Index Page | HTML Print Version

Lake Trout

The lake trout, also commonly known in different parts of Canada as the laker, mackinaw trout, grey trout, salmon trout, togue and touladi, plus half a dozen other names, is a member of the salmon family. Its scientific name indicates that it is a member of the char (Salvelinus) group of that family and that it inhabits deep water (namaycush). One of the largest of the freshwater fish, it is endowed with a flesh of superb eating quality hence is eagerly sought by commercial, sport, and subsistence fishermen.

The lake trout has the same moderately elongated shape shared by other trout and salmon. Its head is large and there are welldeveloped teeth on the jaws, tongue and roof of the mouth. Two distinguishing features are its tail, which is deeply forked, and its colour which generally is dappled. Body, head and fins are covered with lightcoloured spots on a darker background, which varies with the habitat from grey to brown or green.

Lake trout not uncommonly grow to a weight of 23 kg. The largest on record weighed 46.3 kg and measured 126 cm. It was taken with a gillnet from Lake Athabasca, Saskatchewan, in 1961. However, the average weight in current catches is less than 4.54 kg.

This species is native to northern North America. In Canada, it occurs from the Maritime Provinces and Labrador in the east to northern British Columbia in the west. It is widely distributed in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Having a preference for cold water with a temperature of about 10°C, it mainly inhabits large, deep lakes, although in the Northwest Territories it is also found in shallow tundra lakes and large, deep rivers.

Commercial fishermen catch lake trout winter and summer using gillnets. Largest production comes from the lakes of northern Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. Anglers catch them in surface waters very early in the spring by fly or spin fishing. As the surface waters warm up, these fish retire to deep water making necessary the use of special, deep-water tackle. Only in far northern lakes are they caught in surface waters during the summer.

The flesh of the lake trout varies in colour from pale ivory to deep pink and has an especially delicate, delicious flavour. It is principally marketed fresh or frozen as whole dressed fish and as fillets.

Top of Page

Last updated : 2004-08-17

Important Notices