3 secret (and surprisingly simple) tactics for early-season lake trout

The ice is melting, and the days are dawning bright and warm. It’s still too early for the bugs to be a bother, and it feels so darn nice just to be outdoors. But the bass and walleye seasons don’t open for a few weeks, so what is a fervent angler to do? Well, you could go fishing for lake trout, but what if you don’t have the big boat, downriggers, and special rods, reels and steel line that laker anglers typically use? Simply use your favourite bass and walleye gear instead. That’s exactly what I do for the first month or two of trout season, and it’s a whole lot more fun, too. Here are three simple but effective early-season laker techniques that don’t require specialized tackle…