch trout with a light rod it is easy to do. Give it a try this season. You will be glad you did.

We have more articles on how to catch trout at Freshwater Fishing Canada. Feel free to check them out.

In the meantime, thanks for reading.

Good fishing.