Berkley Fishing

Shorecasting for Great Lakes Trout

On larger lakes like the Great Lakes, trout move shallow where shorecasters can target them with spoons and swimbaits. Good areas to fish include mouths of tributary rivers, points, and other access areas like piers. Cast spoons in the 1/4- to 1-ounce sizes and 5- to 6-inch swimbaits, or use thumper-style softbaits on 1/2- to 1-ounce jigheads. Start by targeting areas closer to shore earlier in the morning and progressively cast to deeper water later in the day to find fish. Experiment with retrieve speed and color. Good color patterns to start with are those that mimic natural baitfish.