Lake Joe Lakers, A little help if possible

Hey everyone. 98% of my fishing is Walleye/Pike but the last couple years I've been able to hit the Muskoka Lakes (mainly Lake Joe) for spring lakers a little more. This year I'm hoping to get out a couple times a week.

Been averaging one fish for every 2-3 hours fished, which I feel is fairly low, most of them under 4 lbs. Interestingly this year all naturals (vs stocked).

Been using dipsy divers from 20-40 feet with cowbell and various spoons (Williams blue/silver most successful) or occasionally with down rigger, same depths with small flasher and spoons as well.

Trolling at 2-2.5, trying various locations with no clear pattern identified.

Any tips to up my success rate would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Andrew

Anchor and jig like ice fishing. Jigging can be highly productive.

I am surprised that they are down deep while the water is still cold. I thought they went closer to shore in the spring.

Your doing it right.
Just keep plugging away at it.

Size is just luck of the draw.

No stocked fish in Lake Joseph.
All naturals.

I'm surprised they are that deep so early in the spring....20-40 FOW??
Have you tried just flat lining with a spoon with lots of line out?

I'm not an expert in lake trout but at this time of year, most of my success has been in the first 15 feet of water.

Nice to know that the ice is gone in case anybody asks, eh??

Hey thanks for the feedback.

I swore that several fish I caught last year were missing a fin, but you are right, I can't find any recent stocking, only on Lake Muskoka.

I generally would try about 20 feet down, that way fish near the surface would likely still pick up on it and potentially get some that are near the bottom as well if I was in 50 feet or less.

My understanding is that since the water is cold that they will be found pretty much anywhere in the water column so I am just playing averages with my depth. I definitely had less success long lining it, as that was my first approach a few years back (but limited attempts).

Anybody drag something other than spoons?

Personally I would slow down a bit right now in cold water. 1.5-2mph.

I would also attempt planer boards to target the lakers higher up.

I am sure a flasher would help with any bait your running. I have caught lakers trolling lake O in cold water on flasher/spoon combos at about 2mph.

Personally in those northern lakes like Joe I prefer jigging as was mentioned previously.

Thanks for the suggestion. The jigging comments has now opened a brand new can of worms. I'm more than happy to try a different approach.

As you can tell my Lake Trout experience if very limited.

Any thoughts on the approach at this time of year? I've tried jigging spoons and larger white tube jigs in the past for deep bottom fish I'm marking in the summer, but to be fair I've done this a handful of times, for short period of time, never at this time of year and with unfortunately no luck. I'm usually after the walleye/pike at that point.

Again, appreciate any direction.

Was out last weekend on Joe, managed a couple 3 lbs for the table, we got a 4 and a 7 as well.
It was slow though, I would try jigging a small white tube tipped with minnow head around humps. I was trolling and downrigging spoons.

I was going 2-2.5 as well, I think a slower approach may be helpful. You are using the right gear... Just need to find them right now, try trolling the mouth of bays.

Put 3 hours in late this morning. Man was it hot out there.

1 hour dipsy at 20 feet
1 hour long lining
1 hour jigging humps (35-90 feet where I was marking something)

Zero fish. Oh well.

Will give it another go later this week. Surface temp was anywhere from 55 to 60 today.

I also would slow it down and use flutter spoons or some body baits,,when the surfsce temps are below 55-60, you may be shocked to find how shallow the feeders are

I get lots down 6-12 feet and have been for years...

40 down is July imo