Gerrard Trout

The Gerrard Rainbow Trout is native to the West Kootenay and is the largest rainbow trout in the world.  The fish is named after the ghost town of Gerrard situated on the south end of Trout Lake just east of upper Arrow Lake where they spawn in a short 300-m section of the Lardeau River.

Gerrard and bull trout are both monsters of the Arrow and Kootenay Lakes, but the Gerrard is a true trout, whereas the bull trout is actually a char.  Both species feed on kokanee to attain their massive size, but the rainbow spawns in spring and the char in the fall.

Trophy Gerrards that tip the scales at 14 kg (30 pounds) are now rare, but many between 3 and 5 kg (6-11 pounds) are still caught on the Arrow Lakes along with a few up to 9 kg (20 pounds). The world record holder was a 23.6 kg (52 pound) leviathan taken from Jewel Lake near Greenwood BC in the 1930’s.

Like most trout, Gerrard are opportunistic feeders that will eat whatever is available including small crustaceans as well as terrestrial and aquatic insects, but their diet of choice is protein rich kokanee salmon.  When kokanee stocks are low the Gerrard adapt their diet and do not grow to the same grandiose proportions as when kokanee are plentiful.

Gerrard fishing is best in the fall months. Many local anglers favor catching these massive trout on flies for the intense action.  The most popular methods are trolling polar bear or bucktail flies on the surface at 3 mph or more. Apex, Lyman, Tomic and other plugs, spoons and lures that imitate kokanee are also popular.

In the winter slow your trolling speed down to less than 3 mph.  In the summer go 100-230 feet deep for the big Gerrards with a flasher and a hootchie, or a dodger with leader and fly.