Lake trout fishing is one of my favorite things to do. In July, I start fishing at 50 to 65 feet of water. During summer, lake trout go for a vertical jigging approach with a ¼-oz jig and a minnow, jig and a sparkly purple Ned Rig, jigging rap, or a jigging spoon. Some anglers prefer down-rigging or surface trolling.

While vertical jigging, quickly raise the rod up and then slowly let it back down, allowing the jig to mimic the speed of the slack in your line. It’s important to change your jigging size, pattern, and speed to find the most irresistible display to the trout’s mood and level of activity. For example, sometimes simply tapping your jig off the bottom will entice a non-active fish.

You know you’ve got a hit when a sudden “tap, tap” interrupts your jigging pattern. BOOM!