Lake Trout & Big Macks

[dawhunt]

I guess we're going to Priest Lake for two weeks next yr and fish for some big Mackinaw
Trout and Lake Trout,is there anyone here that has fished for these with any success and would be willing to give me some info on them.Like how to fish them and what is a good bait and are they any good to eat,I've never even seen one so any info would be great.Thanks. images/icons/grin.gif
Bob images/icons/confused.gif

[Hoosier Daddy]

aren't lake trout and mackinaw the same thing?

[CAGEY]

Howdy Dawhunt. I have fished for macks on Crescent, Odell, and Big Cultus for the about the last 15 to 20 years. We usually fished in about 90' of water. Baits used were primarily whole nightcrawlers on 18 inch leader behind large size lake trolls with 8 oz of lead on a 18 to 20 inch dropper. The trick is a slow troll and you have to let out a lot of line to make sure you are on the bottom. I know that big spoons are also used on Priest Lake but i have never used them. I would suggest that you go to a marina at or near the lake and see if you can obtain a map of the lake. You need the know where to go on the lake without looking all over for the fish. Get in the right water and they will show on your depth finder.
I think they are an excellent fish for smoking and not bad when fried or deep fried. The seceret is make sure you cut the belly fat off as its very strong. Also on the lures a k-14 silver and blue kwikfish is also a good producer. I also carry a syringe and inject air into the crawler to help keep it off of the botom. You will find that they are a light biter so watch your rod tip closely as they will get your bait and you wont know it. Then sometimes they will really wham it. Not much of a fighter but fun to catch. Hope this helps you out, Cagey.
Macks and Laketrout are the same fish.
TEAM DONUTS

[ 10-28-2001: Message edited by: CAGEY ]

[dawhunt]

Hi,I don't know if there the same fish or not
never been interested in them before,my wife is from up that way and we're going for a family thing and staying for awhile just thought as long as I'm there,I'd give it a try.Thank you very much for the info,I'll see if I can get a map of the lake.My wife eorked for the foresst service at priest lake and has a lot of friends up there hopefully they can give me some info also.Thanks again.
Bob images/icons/grin.gif

[craigzilla]

Dawhunt- they are the same thing. Odell Lake produced the Oregon State record- not sure of the date.In Lake Tahoe they fish for them primarily winter time. Have fun !!

[craigzilla]

Dawhunt- I looked it up it was a 40lb 8 oz monster caught by HVHannon in 1984..

[happybrew]

Ironically, in a lot of really good kokanee lakes, the kokanee were put in primarily as food for the macks, and the fishery for the kokes developed as a byproduct of that.

happybrew

[Tanner]

Hope you got some downriggers, you're going to need them.

[Denali]

Priest Lake is relatively deep and most of the year so are the fish. You will want to use downriggers up there. The southern half of the lake seems to produce the larger fish. There are very large Macks cought there every year. However if you've never caught one you'll be dissapointed in the fight. They're sluggish fighters. Kinda bulldog you a little but nothing too exciting. Methods on Priest range from Kwikfish to pulling dodgers with a fly or squid trailer. The fish are fairly plentiful and I believe they have raised the daily limit there as well.