Fishing Bigger Lakes
Take the intimidation out of big lake fishing and use a map! Before heading out, study your map for structure and devise a game plan. Once stationed at your chosen spot, use a depth finder to hone in on those unique structure areas, like drop-offs, weed beds and other underwater structures. For best results you’ll want to work each area hard before heading onto the next.
Larger lakes make a great place for trolling, which involves dragging baited fishing lines behind a moving boat. Set up your equipment and move through creeks and river mouths for higher success. Fish seem to hold around the drop-offs in these areas because of the abundance of available feed. They also congregate around those drop-offs near cliffs or rock walls. In the spring, fall or winter, troll a streamer-type fly pattern quickly behind the boat so that they skim off the surface – this is a great way to catch big trout! When trolling at greater depths, which you might want to do in order to target different species of fish, make use of downriggers and heavy weight. These will enable you to troll your lure deep enough to find holding areas. If you opt to fish from the shore, work the drop-off around creek mouths for best results.
Tips
- For Dolly Varden and rainbow trout, try bait balls, which are a large cluster of worms or eggs and a hook.
- During the summer a float with a grasshopper works great for trout.
- Some popular fly pattern choices include Muddler Minnows, Polar Bear or bucktails.
- For warmer waters try the Apex, Lyman plug, or flasher with a hoochie in the 10 to 30 m (30 to 90 ft) depth.
- Larger lakes make a great place to fish for rainbow trout!
