🏞️ Freshwater

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush

The lake trout is the largest char in North America and a prized trophy fish of cold, deep lakes in Canada and the northern United States. Inhabiting some of the most pristine wilderness in North America — from the Great Lakes to the far north — lake trout are a symbol of cold, clean water. Unlike most salmonids, lake trout spend their entire lives in freshwater.

📏
Typical Size
18–36 inches (45–90 cm) typical
⚖️
Weight
3–20 lbs (1.4–9 kg) typical; record over 102 lbs (46 kg)
⏳
Lifespan
20–60+ years
💧
Water Type
Freshwater

🗺️ Habitat

Deep, cold, oligotrophic (low nutrient) lakes in northern North America. Most abundant in Canada and the Great Lakes. Requires cold, well-oxygenated water below 65°F.

🔍 How to Identify Lake Trout

  • 1Grey to greenish body with characteristic light spots on a darker background
  • 2Deeply forked tail — more forked than other char species
  • 3No red or orange spots like brook trout
  • 4Worm-like (vermiculate) markings on back and dorsal fin (like brook trout)
  • 5White leading edges on pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins (like other chars)

🍽️ Diet

Cisco, lake whitefish, smelt, crustaceans, and invertebrates

💡 Fun Facts About Lake Trout

  • ★Lake trout can live over 60 years — one individual from the Northwest Territories was aged at 62 years
  • ★They were nearly extirpated from the Great Lakes by sea lamprey and overfishing in the 20th century
  • ★Great Lakes lake trout restoration has been one of the great success stories of fisheries management
  • ★Lake trout spawn in fall on rocky lake bottoms — the only salmonid to spawn exclusively in lakes
  • ★In the far north, lake trout from remote lakes can exceed 100 lbs

🛡️ Conservation Status

Least Concern overall; Great Lakes populations recovering from near extinction

🔗 Related Species

Brook TroutRainbow Trout

Identify Lake Trout Instantly with AI

Not sure if you found a Lake Trout? Snap a photo with our Fish Identifier app for an instant AI-powered identification.

📱 Download Fish Identifier — Free

Learn more:

How to Identify Fish: A Beginner's GuideMost Common Freshwater Fish in North America← Back to All Fish Species