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Splake

Splake

Splake are a hybrid fish created by crossing brook trout (male) with lake trout (female), first stocked in Michigan waters starting in 1971.

These hybrids combine characteristics of both parent species, with variations in caudal fin shape, coloration, and patterns - some resembling lake trout with more forked tails and vermiculation, others looking more like brook trout with squarer tails and orange bellies.

Physical Characteristics:
  • Variations in caudal fin shape, coloration, and patterns - some resembling lake trout with more forked tails and vermiculation, others looking more like brook trout with squarer tails and orange bellies.
  • They can be definitively identified by counting pyloric caeca projections (65-85 for splake, compared to 23-55 for brook trout and 93+ for lake trout).
  • Splake exhibit rapid growth rates, typically reaching 18 inches by two years of age and can grow significantly larger than brook trout, with specimens reaching 20+ pounds.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • They're distributed throughout Michigan's Great Lakes waters and various inland lakes.
  • Splake prefer cold water habitats around structures near shorelines in the Great Lakes, moving to surface waters in spring and fall, and seeking deeper water (below 60°F) during summer.

Key Locations

  • Lake Superior (particularly Copper Harbor), Lake Huron (especially around Hessel), and numerous inland waters like Avalon Lake, Little Shag Lake, Sporley Lake, and Clear Lake.
  • Copper Harbor in Lake Superior, Hessel area in Lake Huron where Master Angler-sized fish (25+ inches) are regularly caught, and various inland trout lakes throughout northern Michigan.

Specific Spots

  • Target areas around structure, rocky reefs, river mouths, and drop-offs.

Splake FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Splake in Michigan?

Minnow baits like Rapalas (particularly Eskos), Thundersticks, swimbaits, and spoons. Jigging Rapalas. Live bait includes minnows, spawn (natural or artificial), and worms.

What flies work for Splake in Michigan?

Streamers, particularly larger patterns at night, and traditional nymphs and dry flies during hatches.

When is the best time to fish for Splake in Michigan?

Late fall (October-November) when they move into shallower areas for spawning behavior, and through ice fishing in winter. Spring fishing can be productive just after ice-out when splake are in shallow water, before they retreat to deeper, cooler water as temperatures rise above 60°F.

How do you catch Splake in Michigan?

For Great Lakes fishing, try trolling with minnow baits. Jigging Rapalas work well, especially through ice or when fish are concentrated in deeper water. For inland lakes, jigging minnows is highly effective year-round.

What do Splake eat?

Their diet includes aquatic insects, crayfish, leeches, fish, and they may feed on fish e.g.gs.

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