Exploring the Depths: A Deep Water Fishing Adventure at Cag Lake Lodge
Fishing deep water is a concept that varies dramatically depending on where you’re wetting a line. For a saltwater angler, 200 feet might not raise an eyebrow. But in the Midwest, deep might mean anything beyond 10 feet, especially on stained natural lakes. And even then—what exactly is deep? Are we talking depth to bottom, or distance off the bottom where the fish are suspended? Twenty feet may sound deep to some, but it’s barely the length of a boat. To fish, it’s just a few strong kicks.
James and Nick Lindner take us on a deep water expedition at Lundberg’s Cag Lake Lodge in Ontario’s Sunset Country. Their mission? To explore the underappreciated world of fishing deep ditches, offshore structures, and basin edges for multiple species—walleyes, northern pike, and trophy lake trout. With plenty of structure, forage, and opportunity, Cag Lake promises to deliver a clinic on productive deep water techniques.
Welcome to Cag Lake Lodge
Cag Lake is a sprawling, deep Canadian Shield lake with over 140 feet of depth in spots, providing the perfect habitat for lake trout. With plentiful reefs, islands, and underwater humps, the lake offers diverse structure ideal for multi-species fishing. The lodge itself is well-equipped to host anglers, offering five comfortable cabins with modern amenities, multiple meal plans, and access to 16 remote outpost camps with nearly 60 years of fly-in service history.
Camp manager Steve Clark greeted the team upon arrival and gave a quick lay of the land. One key location was a renowned lake trout hole, where the sonar quickly lit up with dense bait clouds and promising “hooks” on the screen—signs of predatory fish stacked in the column.
Early Success with Vertical Jigging
James and Nick wasted no time getting lines in the water. Using a classic fire tiger-colored Jigging Rap, they targeted fish they could see directly under the boat. This was not blind fishing—this was real-time sight fishing, guided by electronics. Almost immediately, a solid strike confirmed the strategy.
A beautiful lake trout broke the surface. The fight reminded James just how strong these fish are, especially when using walleye-class gear. After a quick photo and gentle release, it was time to get back at it.
Vertical jigging is extremely efficient in this scenario. Whether it’s a Jigging Rap or a soft plastic on a jig head, the key is getting the bait down quickly and precisely to the depth of active fish. Fish that are riding higher in the column—those 25 feet down rather than glued to bottom—tend to be in feeding mode. These are the fish to target.
Understanding Fish Movements in Deep Water
Cag Lake spans nearly 20,000 acres, and fish don’t stay put. Steve explained how fish migrate from shallow water spawning zones near creek inlets and main lake points in early season toward deeper water basins as summer progresses. By early August, when the Lindners visited, most of the action had shifted to the lake’s west side where a deep ditch system runs along the edge.
This trench-like structure is a magnet for all species. Lake trout hold in the deeper parts of the basin, while pike and walleyes use the surrounding ledges and secondary breaks. It’s a rich convergence zone filled with forage—and fish.
James and Nick focused on spotting fish on their electronics, then using lightweight jigs like a 3/8 oz VMC Moon Eye Jig paired with a Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow to make precise vertical presentations. Even when fish weren’t hugging bottom, they were still catchable—especially when found hovering over deep water at consistent depth zones (often 18 to 25 feet down).
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Patterns for Big Fish: Suspended Bites and Deep-Water Forage
Back on the water at Cag Lake, James and Nick continued dissecting patterns for targeting big fish. One particularly effective approach involved locating fish that were suspended over deep water—not necessarily relating to the bottom but often hanging out at the same depths they would be near shore. This behavior is often tied to deep-water forage such as ciscoes and tulibees. These oily baitfish are a staple for the largest predators in the lake—trophy lake trout, oversized walleyes, and giant northern pike.
This suspended bite is especially exciting because of how visual and targeted it can be. With good electronics, anglers can pinpoint these fish mid-column, drive directly over them, and drop baits right to the appropriate depth—often in real time. As James noted, when you see a pod of fish and drop down to them, the action can be instantaneous.
Gear and Presentations for Deep Success
One of the most productive baits for this style of fishing was the tried-and-true Jigging Rap. Its ability to drop quickly and dart erratically makes it deadly in deeper water. Soft plastics paired with Moon Eye jigs also proved extremely effective, especially when matched to the right weight to get to the fish fast without overpowering the presentation. Though it might be tempting to use oversized gear, especially given the size of the predators being targeted, many of the fish were feeding on relatively small forage, making finesse a wise choice.
Despite using lighter spinning tackle, the lake trout were an absolute workout. Even mid-sized fish put up an impressive fight. It was clear that the real fun would begin when the giants showed up.
The Power of Electronics: Mapping the Uncharted
Perhaps the single most important tool for success on a trip like this was their portable sonar unit—a Humminbird Helix 7 equipped with AutoChart Live. Because Cag Lake isn’t thoroughly charted, this functionality was crucial. On the first day, Steve Clark helped the team drop GPS waypoints on productive spots, but the real game-changer was building custom maps on the fly.
As they trolled or drifted across the lake, the AutoChart Live feature created detailed one-foot contour maps. Over time, this allowed James and Nick to navigate confidently and return to specific structures that held fish. It also gave them real-time insight into the lake’s underwater geography, uncovering hidden humps, deep trenches, and subtle shelves—all prime fish-holding locations.
Fine-Tuning the Vertical Approach
Another key to success was how they presented baits. Instead of dropping directly on the fish, they often stopped the bait several feet above them. This triggered fish to rise and strike—a far more reliable reaction than placing the lure at eye level or below. In most cases, fish that rise to eat are actively feeding and more likely to be caught.
While some anglers might jig aggressively, James and Nick often employed a more subtle technique—holding the bait relatively still or gently pumping it in place above marked fish. This finesse presentation often made the difference, especially with lake trout that can be finicky at times.
When it came to boat control, they alternated between drifting and slow back trolling with the trolling motor depending on wind conditions. As the electronics lit up with suspended marks, they simply dropped down and got bit.
A Multi-Species Playground
Cag Lake isn’t just a trout destination. Throughout the day, they interspersed their efforts between lake trout, pike, and walleyes. For anglers who enjoy mixing things up, this is a perfect location. It offers not just diversity, but the real possibility of encountering a true trophy from any of the three species on a single trip.
As the day progressed, the action didn’t slow. Nick soon connected with another giant—this one a “gorilla” that peeled drag and required some coordination to land. The excitement in the boat was palpable as they brought the beautiful trout to the surface, admired it, and returned it safely to the depths.
