# Torch Lake Lake Trout



## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

Can anyone tell me if there is good Lake Trout fishing on Torch Lake? I heard that the lake is or was stocked, but I have never tried it before. I have a 22 salmon boat and was wondering if I could just use the same set up as I do on Lake MI. Riggers, Lead, Dipsy's ect. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Torch Lake has very good lake trout fishing, also whitefish and atlantic salmon, but you've got to know how to fish that lake, it's a tough one. Very few people who have never fished it before even get a hit until they've been out there more times than they can remember. 

It hasn't been stocked in years for lake trout. Never stocked for whitefish, and atlantic salmon stocking was halted last year...it's much easier to catch lake trout out of Grand Traverse Bay, and access to that is right there.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

Does anyone know if there is a guide service on torch?


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

There used to be one charter service, but there's not much interest in that sort of thing on Torch, so...he went to Frankfort. Lives there now.


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## javelin (Sep 17, 2005)

when are you going? I can get you onto lakers and smallmouth bass (fun to catch when the trout slow down).


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

have you ever tried Higgins lake.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

My girlfriends Dad has a place on Torch and he has hinted many times that he would like to go fishing for the lakers on Torch. He is not a fisherman and has never fished for them. If I drag my boat 3 hours up there, I want to do my best to boat some fish for him. He was talking about sometime in June. Any advice?


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## javelin (Sep 17, 2005)

Get a map of the lake. find points with steep drops to 80' - 120' deep. Jig with a swedish pimple or white tube jig. If you are going to troll with downriggers then fish the 65'-110' range with medium to small size spoons in various colors. Do not exceed 2.2 mph. Troll along the edges of drop offs. Being tight to structure is the key.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

Thanks for the information. Is there a temperature break at all that I should look for? That seems to be key in Lake MI.


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## javelin (Sep 17, 2005)

Of course the thermocline in a good place to start but as long as you have your high lines at 65' and go down from there you sohould have it covered. Structure is most important, study some maps and look for key depth changes and possible feeding shelfs.

I would concentrate more on jigging, that is just my preference. Find POINTS with a steep dropoff and a 30-40 foot feeding shelf nearby. YOU MUST STAY VERTICLE. If your line is not straight up and down you will not get the correct action, feel, or hookset.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

the last few years on higgins there has been a trend towards jigging with a smelt on a leadhead jig in deep water. Like the do at stannard rock in superior. seems to work well.

It may be worth a try on torch also.


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## Hi-Tech Redneck (Apr 14, 2004)

I've done O.K. on eater size lakers trolling between 60 - 110 ft down using spoons. It's pretty much like fishing the big lake for salmon. Torch is an extremely deep lake and like Linda said, can be very hard to fish. The one time that my buddy and I did real well, we were lucky enough to mark a big school of bait and continued to troll through that area. Here's some links to a couple of maps. 

http://www.fishweb.com/maps/antrim/torchlake/

http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/SPATIALDATALIBRARY/PDF_MAPS/INLAND_LAKE_MAPS/ANTRIM/TORCH_LAKE.PDF


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## arrowdog (Jul 10, 2002)

What size Swedish Pimple's and/or jigs would you need to use to effectively fish that deep?


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

arrowdog said:


> What size Swedish Pimple's and/or jigs would you need to use to effectively fish that deep?


1 1/2 or 2 oz. lead head with a smelt and low stretch line.


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## garyrodbender (Feb 2, 2001)

As Linda G mentioned, the lake is tough if not familiar with it. 18 plus miles long and over 300+ FEET DEEP.Heres a good starting point out there my friend, get in 250 fow and send your riggers down 144 &140 feet. You can use spoons ,jointed rapalas are my personal best out on torch.I try and match my presentation to the lake herring that inhabit her...Try this on your 2 downriggers,20 foot lead place line in release using a #11 or #13 jointed rapala chartreuse/silver. Let that go down to depth I always run an adda-line, slider...4-5 foot of mono with a snap swivle on each end,put a light spoon on one snap and snap the other end to your line.Let it free slide down towards your jointed as it will stop were the bow in the line remains , usually halfway down. 72 feet. Dipsydiver off each side 175 line out set at #2 with #9 jointed rapalas, you guessed it chart/silv...Thats been a very good settup for me over the years taught to me by the last guide on torch Chris Mills,good friend of mine from Bellaire now in Frankfort.PS,dont put your program down whatever you choose until you spot clouds of bait fish on your gragh.Put the finder in manual mode and your on your way to fresh lake trout atlantics and an occasional brown trout...Good luck


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

On Standard rock 2 oz jigs are necessary because in a boat while drifting, a 1 oz jig won't stay vertical. On ice, a 3/4 - 1 oz jig is plenty for lakers, especially when tipped with large smelt, blues or Grey's or even soft body rubber. Your bouncing that jig on the bottom to activate a reaction bite. Lakers can't help it and hit the jig. Higgins is a great place to catch Lakers this way. Finding the fish is the hardest part. Once you find where they are, you'll get bit. Sorry I know the thread is Torch lake Lakers but unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to fish Torch this year on ice. Probably won't freeze.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Yeah, the thread is Torch Lake, and from 12 years ago.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Ya saw that.


