Round Valley Trouting 9/13

[anthrax2244]

Took my little brother on the boat early am 6:30 -10:30. Fished the pines depth 80-90' I drifted using shiners, had 3 rods out, one on the bottom, one down 45' and one with 2 splitshot cast out...I marked fish at the bottom and at 35 to 45' down...the rod with the splitshot is an old 6'6 fiberglass rod. We missed a couple fish on the bottom before 8:30. At 8:30 the fiberglass rod started bending. I picked it up and set the hook and felt a good amount of weight. It took awhile to get the fish in, it fought like a laker, but I didnt think a laker would be so close to the surface....However, it was a fat 22'' laker, which I released. Every fish feels like a whale on that fiberglass rod , haha. I've never caught a laker before so close to the surface, I figure it couldn't have been more than 20 feet down. Anyone else ever caught them that high up?

[AndyS]

I had lakers all over the place a few weeks ago at Merrill Creek Res. Live lining keeping the baits as high as I could to try to stay away from those damn things, they were still taking my baits. I sent an e mail to the FG&W begging them to moth ball the lake trout program. Every laker fought like a wet beach towel.

[anthrax2244]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Every laker fought like a wet beach towel.

That is a pretty accurate description Andy, haha. The rainbows and browns actually put up a fight, its too bad there is no way for them to spawn. It seems these days there are 4 lakers for every rainbow/brown. Wow, so they were hitting almost on the surface....interesting. Thanks for the feedback

[gypsy]

I've never eaten or caught a Lake Trout, seems no one eats them, a lot of people were excited when they first introduced them to Round Valley, what happened? And how are they for table fare?

[AndyS]

I know a chef that can cook your shoe and make it taste good ! Try your hand at cooking or smoking them, don't leave them in the freezer too long they have a high fat content.
Lakers were a great idea at the start, now they swim around with their mouths open and eat everything in sight.

[Moz]

Originally Posted by gypsy

And how are they for table fare?

I heard fishcakes are the most palatable option.

[jmurr711]

dude i need to get up there i can wipe a lake out in a month

[Wilson]

Originally Posted by jmurr711

dude i need to get up there i can wipe a lake out in a month

What are going to do...swim around with YOUR mouth open

[Capt. Lou]

Thgis time of year most large lakes begin to lose their stratrification temp water layers, it all co mingles ,once temps are uniform probably by end of month then the fish can be anywhere top to bottom .
Even lakers can come to the surface, we used to fish them on Lk Ontario in the spring on the temp bars that develop when weather would begin to warm,usually about mid May. Many nice fish taken on PB & LC surface to 25' down! Sometimes spring salmon mixed in with the occassional steelhead. Often times when other fishing was off it saved my bacon for my charter. Gt. Lakes exibitit both down & bar temps can mke for gt fishing if you know what to do at specific times of the yr.
They would give a decent account of themselves with this shallow troll deal and many as I remember would fight real hard on light tackle. Lot better than 100' down via a DR.

[ChaosStarter]

Andy, I'm kinda surprised you gave lakers that 'wet beach towel' summary. When I fished for them in December last year at round valley, they seemed to be pretty fun fighters. One of the only things we were catching in the fresh water.