FS Digest

I’ll be going to Lake Amador in CA and renting a boat. Will be in the 50s early morning. Looking for some suggestions on catching some trout in a lake. I haven’t fished for trout since I was a kid with my dad. It’s just a small Jon boat.

I will bring: Couple different ultralights, lights, medium and a medium heavy. Power bait, panther martins, kastmasters, mice tails, worms, spinners and some deep diving lures for trolling.

Besides fishing off the bottom on a Carolina rig or fishing from the top off a bobber, are there any other recommendations you guys can give? How exactly should I fish a lake during the early morning and afternoon? Should be around 40s very early and top off at about 60s mid day.

Thank you

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by T5runner151

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

At this time of season they could be in shallow and may still even be spawning in less than 25' of water. A fellow Stage member does very well on a jig brand named "Hook Up Baits" in a 1/4 oz. size and the red/orange color scheme which I think they call crayfish on their web site. Grease them up with a scent as well...like garlic Smelly Jelly. Swedish Pimples and similar styled jigs can also be effective. The fish typically strike at the top of your upward motion, or as the jig starts to fall. Be ready to feel that tap!

If you like to troll, there are any number of lures to choose from such as a small dodger with a trailing tinsel fly or spin-n-glow. Hot-N-Tots in pearl or "wonderbread" colors. Utra thin spoons like a Luhr Jensen coyote behind properly sized inline keel sinkers. Lure sizes should mimic what you know to be the natural forage fish that the lake trout feed on.
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Lake trout always like jigs. This one came from a 160' depth during Winter, but they also work in shallow ice free water too. Tipping a hook with some bait can be a good idea sometimes, whether live or "pickled".


Use a trailer fly or spin-n-glow on a 2 to 3' leader behind the dodger.


Wafer thin styled trolling spoons...designed to be pulled deeper by appropriate weight.

nutz4fish Loc: Colchester, CT

Digest.... Admin.... Great example of how to request assistance and fishing info, & I hope the newer members will use this as a blueprint for their inquiries. Great post !

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Good job, yaker!

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

I agree Nutz, and an excellent, information filled reply, Yaker!
The way it should be done.

bknecht Loc: Northeast pa

Nice photos FY, surprised I didn’t see any. jigging raps in your arsenal.

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Thanks to those whom have dropped me a compliment...you are making me blush! There are many ways to go after lakers, and sometimes they are based on different geographies of where we all fish so I was hopefully shedding some light on what I do in the Great Lakes region and it should work elsewhere.

Those jigs as pictured are made up by a local fellow and come in several versions known as "squirrel tails", "Elk Rapids S jigs" and "sand kickers". I see a ton of similar products out there in the jig category, but there is something "fun" about using tackle from a local provider! I get mine at a tackle shop a mile down the road from my home, but they can be purchased online via E-Bay if you type in Elk Rapids S jig. A place in Kalkaska, MI named Jacks Sport Shop sells them. They are my "go to" jig for whitefish, cisco and lake trout year round. Very effective!

I do use the Rapala jigs for walleye and panfish in appropriate sizes, and they work nicely. Again...even with those there are now many other manufactures making likewise units.

Does anybody use these little beauties called "slab grabbers"? I use them for Winter perch while ice fishing. They work great and most often do not need any bait attached...just the plain bare jig! Perch love'em! Pardon the blurry photo...I was in a hurry and was too close with the camera!
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Yellow perch caught using a slab grabber "wafer" jig


"slab grabber" ice fishing lure - kind of a generic unit that probably dates back to the 60's? I get mine at Frank's Bait and Tackle located in Linwood, MI. I think they might have a web site for on-line sales...not sure!?


large sized Spin-N-Glow's pictured that work well behind the dodgers. The plastic paddles as pictured tend to be better for salmon, but I happened to have this photo handy. A nice touch on the spin glows is to put a small tinsel fly for the hook.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

In the northwest, large silver flatfish are often used trolling. In my own experience, finding lake trout on a large body of water seems to be harder than enticing them to bite. That is where help from a local or guide is invaluable. My thanks to both for some great fishing.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

The "Lake Trout" that T151 is referin to aren't "Lakers" Macs. they are just planted trout. Some are Cutbows and can weigh up to 20 pounds or so. Rainbows and Browns get pretty big as well there too.
It's a warmer water lake than most Mackinaw lakes. Lower in elevation too. Google it and see some of the fish they catch out of it. They're HUGE.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

My bad! I made an assumption looking at the laker/mac in the photo. My go to for big trout is a bucktail fly or large wooly bugger behind a small dodger. If I cast it is usually a cast master.

fishingmike Loc: Kalispell Montana

I used to have great luck jigging a Nortic jig in fluorescent green. Not sure if you can find this though. They also make a blue one that has done very well for me. Good Luck.

IROLL Loc: San Martin Ca.

I haven’t fished there in a few years but last time I was there trolling white grub plastics worked. Mix it up till you find a winner. As far as location like my late uncle used to say, “fish are where you find them”. Don’t think you will need the medium heavy rod. Go light on the fishing line 4-6 lb max.

agatemaggot Loc: iowa

A little known scent trick is rubbing your lure with Bacon, don't laugh, it works ! Fished with a canasian guy and he doctored up half the baits with Bacon and left the others grease free , the greasy lures caught almost ALL the fish !

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Hey IROLL, google Lake Amador and look at some of the trout they catch there. Some are up to 20+ pounds. Would you want to chance hookin up one of those on 4 to 6 # line?
I agree the trout I fish for in the mountain lakes I fish around Tahoe I use 6# line. But I wouldn't want to chance loosin one of those monsters in Amador cause my line wasn't heavy enough. I mean some of them look more like Salmon from the ocean/Sac river.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Was it Canadian Bacon?