The lake trout, or Salvelinus Namaycush, is the largest of the char genus. Growing up to 100 pounds, these voracious predators are at the top of any ecosystem they are native to, and many they are not. Even though commonly referred to as lake trout, these impressive fish are not trout. The main identifying characteristic of the char is the white leading edge of the fins below the lateral line. They are among the only species of the salmonid family that can live out their entire lives in fresh water. Spawning in the oxygen-rich depths of deep lakes, they often stay at the depths and devour whatever they happen to come across. My favorite memories of fishing for these special fish take place on a large reservoir close to where I grew up. Every spring at ice off, we would troll the ice shelves in kayaks, and take advantage of the only time of year trophy lakers can be found near the surface.
The lake trout, or Salvelinus Namaycush, is the largest of the char genus. Growing up to 100 pounds, these voracious predators are at the top of any ecosystem they are native to, and many they are not. Even though commonly referred to as lake trout, these impressive fish are not trout. The main identifying characteristic of the char is the white leading edge of the fins below the lateral line. They are among the only species of the salmonid family that can live out their entire lives in fresh water. Spawning in the oxygen-rich depths of deep lakes, they often stay at the depths and devour whatever they happen to come across. My favorite memories of fishing for these special fish take place on a large reservoir close to where I grew up. Every spring at ice off, we would troll the ice shelves in kayaks, and take advantage of the only time of year trophy lakers can be found near the surface.
