Jigging for Lake Trout on the Great Lakes

In the north during mild winters, anglers can enjoy jigging for lake trout on open water. The Great Lakes provides excellent opportunities for anglers to catch fish on spinning tackle. The starting point is having the correct rod and reel combination––a 7-foot, medium-heavy rod in the Shimano Compre line with a 3000 size, like the new Shimano NASCI. For the ultimate in sensitivity spool your reel with 5- to 20-pound PowerPro line with a 15-pound fluorocarbon leader. Lake Trout can be found on main lake break walls, reefs, and shoals. On cloudy days fish tend to prefer lipless crankbaits jigged of the bottom, like the Jackall TN-70. On sunny days fish tend to prefer soft plastics like tubes and flukes jigged on the bottom.