The earlier in the season it is, the easier it probably will be to catch lake trout, said Len Katauskas, owner of the Hook, Line and Sinker bait and tackle shop in Ely. "During the spring, trout are usually up on the reefs to spawn," Katauskas said. "Later in the season, you can find them off points in 45 feet of water or deeper." Katauskas said there are three systems for catching lake trout. "You can use dead bait, such as ciscos or smelt rigged with treble hooks on the bottom early in the season," he said.

Later in the season, as the water warms near the surface and in the shallows, as the trout retreat to deeper and colder water, anglers have to follow them down. Katauskas said there are two methods then most commonly used: Deep trolling or vertical jigging.

Deep trolling employs the use of downriggers and planer boards which enable anglers to present their bait at the levels where the trout are located in warmer weather, which are all but inaccessible by conventional trolling methods. In deep jigging, Katauskas said, a variety of spoons that imitate the action of injured baitfish can be used. "You do this in deep water, 90 to 100 feet," he said. "You drop the lure to the bottom, lift it up slowly, then reverse your action."

Katauskas said when dropping the lure back down, it's important not to let it down so quickly that the line goes slack, making it impossible to detect a strike. "Ninety percent of your hits will occur on the drop," Katauskas said.

Katauskas said among the more popular trout fishing spots in the area are: Trout Lake, Burntside Lake, Snowbank Lake, and Bailey's Bay on the north arm of Basswood Lake.

Katauskas also said anyone looking for a chance to catch a lot of fish without too much effort may be disappointed by the results they get trying to land a lake trout. However, the rewards are there for those who persevere.

"Trout fishing is a lot like muskie fishing," Katauskas said. "It's trophy fishing and if you can catch one or two in a day, you've had a good day."

Katauskas said the two best times of the year for lake trout fishing are early in the spring, around the time of the regular angling season opener and in January, when the winter season for lake trout opens.