Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
Lake trout are a large char species native to cold, deep freshwater lakes across northern North America. They are prized by anglers for their size and fighting ability in cold water environments.
Lake Trout at a glance
- Scientific name
- Salvelinus namaycush
- Typical size
- 18-36 inches, 5-20 lbs
- Water
- Freshwater
- Habitat
- Freshwater
- Rarity in the Fishdex™
- Uncommon
Habitat
Lake trout inhabit deep, cold lakes and are typically found in depths of 60-200+ feet, especially during warmer months. Anglers target them with downriggers, lead core lines, or deep jigging techniques, often trolling spoons or deep-diving lures near thermoclines.
Catch one and it is yours
Log a lake trout through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your photo, your personal best, and the exact conditions on the day. The app also carries the slot and season rules for wherever you are standing.
How the Fishdex™ worksWhat to throw for lake trout
The lure classes that produce for lake trout, drawn from the same species map Cobia reasons about. Each one opens a full page on what it is, when it works and how to fish it.
Which one, in which color and which weight, depends on the water in front of you today. That part is the app.
Lake Trout questions people ask
Lake Trout is Salvelinus namaycush.
A typical lake trout runs 18-36 inches, 5-20 lbs. Cobia records the length and weight of every lake trout you log and keeps your personal best on its Fishdex entry.
Lake trout inhabit deep, cold lakes and are typically found in depths of 60-200+ feet, especially during warmer months. Anglers target them with downriggers, lead core lines, or deep jigging techniques, often trolling spoons or deep-diving lures near thermoclines. It is a fresh water species, filed under freshwater in the Fishdex.
Soft swimbaits and paddletails, spoons, jerkbaits and blade baits all produce. Which one, in which color and which weight, depends on the season, the water temperature and the tide on the day, which is the part Cobia works out against the lures you already own.
Yes. Log one through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your own photo, your personal best, and the conditions on the day you caught it. The app also carries the slot limits and season dates for wherever you are standing. It is free.
Tomorrow morning starts tonight
Set your home water, pick a drive radius, and wake up to a plan.
Android coming soon
iPhone, iOS 17 or later. Setup takes about a minute.