The flesh may be white, pink, orange or orange-red, the color being influenced by the diet. Anglers catch this species in surface waters very early in the spring by fly or spin fishing. As the surface waters warm up, these fish retire to deep water. Anglers who seek this fish during the summer months must use long lines and heavy lures to fish in the deep waters. Commercial fishermen catch lake trout winter and summer using gillnets.
Largest production comes from the lakes of northern Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.
Lake Trout are solitary and do not school or congregate except during spawning season. Lake Trout do not build beds but simply scatters eggs among the rocks. Males do not defend territories, unlike males of other species of trout and salmon. Lake Trout grow very slowly, and often don't mature until they are 8-10 years of age. Because of this late age of spawning, heavy fishing pressure can seriously deplete lake trout populations.