By Joe Picotte
Lake Trout or “Lakers”, are one of only two trout species native to the Mitten State. Here before the founding of Sault Ste. Marie occurred in 1668, Lakers were a vital food source to original Native populations and settlers of the area. Often overlooked and even snubbed by anglers who pursue the more desired salmon and trout species, these fish make for a fun day on the water and delicious table fare. Even better, they can be pursued by anglers both shallow and deep, from early season at ice out to the dog days of summer out deep. One of my favorite areas to search for Lake Trout is near DeTour in the northern waters of Lake Huron. Fantastic scenery awaits while trolling alongside lake freighters and the historical DeTour Reef Lighthouse.
Lake Trout begin spawning late fall when they move to shallow reefs and shoals. They stay until warmer water pushes them out deep in the summer months. During the spring, these fish can be found in shallow 15-30 feet of water and can be easily caught by anglers using shallow presentations like short lead core setups and dipsy divers. I start with small, bright colored spoons like Dreamweaver SuperSlims. These fish tend to be near the bottom but will rise in the water column for a bait, so don’t hesitate to troll higher in the water. You can often watch fish rise from the bottom and chase a lure before hitting it on a quality fish finder.
As temperatures climb in the summer, the fish move deeper. Downriggers become the trick to putting Lakers in the boat as they will typically be tight to the bottom feeding in 80+ feet of water. Spin-N-Glows in bright colors, nicknamed Lake Trout Candy, pulled behind a flasher or dodger will keep you on steady action reeling in fish. Every day is different, sometimes a downrigger needs to be nearly dragging on the bottom putting the lure right in front of the fish's face to elicit a bite and other days 10, 20 and even 30 feet off bottom will trigger the action. One thing remains consistent throughout the year: slower trolling speeds will produce much more consistent action. Hovering right around the 2 mph mark seems to be the ticket.
Lakers are found anywhere roaming in search of food, however they concentrate in certain areas. I like to look for flats adjacent to deeper water or rock piles. Lake Trout will often have a rounded upper lip/nose, created from their digging into the bottom and rocks in search of a key diet element, Gobies. These tiny invasive bottom dwellers were introduced back in the early 1990s unintentionally but have created an important niche in the diet of many fish species throughout the Great Lakes.
Lakers get a terrible reputation for table fare, but when cared for correctly, they are delicious. I like to bleed the fish out in the live well before filleting, this makes for a cleaner fillet job and better meat quality. After the fillet is removed and skinned, flip the fillet over and trim the brown tinted meat off the skin side of the fillet. This part contains fat and a fish oil taste, causing most people to turn their nose up at a Laker fillet. Remove the center strip of red meat and pin bones from the fillet and you’re ready to cook. My favorite method is to wrap Laker fillets in tin foil with lemon pepper and butter, then place on a grill for 5-10 minutes until the meat flakes easily. Serve with a plate of freshly fried morels and good eating has arrived!
If you haven’t chased lake trout on the Great Lakes, I’d highly suggest putting it on your list for summer. It’s another way to enjoy quality time in Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula, God’s Country. Good Fishing!