Down riggers or leadcore are the preferred
methods of getting into the strike zone and my
favourite is leadcore line – there’s nothing more
precise and effective. Run a 75- to 100-foot
leader of good quality eight- to 10-pound test
monofilament line like Maxima Ultragreen (a short
leader will result in breakoffs).
Strikes from these trout can be impressive
and you never know when the next hit will be
a 10-pound salmon or 15-pound lake trout.
The leadcore has little to no give and a short
monofilament leader cannot absorb some strikes
from larger fish. Keep your drag adjusted light.
A rule of thumb trolling on these big lakes at
speeds of two or three mph is to calculate roughly
three-plus feet in depth for every colour of leadcore
you have out – four colours of leadcore puts you
down 12 to 15 feet. Ten colours get you down 30 to
35 feet, a great move when fish are at the 40 to 45
foot level, putting baits just over their heads.
You can add a bit of speed for rainbows or
salmon, but slow down for lake trout and browns.
In hot summer, switch to down riggers when
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leadcore is not practical due to the amount of line
required to get to the desired depth.
In these lakes, lake trout average four to six
pounds. Legal length for lake trout is a respectable
60 centimetres, for salmon 42 centimetres. The
possession limit is two lake trout. Total limit is five
trout/salmon, with no more than two lake trout and
or two salmon in the mix.
Memphrémagog is more than 50 kilometres
miles long, spans the U.S.-Canada border, and
offers all species. Massawippi at 18 kilometres is a
lake trout lake with brown trout and an occasional
rainbow. It also holds northern pike up to 25
pounds and the Artedi variety of lake whitefish
which readily attack small spoons. They mature
at 14 to 15 inches, are good to eat, and plentiful.
You find them in lake trout depths. Both lakes have
smallmouth bass populations.
Remember to practise a selective harvest to
ensure a future fishery for all. And ideally release
the truly big trophies so they remain part of the
gene pool. Tight lines, and enjoy your time on the
water.
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