Brook trout off the beaten path
LOST LAKES ARE HOME TO THE BIG ONES
BY JEFF MORRISON
SPRING IS TUMULTUOUS amidst the trout waters of
central Canada, with a myriad of physical and environmental
forces conspiring to make fishing difficult. For the brook
trout enthusiast, it can be stressful, combining early season
adversity with competition from other anglers.
To remain successful when the early season bite is on,
ambitious spring “trouters” find a way off the beaten path.
This may sound simple, but there are pitfalls on the way
to any secluded trout lake where the big ones lurk. This
troubleshooting guide will explain how to find that secret
honey hole, and how to keep it.
Researching and locating the lake to call your own is
the first step. Each year, I spend time doing recon for new
water. I may hit on a winner only 20 per cent of the time,
but exploring and walking the woods is the key to success.
A topographic map of the area is essential. Find a route to
out-of-the-way honey holes along tributaries from known
trout lakes. Often, a series of small kettle-lakes are
connected by one small meandering stream.
Some lakes in the chain could be duds while
others may be teeming with resident
populations of spunky specs.
Begin exploring such waters,
unconnected by trails or roads, and
eventually you will hit a winner. Out-of-
the-way lakes’ seclusion brings inherent
dangers. Getting lost in God’s country
is not enjoyable, or safe. For me, a good
topographic map and hand-held GPS are
always at the ready. Think about two-way
radio, a cellphone if there’s a signal, and
even a satellite phone depending on how
remote you plan on being, and for how
long. Successful off-the-beaten-path trout
anglers always bring essential navigation
and communication devices.
A significant challenge for any early
season trout angler is competition. I
know of many lakes in northern Quebec
where the number of fishermen sharing the
water can make or break a fishing trip. The
first sure way to beat the competition is to
set your alarm early. Everyone knows the
early bird gets the worm, and nowhere is this
more true than with trout fishing. If you can
hit the water a couple of hours earlier than
other anglers in the morning, you can get
into position undetected.
Be surreptitious about approaching your
lake. My favourite one has no trails into it, or
out of it, and I have done my utmost to keep
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it that way. Never park or leave tracks near the access point
to any secluded lake. Trust me: Nothing spreads like wildfire
as news of a productive trout lake, so keep it under your hat!
Tell nobody about it. Sounds simple, but you have to fight
off the urge to brag. Even sharing the tiniest detail could let
the cat out of the bag. Another good habit is on portage to a
Lac Perdu, avoid taking the same route twice so you leave no
tracks or sign for other anglers. Such portages often include
jumping beaver dams, wading up small feeder streams and
sliding the canoe through a marshland entrance to a secret
lake. It may sound like a lot of effort, but if you want to the
best trout angling i