Otter Lake Hwy 15 Rainbow/Lake Trout

[Placide]

So I've been fishing this lake for over ten years now, in-laws have a cottage on it. I can find the pike, the bass and more pan fish then I could ever want or need, however, after doing a search here on Fish-hawk, I read that it was stocked with Rainbow Trout a few years back.
Therefore my question is, are they really in the lake and has any one every caught one? And if so how?
I don't have down riggers so any suggustions would be greatly appreciated.

[Gord]

The last time it was stocked was 2005. They put 12,000 in...... the year before that 19,361. I never hear of anyone targeting them(other than thru the ice), but I think the only way you'll get 'em at this time of year is with 'riggers or maybe deep jigging. I'd just concentrate on the pike and bass.......they've probably eaten all the 'bows anyways.

[Tip-up]

they've probably eaten all the 'bows anyways.

Some big bass in that lake I can tell ya from experience...

There was a report on the board a few years ago reporting good success catching rainbows in the lake. I could had sworn I had seen one cruising the shoreline before too..

Good luck finding a few..Like Bowzog said, the jist of them have most likely been food for the other inahabitants of the lake.

[Tip-up]

they've probably eaten all the 'bows anyways.

Some big bass in that lake I can tell ya from experience...

There was a report on the board a few years ago reporting good success catching rainbows in the lake. I could have sworn I had seen one cruising the shoreline before too..

Good luck finding a few..Like Bowzog said, the jist of them have most likely been food for the other inahabitants of the lake.

[RJ]

Tippy....if ya can track down that report I'd love to read it...

Last time I spoke to my contact at the MNR they were no longer going to stock it as it was deemed fruitless....though if I did have to bet...there'd be some old giants lakers that are black now from living in the depths of Otter...

I've fished the lake 50 times in the past 3 years....and have never seen anyone even trolling....that speaks volumes to the success of trout fishing in the lake....routinely the folks at the campground trailer their boats to Charleston to get their trout fix...

The guys who ice fish it are targetting ling.....

It just ain't happenin in Otter...but the Rock Bass are big!

RJ

[Placide]

As for people trolling, they are there, I see a few but being on the other side of the lake I never see any one catching anything, however the guy that owns the cottage next to us has got a couple lake trout when trolling off his pontoon boat so I know there in there. I'll give it the old college try this summer and if I do get anything I'll post it for sure.

[Swamp-Donkey]

I'd have to agree with RJ on this one. Stocking rainbows in this lake was one of the biggest wastes of money I've ever heard of. There is a real healthy population of huge Smallmouth's and Northern Pike in this lake which would devour hatchery raised trout. The larger problem is however the number of small creeks that flow in and out of Otter lake. Just like in Lake Ontario in the spring, Rainbows head for the swift water tributaries and actually leave the lake. The spring run-off subsides and these fish simply perish in these little creeks, unable to make there way back because of low water and insufficient oxygen. It used to be stocked with Splake from the mid 80's until the mid 90's. I don't know why they stopped, the fishing was pretty good. Especially in winter. I have a feeling that's what your neighbor caught was a Splake. I caught one two winters ago that was about twelve pounds through the ice. That was the first one I'd seen in at least 4 or 5 winters. So there are still a few Splake left, not too many though. As for Lake Trout, unfortunately, they are extinct in this lake, and have been since the 1970's. There was a few attempts at stocking Lakers but they failed and the program was switched over to Splake. I highly dought that there are any Lake Trout left in Otter. I fish it alot for Bass and I put my ice-shack out there in the winter to fish for Ling-cod and I have never heard of a laker being caught, nor have I ever heard of Rainbows being caught. I'd concentrate on the Bass. One of my best Smallmouths came out of there and it was well over 6lbs. Released of course. Its also a great Ling-cod lake in the winter. We have nights where we catch 20-30 ling averageing about 5 or 6 pounds. Biggest we ever got was easily 12lbs.

Cheers

[chicken]

Isn't it interesting what the old "search" button will turn up for ya Rather than starting up a age old tread based on the possibility of rainbows surving in Otter Lake over the last 3 years... all the info was right here at my finger tips!

I was gonna head to Otter and try my luck at some rainbows, and as luck would have it, all you nice fella's have convinced me otherwise!

Thanks for the info.

[taylor]

Want me to do a search?

[almontefisher]

Want me to do a search?

O.k. I dont care who you are..that was funny

[Bass Addict]

I think i'm going to head there soon for some of those '' Monster '' ......
Smallmouth