Lake trout are monster sized fish living in deep northern lakes. They put up a great fight, so make sure you have the right fishing line to not only hook, but land these beautiful fish.
Quick Look
- 12- 17 lb. Test
- Best: Monofilament
- Good: Braid
- Also Good: Fluorocarbon
- Leader: 12 lb. Test Fluorocarbon
Why Mono Fishing Line For Lake Trout?
Many lake trout anglers prefer to use monofilament fishing line because it is cheap, and has stretch to it. Lake trout have soft mouths and the stretch of mono helps prevent the hook from tearing out.
This stretch is most important when trolling for lake trout. With the boat pulling one way and the trout pulling the other, there can be a lot of force on the initial strike. The stretch of monofilament will absorb some of that impact and keep the hook locked in.
What lb. Test Fishing Line For Lake Trout?
If you are fishing for lake trout with monofilament or fluorocarbon, use 12 to 17 lb. test line. Lake trout can grow to be nearly 50 pounds under the right conditions, so you need a line that can handle them.
If you are using braid, you can go up to 30 or 40 lb. test. Since braid has a much thinner diameter, and no memory, it is easy to get away with stronger pound ratings.
Leader Material For Lake Trout
Leader material for lake trout should change depending on your fishing method. A good place to start is by using 12 lb. test fluoro or mono for jigging and cast retrieve. If you are trolling, go with 20 lb. test.
When trolling, lake trout usually come up behind the lure, so they don’t get a chance to see the leader. This is why you can get away with much stronger leader material. The stronger line is also important because of the forces of the boat pulling when a big lake trout hits the lure.
If you are jigging for lake trout, then you have full control of how much pressure you apply on the hookset. This means you can get away with lighter leaders.
While jigging, your leader is in plane sight of the lake trout. This is why it is beneficial to use a lighter lb. test mono or fluoro.
Can You Catch Lake Trout With Fluorocarbon?
You can catch lake trout with fluorocarbon fishing line. However, most anglers will prefer using monofilament for their main line and fluorocarbon just for the leader. Mono is cheaper, so you can save a lot of money by using mono over fluoro.
One major advantage of fluorocarbon is that it is almost invisible underwater. This is why it makes a great leader material.
If money isn’t an issue then go ahead and use fluoro as your main line. There are no other disadvantages of fluorocarbon over monofilament.
Is Braid Fishing Line Good For Catching Lake Trout?
Many anglers catch lake trout on braid. It doesn’t stretch, so you have a high level of sensitivity when jigging. Some anglers will troll for lake trout with braid, but it’s usually better to use a line with some stretch like mono or fluoro.
If you are going to use braid fishing line for lake trout, then be sure to add a mono or fluoro bumper. A bumper is a long length of fluoro or mono tied to the end of a braided main line. The length can be anywhere from 5 to 30 feet long. The purpose of the bumper is to absorb some of the impact of when a fish strikes your lure. It will give you a better hook up and help to keep pressure on the fish.
Best Line For Trolling Lake Trout
Most anglers trolling for lake trout will use 20 lb. test monofilament line and leader. They choose this for the stretch which prevents the hook from being ripped out. However, braid has the benefit of being able to dive deeper, so if you are fishing deep, you may consider 40 lb. test braid with a long 20 lb. test leader.
Using a braid main line with a mono/fluoro leader gives you the benefit of braided line, with some of the shock absorption of mono/fluoro. Just be a little more careful not to pull too hard when reeling in a lake trout.
A braided main line will also last longer than monofilament or fluorocarbon. So although the initial investment will be more, it could save you money over the long term.
