Has anyone figured out how to consistently catch mountain reservoir lake trout?
I randomly caught a 10lber in like 10 feet of water kinda near where a river flows in. I’ve also been skunked in the same area many times, seems like the fish are very spread out.
Once I went to a 50’ deep spot right near shore (drop off) and was catching them off the bottom, smaller fish and they were biting very light. I’ve been to this same spot again many times and been skunked. Some times of the year I go here and it’s 90’ deep. It confuses me because idk if I should still fish the bottom or higher up, I end up trying both and getting skunked.
Anyway to target fish consistently? There’s sadly no bathymetric chart for this reservoir, it’s an old river valley that was flooded. Obviously has a river flowing in one end and a dam at the other. Very deep near the dam, I’ve heard there’s food fish but I only tried once, got confused where I should fish and failed.
I usually just jig with large tube jigs. Sometimes spoons as I’ve randomly caught a rainbow trout in about 20’ of water. I’d love to fish this reservoir more as there are lots of fish in it and some +20lbs.
I currently don’t have any sonar or electronics, debating getting some if they can help me locate fish.
Any advice is appreciated!
Posted by neededuser2comment
2 Comments
50 to 100ft. Drill a lot of holes.
Mountain Res. lakers are complicated. We have a reservoir near Calgary, called Ghost Lake. The way I fish it defies the logic I would normally use fishing for lakers…. I’m from Northern Ontario, so very well versed.
On Ghost in the summer, I constantly catch huge lake trout by bottom bouncing sandy flats near the old river channels in 5-20 FOW. This is in the heat of summer, but because these are glacial rivers, the surface temp seldom exceeds 60F.
On the other hand, I have also seen guys pull up some huge fish from the 90+ feet depths on riggers… I seem to catch way more fish than them.
In the Winter, the fish are literally everywhere and always on the move. Ive caught many in water as shallow as 3 feet, usually within the window of sunrise and sunset. I have also caught many in depths up to 90′. I presume that these fish are always on the move hunting for food. These lakes don’t typically have plentiful large prey. I have removed a mountain whitefish from one of my catches bellies, but typically, its insects and small minnows. I say this because you cant treat them like the lakers I fished back home : constantly remaining in deep basins hunting schools of cisco who do not go shallow.
The key here may be ” right place , right time”. Find a spot where fish seem to pass through frequently, a highway of sorts. This usually relates to the old river bed. Then you need to figure out the timing when the fish are most active travelling. This often translates to long days smelling like a skunk, but when you figure it out, its magical
I also would think hard about lure types you are using…. most guys put a 5″ white tube on thinking lakers like big food, but the ones on ghost like a subtle or realistic presentation. I have caught a few lunkers on deadbait extra large smelts, but its almost always at night. Most trout I am catching are on micro rattle baits, very small tubes with small hooks, and most often flies tied as a dropshot with a micro tungsten jig on bottom .
I know your struggle. Treat these lakers like a trout and you’ll do much better.