Isle Royale Forums

Well the park is closed for the year, so I guess I must start planning next year's trip . Tentative plan is to canoe from McCargoe to Malone Bay the long way around the NE end of the island. Any suggestions for catching Lake Trout in June, near shore in a canoe? Never fished for lake trout before, and not much of a fisherman at all. I have a medium weight spinning rod/reel and know how to cast a Daredevel, Mepps, or Rappala around reed beds and structure... that's about it! (well I can put a worm on a hook and hang it from a bobber too ). With a b-day and the holidays coming up, figure I might put some lures or tackle on my list, assuming I know what to ask for.
Thanks for any advice!

The main obstacle you face with Lake Trout is that they normally prefer deeper water. When experienced power boaters fish for Lake Trout they use down riggers. This is a heavy weight on a line separate from the fishing line, used to sink the lure to the desired level (sometimes 100 feet, especially in summer). Then it can be separately released. Their next piece of ammunition is the sonar fish finder/depth gauge that will report schools of bait fish and even single larger fish, giving their depth. Thus you know how to set the depth of the down rigger. Many also use a submersible thermometer to find the depth containing the optimal temperature. Trolling then proceeds which is simply moving around fairly slowly, hoping to come across more fish at the depth you believe they are at. As the water warms up they generally will go deeper but I think if they are chasing dinner they could temporarily show up anywhere. Another thing is you will find them more frequently along underwater structures (rocks, shoals, even man made stuff). I think a fish finder would be invaluable to a serious Lake Trout expedition but I don’t know anything about the quality of cheaper, battery powered units.

Given the above, I think spring is the time to go. The surface temperatures are colder so the trout will be shallower more often. I think they are also hungrier in the spring. Shore fishing success happens, but I think this is early spring and infrequent. If you locate a rock formation using a depth finder or a marine chart then troll parallel to it. I also think you be more successful in calmer water and less sun (overcast or not middle of the day). If something is bringing them to the surface (bait fish or even rain) you can be successful not going deeper. I think jigging along a formation would work sometimes. As the water warms up they go deeper. I got to thinking about how you might set up a down rigger but maybe the easiest thing is to use a 3-way swivel. Stay with lighter weight tackle and smaller lures but add 2 to 3 oz. weight on the 3rd leg to go deeper. Lures recommended are Mepps for Lake Trout:

http://www.mepps.com/species/lake-trout/50

and several “standard” spoons (read through the testimonials at Sand Point below)

This link is to a local Keweenaw charter (Sand Point) that I know personally and have used Brian. He’s sharing some tips here:
http://sandpointcharters.com/?page_id=1867

Good luck and take me along. Maybe I’ll have my Souris by then.

Mr "I",
I take an assortment of spoons including KO Wobblers Blue and silver and Red/orange silver (and brass), Little Cleo's, the same, Blue Fox Spoons (hammered with the eggs in the middle) in both brass and silver, Luhr Jensen Super Duper spoons ( red metalic, blue metalic and silver), suspending Rapalas in blue and silver and red/orange yellow that dive to 9'. I also have Hot n Tot's if I am trolling. White rubber tube jigs for reefs 1/4 oz. I have caught them also on 5 of diamonds, my choice for Northern. I use a steel leader as the rocks will wear the line and/or in case you catch a toothy critter!!

Thanks guys! Trip will be in June after school is out, since my brother who is going with me is a teacher. May get charts for my GPS, but a VHF comes first. Any idea of what water temps to look for? I think I could probably swing a thermometer .

Anything below 52 degrees F is usually considered cold enough for Lakers. Indeed, a steel leader should be used. If jigging, find the bottom off a reef and try jigging off the bottom or anywhere from 5 to 15 feet off the bottom.

You can get a decently cheep fish finder, that will also have a surface thermometer. I have one mounted in my kayak and run it on a AA battery pack (8-AA batteries) from radio shack. The batteries last about 30 hours of use per set in mine.

I've had good luck trolling from my kayak in the early summer (mid June). Water temps were cold and I use a deep diving rapala rated for 20'

I will let out over 100 feet of line and get the lure as deep as possible. Jigging is also reliable but it's a guessing game if you don't know what areas to fish.

Isle Royale nautical chart 14976 is available in booklet form from NOAA ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/BookletChart/14976 ... tChart.pdf as a pdf document. You might want to print out some of the pages which cover your trip. The chart would give you information such as water depth which would allow you to plan locations where to fish.

There are products such as lead core fishing line (and "depth charge" sinking fly lines) which would allow you to get a lure down to 100 feet or so. Your local Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop would have more information about setting up your fishing gear.

Lake Siskiwit also has lake trout and they may be more fishable than the fish in Lake Superior.

I have a "cheaper" fish finder mounted on my kayak (transducer mounted in the hull shooting through the plastic). I wouldn't call it cheap ($150), yes compaired to some of the really big fancy ones it is but it still has great depth range and accuracy. Also All fish finders are battery operated... the only difference is you dont otherwise need a battery in a canoe or kayak. I have mine wired up to a AA battery pack from radio shack, it holds 8AAs. I can fish for 3 days on one set of batteries.

I have never fished for lake trout, but agree a fish finder is invaluable in finding structure! I find that I use the fish finder even when not fishing just to see what is below me. Either way, get out enjoy yourself and nature!

Hmmm, Santa didn't think that fishing was very important this year, so no tackle, GPS chart, or VHF . So time to go shopping . Sounds like a road trip to Bass Pro Shops (~120 miles). Both Bass Pro and Cabelas are building new stores in my area, but not soon enough... Probably will get charts for the GPS and forgo a fishfinder (at least for now). I will at least print out the on-line charts too, for backup.

I hear you... santa didnt think I really needed anything for backpacking or kayaking either... good thing I got some cash in a christmas card I also see a bass pro in my future.

FWIW the charts for the gps are probably as much as a decent fish finder, but the fish finder will find logs, small ridges, brush, ect that the charts dont have, and give you depths. Just a thought... either way enjoy your fishing... wish I was fishing now (and it was warmer) lol

Lucky Chicken wrote:FWIW the charts for the gps are probably as much as a decent fish finder, but the fish finder will find logs, small ridges, brush, ect that the charts dont have, and give you depths. Just a thought... either way enjoy your fishing... wish I was fishing now (and it was warmer) lol

Yeah, I know, and that's after the VHF (first on the list)--what I didn't say is that I have other interest in the charts for paddling/sailing on the N.C. coast. Maybe my bro will pony up for the fish finder .