Lake Trout

freshwater fish · North America · game fish

Many nicknames. Lake trout have so many names that fishermen in different places might not realize they're talking about the same fish. Some call them mackinaw, togue, laker, or namaycush, depending on where the fish live.

Northern water lovers. Lake trout prefer the cold, deep waters of northern lakes in places like the Great Lakes. They thrive where other fish might find it too chilly.

Two kinds of prized catches. People love catching lake trout for two reasons: they're exciting to reel in as game fish, and they taste delicious as food. Some fishermen get so excited about catching them that lake trout are called siscowet or paperbelly in certain lakes.

Dark-colored varieties. Lake trout that have darker coloring are sometimes nicknamed mud hens by fishermen. These darker fish are just a color variation of the same species.