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## Revinchev (May 19, 2014)

I’ve been getting them on 1-1/2 or 1 oz elk rapids jigs and also 1 oz tube jig. Good size and burbot mixed in. Haven’t been out in about a week but it consistently produces fish year round.


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## kingfisher 11 (Jan 26, 2000)

I use to ice fish for lakers on the SW side where it dropped to 100 FOW close to shore. Would do very well with # 7 white Swedish pimples.


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## Jim Nelly (Jun 24, 2021)

Linda G. said:


> Torch Lake has very good lake trout fishing, also whitefish and atlantic salmon, but you've got to know how to fish that lake, it's a tough one. Very few people who have never fished it before even get a hit until they've been out there more times than they can remember.
> 
> It hasn't been stocked in years for lake trout. Never stocked for whitefish, and atlantic salmon stocking was halted last year...it's much easier to catch lake trout out of Grand Traverse Bay, and access to that is right there.


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## Jim Nelly (Jun 24, 2021)

I studied Zoology/Limnology at the University of Michigan. I spend many hours researching Torch Lake documents at the university and I fished using maps of the lake. I want to relate one of the last times I fished Torch in May of 1961. My friend was always bragging about Green Lake Wisconsin and the Lake Trout fishing and I in return about Torch Lake. We were both set to graduate and I told him the BS stops here. Next weekend we are going to our cottage on the Rapid River and fish Torch. That following Saturday at sunrise we boarded my families Leiman inboard at Clam River and started out into the lake. Now early in May the Lake trout can be found in shallow water, 30-50 feet. My 20 cruiser idled to fast so I always had to tow two 5 gallon pails to slow her to circa 2 miles per hour. This being said I launched (No downriggers in those days) my line with a lead weight and a 8 lb trout took the silver spoon upon descent. Of course my reply to my friend was: "Boy it is slow today". A wind was coming up and storm clouds appeared from the West. I motored out further into a little deeper water with the thought that the wind would blow us over deeper to shallower water. I threw the line out once more the sinker hit the bottom, I took the slack out of the line and bam another trout took the spoon about the same size. The storm became so strong that it was impossible to fish and we had to return to the marina. My friend's bragging days were over and I never saw him again. I write this from the Ukraine, where I live now. I never used my Limnology, but rather my Russian language. My company neutralized the Soviet SS19s and SS24s ICBMs targeted on the US from 1996-2000 in the Ukraine and other Nunn Lugar disarmament treaties throughout the former Soviet States. No Lake trout here in the Ukraineand I miss Torch dearly.


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

I know this is an old thread, but its actually kind of timely that it was resurrected. I've been contemplating a trip to Skegemog lake so been doing lots of research on the chain of lakes through there. Not looking for Lakers though. I'm more interested in Muskies.

Anyone here ever fish this area for skies? I might head up there in the morning.


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## Gordon Casey (Jun 13, 2017)

Jim Nelly said:


> I studied Zoology/Limnology at the University of Michigan. I spend many hours researching Torch Lake documents at the university and I fished using maps of the lake. I want to relate one of the last times I fished Torch in May of 1961. My friend was always bragging about Green Lake Wisconsin and the Lake Trout fishing and I in return about Torch Lake. We were both set to graduate and I told him the BS stops here. Next weekend we are going to our cottage on the Rapid River and fish Torch. That following Saturday at sunrise we boarded my families Leiman inboard at Clam River and started out into the lake. Now early in May the Lake trout can be found in shallow water, 30-50 feet. My 20 cruiser idled to fast so I always had to tow two 5 gallon pails to slow her to circa 2 miles per hour. This being said I launched (No downriggers in those days) my line with a lead weight and a 8 lb trout took the silver spoon upon descent. Of course my reply to my friend was: "Boy it is slow today". A wind was coming up and storm clouds appeared from the West. I motored out further into a little deeper water with the thought that the wind would blow us over deeper to shallower water. I threw the line out once more the sinker hit the bottom, I took the slack out of the line and bam another trout took the spoon about the same size. The storm became so strong that it was impossible to fish and we had to return to the marina. My friend's bragging days were over and I never saw him again. I write this from the Ukraine, where I live now. I never used my Limnology, but rather my Russian language. My company neutralized the Soviet SS19s and SS24s ICBMs targeted on the US from 1996-2000 in the Ukraine and other Nunn Lugar disarmament treaties throughout the former Soviet States. No Lake trout here in the Ukraineand I miss Torch dearly.


Your story is 60 years old! I think the times have changed a little since then.
Nice story though.


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## gundogguy (Oct 5, 2008)

Check out the Navionics contour map much more detail given in this highly interactive map






Find Fishing Spots Near Me With These Free Navionics Lake Maps


Discover Secret Fishing Spots with these detailed Lake Maps




www.bassresource.com





Swedish pimples seemed to be recommended by many here. But I would really be tempted to also use a Bondy Bait Big Lakers are being caught on the 6 and 9oz bait in a jigging situation

Hal


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