pmmpete:
I made the switch from ice fishing to kayak fishing today by going jigging for lake trout on Flathead Lake. The water temperature was 35 degrees, and there was very little wind, which made it easier to jig. We each got 5 lake trout. My biggest lake trout were 35" and 30." Mack Days is in progress, and the guy I was with, Mark McMillan, caught a tagged lake trout worth $100. That paid for his gas!
rogerdodger:
those are some beauties from a beautiful location.
MurseStrong:
Pmmpete, how will you prepare or eat that monster mack?
Trident 13:
That would make a lot of MacSushi, lol. Hoping some might make the smoker, eager to hear how that portion comes out.
pmmpete:
--- Quote from: MurseStrong on April 16, 2018, 09:02:34 AM ---Pmmpete, how will you prepare or eat that monster mack?
--- End quote --- I won't. Because lake trout and other piscavores concentrate toxins from further down the food chain, the Montana Sport Fish Consumption Guidelines recommend that men not eat lake trout from Flathead Lake which are 30 inches or bigger, and that women and children not eat lake trout from Flathead Lake which are 26 inches or bigger. The guidelines are available at http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwjw5oWpqL_aAhXHhVQKHSQ6CIAQFgg0MAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffwp.mt.gov%2FfwpDoc.html%3Fid%3D28187&usg=AOvVaw1injDd45O-vQBizJwkktNT . As a result, I turned in the big fish to the Mack Days organizers, and I took several of the smaller fish which my friend caught instead.
But other than the size issue, lake trout from Flathead Lake and other lakes in Montana are great cooked, and they're great smoked. They can be cooked with any salmon recipe. I'm smoking this particular batch of lake trout.
--- Quote from: Trident 13 on April 16, 2018, 10:03:52 AM ---That would make a lot of MacSushi, lol. Hoping some might make the smoker, eager to hear how that portion comes out.
I'll post some pictures of the smoked lake trout.
--- End quote ---
In some lakes which have a lot of kokanee, such as Odell Lake, the lake trout get very oily. That isn't a problem in Flathead Lake, because the Macks have eaten all the kokanee.