Here’s a super quick video of that fish that I shot with my cell phone. Talk about motivation to go back and try and get one for myself! Grant, how do you sit there smiling with that horseshoe in your keister?! 
Kinda fun seeing Grant get a little flustered!
I wonder how old that fish was? What a monster.
Thanks !
Rootski
Rootski,
That’s a great question. I really don’t know how slow they grow or how long they live. I do know they’re very old fish when they get that large… I just don’t have perspective on how many years we’re talking about at 20 Lbs, 30 Lbs, etc. If someone knows of a study that talks about aging of lake trout on Superior I’d really appreciate that being shared here. 
I did just find this online after a quick google search. Apparently 40+ year old Lake Superior Lake Trout are a possibility.
Longevity of Lake Superior lake trout
Authors: Schram, Stephen T. and Mary C. Fabrizio.
Publication Year: 1998
Journal: North American Journal of Fisheries Management
Volume Number: 18
Issue Number: 3
Page Range: 700-703
Abstract:
The age structure of mature lake trout Salvelinus namaycush from the Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior increased following a population recovery that has taken place since the 1960s. As the population aged, it became apparent that scales were unreliable aging structures. Beginning in 1986, we examined both scale and sagittal otolith ages from tagged fish with a known period at liberty. We found large discrepancies in scale and sagittal otolith ages of mature fish, such that scale ages were biased low. We estimated lake trout living up to 42 years, which is greater than previously reported from Lake Superior. Investigators studying lake trout population dynamics in the Great Lakes should be aware that lake trout can live longer than previously thought.
Many congratulations Grant. Especially when it comes to lakers, you’ve laid hands on plenty of big fish. To see your reaction with this fish tells the full story of how big that sucker really is!
Joel
The next time I shake Grant’s hand, I fully anticipate giving that horseshoe a good yank so others can enjoy this big fish karma he has going. Congrats on such a great fish!!
Very cool…..
Was this a real deep water fish caught on Salmon gear, or just the opposite with the walleye type of set up?
I’m in Racine near Lake Michigan, and really wanting to see if it is a simple transition to chasing lakers, salmon and such on my regular walleye gear.
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Very cool…..
Was this a real deep water fish caught on Salmon gear, or just the opposite with the walleye type of set up?
I’m in Racine near Lake Michigan, and really wanting to see if it is a simple transition to chasing lakers, salmon and such on my regular walleye gear.
Walleye gear… that fish came on a 9′ St. Croix EyeCon, a Shimano Tekota 600 spooled with 832 Lead Core fished behind a board… just like you’d do for walleye. We don’t even bring our downriggers along any more and the boards and leadcore outfish dipseys by a huge margin.
For all intents and purposes almost all the fish we’re catching are in the top 30′ – 40′ of the water column which is easily accessible with walleye gear…. and a LOT more fun! We’ve caught big lakers out over 600′ of water in the last couple trips but even then the biggest fish always seem to be suspended up near the surface.
Next week Grant and I are headed out to Lake Michigan to use these same presentations for kings. We’ll likely have the dipseys along but I don’t think I’ll bother with the down riggers. Hopefully that decision doesn’t come back to bite us but I’d rather catch fish on the boards if at all possible.
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The next time I shake Grant’s hand, I fully anticipate giving that horseshoe a good yank so others can enjoy this big fish karma he has going. Congrats on such a great fish!!
HAHA thanks kooty and others alike! This video is awesome. I love when she first hits the floor and is too heavy to even flop around LOL. I still am amazed at that fish and will be for a long, long time.
Thanks for the info James…. really impressive fish again, and good luck on Lake MI. Can’t wait to hear how you guys do out there. This time wait until the board goes back to decide what rods Grant is fishing with.
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Thanks for the info James…. really impressive fish again, and good luck on Lake MI. Can’t wait to hear how you guys do out there. This time wait until the board goes back to decide what rods Grant is fishing with.
I plan to duct tape him to the passenger seat until I get my fill! 
The initial photo of this fish was incredible, this video makes me wanna leave work and head up fishing. Nice work Grant, like mentioned above, I think its safe to say you might have a few years of below average fishing after setting the bar so high in 2013. Winnipeg walleye and Lake Superior Lake Trout.
Awesome fish Grant & James.
It still takes two people to get a fish like that in the boat.
Nice teamwork!
As for not bringing the downriggers to Lake Michigan…..that could very well come back to haunt you.
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As for not bringing the downriggers to Lake Michigan…..that could very well come back to haunt you.
Honestly, I’m OK with that. I definitely know we’ll be taking a risk. I just hate fishing with the riggers. So much so I’ll give up a few fish just to not have to deal with them.
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As for not bringing the downriggers to Lake Michigan…..that could very well come back to haunt you.
Honestly, I’m OK with that. I definitely know we’ll be taking a risk. I just hate fishing with the riggers. So much so I’ll give up a few fish just to not have to deal with them.
Why do you disike them so much? I have never used them so I am looking for your insight.
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As for not bringing the downriggers to Lake Michigan…..that could very well come back to haunt you.
Honestly, I’m OK with that. I definitely know we’ll be taking a risk. I just hate fishing with the riggers. So much so I’ll give up a few fish just to not have to deal with them.
Why do you disike them so much? I have never used them so I am looking for your insight.
The quick, one word answer = results.
