# Lake Trout



## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

Caught in The Grand River. Tipped the scales at just over 9 pounds.


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## tnt1958 (Sep 20, 2014)

Nice fish !! CONGRATS


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## mike oehme (Aug 17, 2014)

Nice Fish!


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Awesome!!!


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Bet that was a battle!


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Pardon my ignorance on the topic, but how often are people catching lake trout in Erie or its tributaries?
Are there naturally occurring populations or are these often stocked/planted?
More importantly, congrats to the OP. That's a great fish!!


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

berkshirepresident said:


> Pardon my ignorance on the topic, but how often are people catching lake trout in Erie or its tributaries?
> Are there naturally occurring populations or are these often stocked/planted?
> More importantly, congrats to the OP. That's a great fish!!


Lake trout are a native fish in Lake Erie.
They were wiped out many years ago with the sea lamprey being the final nail in their coffin.

I want to say roughly 10+ years ago they began to reintroduce them into lake Erie and over the last few years guys have been starting to get some.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

How do lake trout thrive in Lake Erie without natural reproduction?


Lake trout haven’t reproduced in Lake Erie in decades. So, where are they all coming




buffalonews.com





to answer my own question, to a degree.......

on one of the youtube fishing channels that I watch, guys are claiming that lake trout in lakes michigan and huron aren't as greasy when they forage on goby instead of alewives and smelt.

some guys love smoking these fish. would love to tie into one some day.......


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

berkshirepresident said:


> How do lake trout thrive in Lake Erie without natural reproduction?
> 
> 
> Lake trout haven’t reproduced in Lake Erie in decades. So, where are they all coming
> ...


Catching new species is always a blast, especially when they are big.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

OrangeMilk said:


> Caught in The Grand River. Tipped the scales at just over 9 pounds.
> 
> View attachment 458038


Orange milk, out of curiosity, how far upstream were you? Not trying to get your hole, just wondering if they are following the steelhead attempting for a river spawn? I dont know much about lakers lifecycles except for a tiny bit I've read about the reintroduction program.


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## capt.scott (Jun 27, 2007)

WTG


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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

Not my fish, I was the camera man but Al is not a member and I thought the fish was too amazing to not share it.

We were targeting Steelhead and it must have come with them into the river. I have no idea if Lake Trout spawn in rivers or not.

We were about a mile in, as the crow flies, which with the way the river twists and turns probably a mile and a half of river distance.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

OrangeMilk said:


> Not my fish, I was the camera man but Al is not a member and I thought the fish was too amazing to not share it.
> We were targeting Steelhead and it must have come with them into the river. I have no idea if Lake Trout spawn in rivers or not.
> We were about a mile in, as the crow flies, which with the way the river twists and turns probably a mile and a half of river distance.


My understanding is they mostly spawn on reefs in open water, and not in the rivers , and that they rarely venture to far inland. Also while their numbers where severely decimated by the lamprey, they where never officially wiped out, but for years your best shot at one was only in the eastern basin or in the Niagara river. A few years ago ODNR started restocking them in their native breeding grounds in the reefs of the western basin , with the hope being they would return every fall from the depths of the central and eastern basin.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Lake trout spawn in the lake on reefs. I'm going to guess he was chasing bait or chasing the steelies for a spawn-snack.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

creekcrawler said:


> Lake trout spawn in the lake on reefs. I'm going to guess he was chasing bait or chasing the steelies for a spawn-snack.


If he was in the Grand River, he could have been heading to a winery.

Just saying.......


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## y-town (Dec 25, 2004)

Nice fish, I caught one in Grand River also last year. Trolling for steelhead around the mouth with a stinger spoon.
May I ask what you caught yours on ?


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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

y-town said:


> Nice fish, I caught one in Grand River also last year. Trolling for steelhead around the mouth with a stinger spoon.
> May I ask what you caught yours on ?



A Jig tipped with maggots


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## percidaeben (Jan 15, 2010)

Fantastic fish! May let ODNR know


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## wolfenstein (Jan 6, 2014)

So...how do they taste? I know steelhead are awesome, very similar to salmon smoked (or so I think) how do browns and lakers compare?


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

Govbarney said:


> My understanding is they mostly spawn on reefs in open water, and not in the rivers , and that they rarely venture to far inland. Also while their numbers where severely decimated by the lamprey, they where never officially wiped out, but for years your best shot at one was only in the eastern basin or in the Niagara river. A few years ago ODNR started restocking them in their native breeding grounds in the reefs of the western basin , with the hope being they would return every fall from the depths of the central and eastern basin.


.

no idea how to delete this accidental quote...


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

wolfenstein said:


> So...how do they taste? I know steelhead are awesome, very similar to salmon smoked (or so I think) how do browns and lakers compare?


I caught my first one in Lake Michigan this year. We were very skeptical hearing how terrible they tasted. Smoked it back at camp and it was very delicious. Definitely wouldn’t hesitate putting another one on ice.


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## spectrum (Feb 12, 2013)

My old man preferred lake trout to all the rest. (smoked) He said it was like a ribeye steak and the others were like strips. Been a long time since I've had one but don't remember anything bad about them.


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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

wolfenstein said:


> So...how do they taste? I know steelhead are awesome, very similar to salmon smoked (or so I think) how do browns and lakers compare?


No idea, caught and released to be another “WOW” moment for another angler. The stealhead we caught on the other hand, delicious...


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## cast party (Jul 9, 2011)

wolfenstein said:


> So...how do they taste? I know steelhead are awesome, very similar to salmon smoked (or so I think) how do browns and lakers compare?


My experience with Lake Ontario lakers is they are pretty oily and strong if cooked fresh. Smoked are fine.


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## Beagler410 (Mar 21, 2020)

We do pretty well on them in the PA waters, particularly in the Spring.


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