Fish ID
Mackinaw (Lake Trout)
Char that lives in deep, cold lakes. Slow growing and long lived; big fish can be decades old.
Key ID marks
- Light cream spots on gray-green
- Deeply forked tail
- No pink or red spots
Mouth ID
Large mouth lined with sharp teeth — handle with care.
Typical size
4–15 lb; trophies over 30 lb
Best season
Year-round; best spring and fall
Where
Lake Tahoe, Donner, Caples, Stampede, Union Valley
Look-alikes
Brown trout (dark spots), rainbow.