My #1 reason is that my experiences with them fishing Superior is that they catch a lot of small / smaller fish so I’d much rather devote the two rods that would be used with the downriggers to two more board rods where we seem to get 99% of our big fish. When Grant and I are fishing MN waters we get four rods total. If we run two downriggers that leaves us two boards. For that reason alone I opt to shy away from the down riggers. When almost all fish caught on downriggers run 10# or less and almost all fish caught on boards run 15# or more… I’m sure you can see why I’ve developed the bias for one presentation method over the other.
Of course things could be completely different out on Lake Michigan. But I want to see it first hand, take what we’re doing on Lake Superior, and learn from there. Trust me, if we start getting our hind-parts kicked by the other boats we’re fishing with we WILL be making some major changes.
Also, from a fishing enjoyment standpoint I prefer fishing the boards over downriggers. I could list a bunch of reasons why but they all boil down to personal fishing style and preference.
One of my main reasons for wanting to go out to Lake Michigan to chase those kings is to see how transportable this leadcore and boards technique is from one great lake to the next. I don’t care about keeping fish and bringing them home. Or at least that isn’t one of my main goals. Anything we learn on Lake Michigan will make us better anglers in general.
Grant and I went through a similar process this last summer on Lake Superior when we made a decision to leave the downriggers and dipseys at home to see what we could do with walleye gear, boards and leadcore only. So far I think it has been a very good move as we’re fishing differently from most Superior anglers and we’re bumping into some very nice fish. I know for a fact we wouldn’t have arrived at the same place if we would have kept splitting our lines and attentions amongst 2 or 3 presentation methods.
Next week could very well be a bust for us. What I do know is I’ll come home with a head full of new ideas and that in and of itself will make for a successful trip. Any fish caught will be seen as a bonus.
Good luck at it! Hope ya report…. it will add to everything I keep reading here!
If you don’t mind me asking, are you planning on pulling different type of spoons and such, or crank baits? I know this is a bit off topic of the huge fish, but the insight is great, and along with Joel and Jason’s recent writings, really giving me the confidence to change two rods over and give it a try. Ten minutes from my door, and I’ve never done it.
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If you don’t mind me asking, are you planning on pulling different type of spoons and such, or crank baits?
We’ll likely pull a mix of spoons, J plugs and Kwikfish. I’ve just started experimenting with the J plug and the Kwikfish (MAN, do those Kwikfish PULL HARD!) in preparation for the Lake Michigan trip as I’m told they can work well out there for the salmon. So far we’re starting to see good results up on Superior on the lakers as well. But most of our lines will run spoons. If we run any dipseys I’m sure we’ll have flasher and flies on those rods to cover our bases.
Uhhhff!
Nice fish, guys!
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Good luck at it! Hope ya report….
Win, lose or draw, we’ll have something to report.
Love all the info…. thank you again for sharing. Perfect example of why IDO rocks.
Nice Oil Can. It funny how on Superior lakers are sought and Respected and the Salmon are a after thought. Them on Lake Michigan if is reversed. I have had charter capatins that did not even want to net or bring a Laker into their boat. Then again if they caught them this size they may change their minds.
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Nice Oil Can. It funny how on Superior lakers are sought and Respected and the Salmon are a after thought.
Well, not sure about them being respected on Superior. Grant and I get to see way too many big lakers in coolers. Basically any laker over 15# is a dead fish from what we’ve seen despite the fact that 5-8 lb lakers are basically a dime a dozen. There’s very, very little CPR of the larger fish which is very unfortunate in my opinion.
I look forward to your report from Michigan James. I will be heading down to the outlaws over Labor Day weekend and bringing the boat along for the maiden voyage on the big lake. Hopefully get out 4 or 5 times if I can find someone to head out with me.
Bear
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Here’s a super quick video of that fish that I shot with my cell phone. Talk about motivation to go back and try and get one for myself! Grant, how do you sit there smiling with that horseshoe in your keister?!
<!–VIDEO–><iframe width=”525″ height=”394″
src=”//www.youtube.com/embed/n3TM_wHK_h0″ frameborder=”0″
allowfullscreen></iframe> <!–VIDEO–>
Grant will probably tell you that luck had nothing to do with it! Right Grant? 
DIRTBALL2 
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Grant will probably tell you that luck had nothing to do with it! Right Grant?
Using our presentations and method of fishing, hooking the fish required no luck as we have put together one heck of a pattern. Landing the fish required all the luck in the world. Its one thing to hook one, but to land a fish of that size is rare. I bet a few fish like that are hooked every year, but just the chance to get them in the boat is very slim.
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Landing the fish required all the luck in the world. Its one thing to hook one, but to land a fish of that size is rare. I bet a few fish like that are hooked every year, but just the chance to get them in the boat is very slim.
I almost totally agree with that statement Grant. The part I don’t agree with…..how much of a role your skill and experience played in your ability to put that fish in the boat.
Many walleye, bass & pike anglers (probably all) believe in their minds that they would have what it takes to land such a fish. What they don’t realize is that catching a fish this size isn’t a 10 or 20 minute battle. More like a 10 round grudge fest with both participants going all out until one or the other becomes impatient & makes a bad decision or just plains run out of gas.
Quite often, once a person starts to get tired, they also become impatient and make a bad move, like trying to horse a big fish in that final 10 feet.
No question in my mind, your previous experiences catching big Lake Trout on Lake Superior played a huge role in why you and James were able to put that fish in the boat.
I firmly believe the more times a person hooks up with and fights a giant lake trout or king salmon, the better the odds are that they will eventually learn exactly what it takes to actually land the fish.
I would say patience is a key ingredient. Without it, you have no chance.
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