People who fish in the northern United States and Canada love salmon because they can’t be caught in water. A landlocked salmon is not as big or widespread as its Atlantic cousins that migrate to the ocean, but landlocked salmon put up a great fight on light tackle and are fun to catch. This complete guide will teach you everything you need to know to catch these fierce freshwater fish.
What are Landlocked Salmon?
Landlocked salmon are a form of Atlantic salmon that spend their entire life cycle in freshwater lakes and rivers unlike Atlantic salmon that migrate to the ocean. They occur naturally in some watersheds but have also been widely introduced outside their native range.
While they don’t grow as large as sea-run Atlantic salmon, reaching a maximum size of around 5-10 pounds landlocked salmon are aggressive fighters and share the same torpedo-shaped body and spotted silvery coloration. They feast on smelt small fish, and crustaceans in lakes before heading up tributary rivers and streams to spawn in the fall.
Best Landlocked Salmon Fishing Locations
Some top spots to target landlocked salmon include:
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Northeast U. S. – Lakes like Moosehead, Winnipesaukee, Champlain, Cayuga, and Curwensville in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania are great places to fish for landlocked salmon.
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Great Lakes Region – Lakes Huron, Michigan, Superior, and Ontario hold good numbers of stocked landlocked salmon.
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Canada: People are doing very well in Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia.
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Western U.S. – Scattered fisheries exist in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
Prime Seasons and Conditions
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Spring – From ice-out through June, landlocked salmon are near the surface feeding heavily on smelt and other baitfish spawning runs. Excellent time to fish.
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Summer – Action slows down as salmon move to deeper, colder water but some can still be caught trolling deep running lures.
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Fall – Landlocks make their spawning run from September through November, becoming aggressive in tributaries and stream mouths.
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Low light periods like early morning and evenings are best since salmon are actively feeding.
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Overcast days are preferable to bright sun which pushes landlocks deeper.
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Windy conditions that stir up nutrients and baitfish also improve fishing.
Landlocked Salmon Fishing Tackle and Gear
Having the right rod, reel, line and lures tuned for landlocked salmon will increase your success:
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Rods – A 6-7′ medium or medium-heavy power fast action spinning rod paired with a smooth reel.
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Line – 10-20 lb. braided line offers strength and sensitivity for feeling bites. Add a 4-8′ fluorocarbon leader.
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Baits – Whole freshwater smelts, shiners, and small suckers are top live baits. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and cut bait work too.
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Lures – Spinners, spoons, crankbaits, and streamers in silver or bright colored patterns.
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Terminal – Strong snap swivels, barrel swivels, hooks, and leaders from 6-15 lbs. test.
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Boat Gear – Downriggers, dipsey divers, lead core line, and planer boards useful when trolling.
Proven Techniques for Catching Landlocked Salmon
Here are the most effective fishing methods to target landlocked salmon:
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Casting Lures – Work lures like spinners, spoons, crankbaits, and jerkbaits covering structure.
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Trolling – Pull plugs, spoons, spinners, and bait at 1-4 mph to find suspended salmon.
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Drift Fishing – Use a drift boat or anchor, letting bait float naturally in current.
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Bottom Bouncing – Bounce bait rigs with weight off the bottom in rivers and channels.
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Fly Fishing – Cast streamers, wet flies, and egg patterns around structure and current seams.
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Jigging – Vertically jig spoon and blade baits or bucktail jigs in open water.
Locating High Percentage Landlocked Salmon Spots
Focus fishing efforts on areas where landlocked salmon will congregate:
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River mouths and incoming tributaries.
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Underwater points, shoals, and dropoffs.
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Weedlines, structure, and rock piles.
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Creek inlets and shallow bays.
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Near smelt or baitfish spawning areas.
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Over channels, holes, and pools with current flow.
Also watch your fish finder for baitfish schools and suspended predator fish which are likely salmon.
5 Expert Tips for More Landlocked Salmon
Apply these advanced tactics to hook more of these hard-fighting fish:
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Add scents like anise, shrimp, or krill to your bait and lures.
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When trolling or casting, vary your speeds to trigger reaction strikes.
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Use a flasher or dodger ahead of lures and bait to attract salmon.
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Target the thermocline depth where warm and cold water meet.
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Fish early and late in low light when salmon are most active.
How to Cook and Prepare Your Catch
While smaller than Atlantic salmon, landlocked salmon still offer sweet, tender, and flavorful orange-pink fillets that make fantastic tablefare. They excel when prepared:
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Baked, broiled, or grilled simply with lemon and herbs or teriyaki.
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Smoked using alder, apple, or cherry wood for delicious flavor.
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In chowders, fish tacos, sushi, and salmon patties.
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Canned or pickled salmon fillets stay preserved and ready to eat.
Landlocked salmon are a world-class light tackle gamefish that requires persistence and skill to catch, making each one landed that much more rewarding. Follow these tips to learn the methods, gear, and locations needed to successfully fish for landlocked salmon in lakes and rivers near you.
Step 2: Get Access
You need to find a way to get to the place where you want to fish, whether you want to wade in, fish from the shore, or use a boat. I will retouch on what you will need to fish these different ways later.
Step 1: Do Your Homework.
You need to know what lakes in your area have landlocked salmon. To do this, check out the website for your local Fish and Game. It will usually have information on which lakes have salmon, both wild and stocked. You could also talk to local guides and other fishermen about where to fish.
10 TIPS ON HOW TO CATCH LANDLOCKED SALMON // Aziscohos Lake (Rangeley Lake Area)
FAQ
What lures are good for landlocked Atlantic salmon?
What lb test for landlocked salmon?
What are the best flies for landlocked salmon?
How to catch landlocked chinook?
How do you catch landlocked salmon?
Landlocked salmon can be caught on various lures and baits from both shore and boat. These include flies, streamers, spoons, crankbaits, inline spinners, and salmon plugs. Many anglers prefer the good old fly rod when fishing tributaries, while others stick to spin fishing for landlocked salmon.
Where can I find landlocked salmon?
The best places to find landlocked salmon are in long, slow runs where the river current is traveling about the same speed as a fast walk. The tails of slow pools just upstream of faster moving water are also great spots to toss a line. Salmon will hold in these spots looking to ambush baitfish as they travel upstream.
How to fly fish for landlocked salmon?
When fly fishing for landlocked salmon, you’re going to want to use a 5 or 6-weight rod. Some will use a spey rod, but that’s not necessary for landlocked salmon. In terms of techniques, don’t doubt the productivity of swinging or dead drifting your patterns. Find the slack water if you’re pursuing these fish.
Where can you catch a landlocked atlantic salmon?
Lobstick Lake in Newfoundland, Canada holds the provincial record of 22 pounds. This is impressively large for a landlocked Atlantic salmon! You can fish this lake yourself or hire a guide to put you on a few of them. Newfoundland itself has dozens and dozens of lakes with these fish. Lure fishing is going catch salmon.