Splake (Salvelinus namaycush x Salvelinus fontinalis)

Body Type & Identification: A sterile hybrid between Brook Trout (male) and Lake Trout (female). Combines physical traits of both parents — the worm-like markings of Brook Trout on the back with the forked tail of Lake Trout (less forked than pure Lake Trout). Grows faster than either parent species. Widely stocked in cold, deep lakes of the Great Lakes region and New England.

Preferred Water Temperature: 48°F–58°F. A cold-water char found in the deep, cold layers of large northern lakes. More accessible to anglers than pure Lake Trout — Splake grow faster and are found at shallower depths in some stocked lakes.

Habitat: Cold, deep lakes of the Great Lakes region, New England, and Canada where stocked. Found in Lake Huron, Lake Superior tributaries, and many inland cold-water lakes. Stocked as a replacement for native Lake Trout in disturbed lake systems — an excellent sport and food fish.

Best Lures: Small spoons jigged near the bottom produce excellent catches through the ice. Small jigs tipped with live minnows work well. Trolling with small spoons and Rapala lures produces fish in open water. Jigging lures near bottom structure in winter is very productive.

Best Baits: Live small minnows are the top bait. Minnow heads on small jigs work through the ice. Small whole smelt produce results. Salmon eggs are effective in rivers. Ice fishing with tip-ups baited with live minnows produces fish in deep, cold lakes.

Top 5 Destinations: Lake Huron MI, Algonquin Park Canada, Adirondack lakes NY, Northern Maine lakes, Isle Royale National Park MI.