Winnisquam Kayak Fishing for Lakers
 

New to fishing this time of year and wanted some tips. I'm living right on Winnisquam by the Anchorage and have been trying to catch lakers over the last few weeks but haven't had any luck. I'm fishing from a kayak and have been trolling spoons/spinners/rapalas. I caught a pickerel off the rapala but I still haven't gotten a single laker.

I usually go out for a few hours in the evening evening until it gets dark. Should I just try and go out in the mornings? Any help would be appreciated!

Get some live bait (smelt or shiners) and troll them close to the bottom or even right on the bottom if it’s sandy.

Good luck!

Dan

Does it have to be close to the bottom this early in the season? When I've been trolling I've basically just been letting line out then speeding up or slowing down to bring the lures higher or lower but I'm nowhere near the bottom.

This time of year
 

This time of year you can stay on top but once water warms you have to be on the bottom. Lead core line would work.

You can also jig off the bottom if you can find a hole where they might be.

If your targeting lakers, near the bottom is always best just like when ice fishing for them. You can find them throughout the water column feeding in the bait balls along with the salmon and rainbows but for the most part they like the bottom.

The reason I recommended live bait is when trolling spoons speed is critical to maintain a proper "lure wobble" to attract fish. Can you get your kayak going and maintaining a 2 mph + or - speed? If so great, fish on! If not live bait would be the ticket as the slower the better.

If you really want to stick with lures go with a spinner type lure like a small "rooster tail" or Mepps type spinner with a single hook. These work very well at slower speeds. Attach a small piece of worm to the single hook for best results.

Just my thoughts and Good luck!!

Dan

Gotcha, thanks for the tips. I'll keep changing things up and see what works. Bound to get lucky one of these days.

When I was first trying to catch lakers (like you) happened to find a spot that if trolled over regularly, I would catch one. It was the month of May however and the lakers seemed to hang in an area of sandy bottom and the depth was between 10-15’ of water. I was using a small Mooselooke warbler and streamer flies. Probably just luck but those were the specifics! Also this was on the big lake.

Yeah I think I just need to change up my locations/depths and start marking areas. I do have a depth finder app so I've been using that to get an idea of my depth but I'll try changing things up. Thanks for the lure recommendations too!

Lethargic fish don't want to chase anything so while the water is so cold slow way down.

I'd slowly drift around likely areas (like out from stream inlets and points) trying a live minnow at various depths until the water warms up a few degrees.