Lake Trout Trolling Speed?

[Topwater]

I'm gonna try for some lakers using dipsy divers. Whats a good speed to start with?

[guidedfishing]

I would start at around 2.4mph and work up from there, I have caught them going as fast as 3.7mph. My best productive speed always seems to be between 2.5 and 2.8 mph. If you are going to run a small dodger behind your dipsey anything above 3mph may be to fast for the dodger. I seem to have my best luck with spoons on lakers then stick baits like regular rapala's, husky jerks, and long-A-bombers. I have also had good success long lining tail-dancers for lakers.

good luck
GF

[Phil T]

That may depend on where you fish.
I made a trip to Jackson Lake (Grand Teton National Park) a few years ago. I trolled fire tiger colored Daredevels, but should have been using Flatfish plugs (I had the color right.). The larger (the lake record is just under 55lbs.) lakers are "lazy" according to the successful locals I asked.
By-the-way, those same locals were releasing anything above eating size and below 30lbs, which they considered the proper size for mounting.

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

Not Lazy. They are in deep / cold water. Water pressure and slower metabolism because of cold may appear lazy but, it's not the same thing.

[Phil T]

Cold, yes. Mid-June means that reservoir is full of snow melt. Not so deep, only 50 feet or so.

[Klaas Act - Rich Ziert]

Just some thoughts. . . however misguided. . . LOL

Since water pressure doubles at about 32 feet, 50 feet down would make the water pressure a little over one and one half times what it is at the surface. The more surface area on the fish the greater the effect. Maybe that doesn't mean much to a fish (Lake Trout) that is use to such and so. But, if that same fish makes significant depth changes (going deeper) over a relatively short period of time, it will have an effect until they get use to it- an additional effect other than colder - on slowing them down. How much it slows them down is anybody’s guess. But one thing for sure is slower bait presentations will likely work better. It could be that your fish were shallower not to long ago, and now they are getting deeper. I've caught Lakers in Green Lake Wisconsin early in the spring - shallow. Not too long after they go much deeper. 25-50 feet is still shallow to Lake Trout. Your ice melt may very well be the same as ice out or very early spring somewhere else.