Canada Fly-in Fishing Trip

Lake Trout Fishing

Fly-in Bait and Spinning Trophy Fishing Trip 

- After ice out and throughout June the Lake Trout take advantage of the cooler waters and cruise the shallows searching for schools of baitfish and they can be caught in a few feet of water, in the bays, along reefs and at the shallow river inlet to the lake and around the many islands. They will also drive the schools of bait fish to the surface.  This creates a feeding frenzy.  It is a thrill to come upon one of these frenzies.  The Arctic Terns will show you where the  frenzy is taking place, as they dive for the bait driven to the surface and killed by the trout. These frenzies can last for hours or minutes and provide a fish almost every cast which are usually in the 3 to 8 lb range.  Though not a rule, we find most of the trophy lake trout are caught in the shallows at this time of year, cruising and hunting by themselves away from the smaller, faster trout.   Remembering that Lakers thrash through the school of baitfish killing and stunning as many as they can with their heads, body and teeth, then return to swallow the stunned and dead suspended bait. This is why many fisherman notice the strike and set the hook to early. You will also catch foul hooked fish because of this habit. Wait until you catch a back or tail hooked Lake trout!

- When the surface water warms to above 55 or so the trout move from shallow to deeper water at this time. They no longer take shallow running lures and we will resort to deep runners or our supplied downriggers.  My favorite method is vertical jigging with Buzz Bombs and heavier jigs. As with Walleye fishing, jigging allows you to feel the strike and the trout will give five times the fight compared to trolling. It won't take long for you to get addicted to this method of Laker fishing. The Lakers are plentiful and the catch numbers are excellent using these methods. As a rule the larger Lake trout hang out below the smaller ones. This is where our supplied depth finders come into play. If you are catching great numbers of trout in the 3 to 8 lb. range at 40 or 50 feet, you will want to go just a little deeper for the trophy Lakers.  We have found that the large lake trout are usually caught when you are not catching large quantities of smaller ones.  This makes sense since the large trout can’t compete speed wise with the small trout. They will search out their own hunting grounds or remain below the smaller fish, waiting for a chance to scavenge some of their sibling’s dinner.

- Late August and early September is my favorite time of year and is catching on fast. The Lake Trout are starting their spawn.  Depending on what stage of the spawn they are in during your visit, they can be taken in great numbers in the shallows, up river or at the rivers inlet to the lake.  We have found that around the 1^st of September the action starts at the river inlet and on the rocky shores as the trout start to spawn. Usually by the first of September they have started up river.  Depending on the weather, the spawn can start as early as the last week of August.  Small spinners, spoons and fly streamers seem to work best in the shallow clear water. You will be able to see the trout follow and strike, as the water is crystal clear. The fishing can be fast and furious during the spawn.

Fly Fishing for Lake Trout

- Hearne Lake is home to thousands of Lake Trout. These normally deep water fish will take advantage of the cold June water temperature after ice out and feed on the top water and shallow running bait. A feeding frenzy will occur when the schooling minnows are forced to the top or cornered in shallow structure. At this time it is possible to take a trout with every cast.  The Arctic Terns will direct you to the frenzy as they feed on the bait killed by the trout. As for flies we seem to discover a new favorite every year. Steelhead flies and white rabbit work great retrieved slowly. You have to remember that Lakers will thrash through the baitfish school stunning and killing with there heads and body and then returning to eat the suspended stunned or dead bait. 

- Lake trout are fall spawners and will gather on the shallow rock structure and in the river to spawn. This usually starts the last week of august, first week of September and carries on all month. The males will take on a beautiful spawning color. Lakers are thrill to catch in 2 feet of water. This is all sight fishing and you will be able to set the hook as you see the take. Believe it or not a small  gold/yellow marabou streamer pattern, about 1 1/2" and shorter with a stout hook has outperformed all other presentations. In the shallow crystal clear water they seem to spook and turn away from  larger flies. You will also want to bring along a good sinking outfit in a 7-8 weight for late evening casting to structure on the main lake with large steamers for bigger fish.