Lake Trout Fishing in Minnesota
Found in Minnesota’s deepest, coldest lakes — primarily in the Boundary Waters, Lake Superior, and a few deep Arrowhead lakes.
Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
Found in Minnesota's deepest, coldest lakes — primarily in the Boundary Waters, Lake Superior, and a few deep Arrowhead lakes.
Size Limit
Varies by water
Daily Bag
3 (inland), varies on Superior
Season
Year-round on most waters
State Record
43 lb 8 oz
Lake Superior (1955)
Best Months to Fish
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
What to Use
Live Bait & Natural
CiscoSmeltLarge minnows
Lures & Artificials
Trolling spoonsJigging spoonsTube jigsAirplane jigs
Minnesota Lakes with Lake Trout
97 lakes in our directory have lake trout — sorted by size.
Lac la Croix
St. Louis County
29,596.66 acres
Namakan
St. Louis County
24,066.28 acres
Saganaga
NOT IN MN County
18,766.52 acres
Trout
St. Louis County
7,425.4 acres
Burntside
St. Louis County
7,313.87 acres
Knife
Lake County
4,919.46 acres
Snowbank
Lake County
4,654.83 acres
Gunflint
Cook County
4,009.12 acres
Sea Gull
Cook County
3,957.72 acres
North
Cook County
2,349.26 acres
Pine
Cook County
2,122.26 acres
Greenwood
Cook County
2,042.66 acres
Regulation Notes
Strict slot limits on some BWCA lakes.
More Minnesota Fish Species
Plan Your Lake Trout Trip
Find lakes, guides, and bait shops for your next lake trout fishing trip in Minnesota.
Explore Lakes Find a Guide Bait & TackleRegulations shown are statewide defaults. Some waters have special regulations — always check the current Minnesota DNR regulations before fishing. A Minnesota fishing license is required for ages 16+.