Maligne Lake Trolling

[digo]

Hi folks. I have been to Maligne Lake a few times and enjoyed still fishing. But now i have upgraded to a larger canoe. Plan is to bring my wife fishing but troll up the lake and also enjoy the scenery. Looking for advice on trolling strategies. Spinning gear will be easier to use. I read about people trolling flies or flies behind a williams wobbler.

Any advice would be great. Just not sure if needing to get the flies down deep is a must. I don't mind holder the rod and giving the fly/lure some action. But likely the second rod would be in a rold holder, so no extra action.

I saw some posts about rapalas and kwik fish. Those would be easy to troll. I plan to make it to Maligne twice in June.

[3blade]

When they are in the shallow bays, a week or two after ice out you can pretty much flat line troll and get them on any of the above. Once they move out however, you need electronics to have decent success if there isn’t surface action.

Most people use deep sinking fly lines and flies or hardware as a sort of mountain downrigger, to troll at certain depths as needed. That’s the only game in town for those suspended fish. I tried depth specific cranks and got blanked.

[EZM]

I have had success trolling a William Wobbler (as my flasher) with a small spin n' glow trailing behind 30"-36" behind it. Years ago, you were permitted to use bait, like a big fat dew worm and it worked pretty good.

I do like the idea of running a salmon fly behind the flasher (Wobbler).

You have more choices of micro flashers, spin flashers, cow bells or ford fenders in the same fashion.

I have also had luck using a small kwikfish or Lyman.

That would be my "go to" technique. Always seems to work well for me.

[Drewski Canuck]

In June you should focus on Home Bay until the fish move out into the mail lake. All the bug activity is in the shallows and it takes a while before lake water temperature rises.

You might try some Roostertail spinners in Brown Trout pattern. It is the closest to the brook trout fingerlings in pattern. You need to go far back behind the boat. You will see fish cruising in the clear shallow water and the boat will spook them.

You might want to upsize a flatfish to F7 Black with silver flecks. Closest thing to a leech other than a maribou leech fly pattern, but much better action.

In August when it is hot you might want to check how many grams of lead are allowed for weight. No lead under 50 grams on the prior regs. So a Bottom bouncer in the 3 - 4 ounce range with a large Williams Wobbler with 3 foot of 8 # Florocarbon with a variety of flatfish or Roostertails, or Red Doc
spratley might make the Guides really hate you.

Be careful deep trolling around frog rock. There are house sized submerged boulders rising up to 10 FOW in 50 FOW that eats up alot of gear. Also alot of fish hanging around them as well.

Drewski

[Mr. Twister]

When they are in the shallow bays, a week or two after ice out you can pretty much flat line troll and get them on any of the above. Once they move out however, you need electronics to have decent success if there isn’t surface action.

Most people use deep sinking fly lines and flies or hardware as a sort of mountain downrigger, to troll at certain depths as needed. That’s the only game in town for those suspended fish. I tried depth specific cranks and got blanked.
__________________
“Nothing is more persistent than a liberal with a dumb idea” - Ebrand

Not sure why you think you need electronics, and your timing is misleading. The water goes through 3 color changes and each requires you to fish a bit different.
I've fished this lake from 4 years old until now and I'm happy to say we don't ever use spinning gear, we don't use trebbles and husky jerks. We rip flies with sinking line. You don't really need electronics other than to make sure you arent fishing too deep. Having said that have We catch fish right down the middle alot to.

Drewski is correct Home bay is great early season but ive hit the century mark several times all past 5mile.

Learn the lake and the structure. Consider the elevation
Stop in at a local tackle shop spend 30$ and youll get some better tips than what youll get here. I certainly do not recommend the wobbler.

Commitment will catch you fish there, fair weather fishermen should stay home.

[Speckle55]

Caught this 10 miles down lake on right side:47b20s0::47b20s0:

William’s Woobler with a Green Doc Spratley:test:

Camp on lake for 43yrs fishing

All of the above will work in spots

Good luck to all

David:)

[3blade]

Not sure why you think you need electronics, and your timing is misleading. The water goes through 3 color changes and each requires you to fish a bit different.
I've fished this lake from 4 years old until now and I'm happy to say we don't ever use spinning gear, we don't use trebbles and husky jerks. We rip flies with sinking line. You don't really need electronics other than to make sure you arent fishing too deep. Having said that have We catch fish right down the middle alot to.

Drewski is correct Home bay is great early season but ive hit the century mark several times all past 5mile.

Learn the lake and the structure. Consider the elevation
Stop in at a local tackle shop spend 30$ and youll get some better tips than what youll get here. I certainly do not recommend the wobbler.

Commitment will catch you fish there, fair weather fishermen should stay home.

How exactly do YOU do that? Sonar ears and loud farts?

:rolleye2:

Whatever man it’s just a fish and a lake, it’s not mystical or special. Its gonna drive you mad when a guy shows up with a live scope and spot lock and proceeds to crush your personal best dropping a plastic right on their nose.

[digo]

Thanks for all the replies!! All tips are much appreciated. Looking forward to a couple of weekends out on the lake in June!

I will post an udpate when I get back.

[Bearski]

Sinking line, leech or shrimpy patterns. Ripping and pausing. Very often when I make a big turn as the line accelerates the fish smash it.

[thumper]

Slowly but surely, the chironomid bobber-watchers are taking over, - and doing quite well! But Maligne remains my favourite fly-trolling on a heavy sink-line lake! And even a slow day is worth the scenery!

[Mountain Guy]

Fast sink fly line. Troll down the left side in as deep of water as it takes to not see bottom.. watch out as you'll get into some boulder fields a few K out... bring a selection of colorful to black streamers / boogers...you'll do just fine.. :)

[Wazzy]

The right pattern suspended under a bobber there, isn’t so much ‘bobber watching,’ it’s more along the lines of ‘bobber yanking.’ Can be non-stop…