Hi folks,

I've been reading up on fishing for bass, since we've got a camping trip planned in June to Mar-Don Resort at the Potholes. But I was wondering--does the same idea (that bass use underwater structural cover such as ditches, breakoffs, etc. like a highway between deep and shallow areas of lakes) apply to trout in lakes also? All I seem to be able to come up with on where trout will be is written about rivers.

Or, to put the question another way--how/where do lake trout spend their time?

Thanks,
Eryn

It really depends on the lake. Is it stocked? and when? Recently stocked lakes have trout everywhere as you can imagine. Lets say 2 weeks from now, some sunny days, and you can expect them to be near the shoreline lookin for bugs but near dropoffs. 10-15ft of water dropping off to 25-30. They are predators and i suppose they may ambush at some time but mostly they cruz the shallows until the temp rises. But some lakes concentrate fish in 25-30ft of water. And i've caught trout while bassfishing in and around big fallen trees jiggin half a nightcrawl and a tiny weight. I often resort to jigging a nightcrawler in 20ft of water off of shelves after other tactics fail. It seems to always work. So they must be holding or cruzing just above the drop. Fish feel safer when they have quick access to deep water. So i'd say a big sunken tree or weeds in 20ft of water near shore next to 30ft of water would be an ideal spot.

I have a WDFW report called: Use of Artifcial Structure to Enhance Freshwater Sportfish Communities in Lake, Ponds and Reservoirs: A Literature Review.

Would you like a copy?

If so, email you mailing address (not email address) and I will send you one.

My email is: kelsyslk@dfw.wa.gov

stace

Interesting question! In most smaller lakes trout use the whole lake at various times. Some of the use is for comfort(as when they are sitting on the 22-25' thermocline) and some of it is for travel to and fro.
A better question is" Where do trout eat in lakes"? The answer is the Littoral Area. That area generally between 3' and 15' deep that grows the vegetation necessary to support a food chain.
In clear lakes it may go even deeper to 20' and in high plankton,murky lakes it may end shallower.

I see many fishermen casting for the middle of the lake with no idea whether fish are in that 30' water or not,just a general feeling that the deeper water holds the most & biggest fish.
WRONG!

Fish the Littoral Area where there is the most evidence of fish or fish food (insects and nymphs)
showing.