Anyone who spends some time fishing for Lakers through the ice knows that if you frequent the same spot day after day your results will vary like the weather. Some days you may catch 1-5 lakers out of the same hole and then go 4-5 days without seeing fish at all. Mobility on the ice is often the key to success, but moving around won’t do much good if you are fishing the wrong depths, working structure the trout aren’t using, or using the wrong presentation!
So how do you find out where the fish are going to be and what you should use to get them? The first step is simple, ask questions! Start with local bait shops and find out what colors, patterns, and sizes people are using when they are successful! Browse local guide and outfitter websites and Facebook pages for recent pictures and see what is hanging out of a fish’s mouth. Ask around for what depth people are recently catching fish in. Be social with other anglers you meet on the lake. Many anglers will gladly mention if they were marking fish and what they are using to get their attention. Nobody wants someone coming up and fishing in their spot, so spend some time looking at lake charts to familiarize yourself with the layout of the lake. When you approach someone, assure them that you aren’t planning on setting up shop next to them, but rather just checking in to see how they are doing and what depth they are marking fish in. Lake Trout aren’t a spot on the spot type of fish, but they do tend to stick to similar depths across the lake. If someone is marking a lot of fish on a gradual sloping inside turn in 45 feet of water, revert to your charts and find an empty inside turn and set up in 45 feet of water. If you get away from other anglers and find similar structure to where they are finding fish, you will likely be more successful than if you try to set up near another group.
Now that you found your spot it’s time to get to work. Before you got to the lake, hopefully you already found out what baits and sizes were working best. Set your tip up shallower or deeper than you intend to be jigging to let you know if any fish are in different depths. If people are catching fish in 30-45 feet, start with a tip up in 30 foot and jig in 45. Once you start marking fish, take a minute to move your tip up into that range and get back to work! More importantly than anything else, make sure you have a healthy heart! Lake Trout can really get your heart pumping whether they bite or not. Be prepared for the excitement and be able to focus through it. Observe the trout’s reactions and compensate for a change in their attitude. Constantly check your drag throughout the day and avoid horsing the fish once it reaches the hole. There is nothing that compares to catching lake trout through the ice. If you’re interested in targetting the king of fresh water please feel free to message me any time. There is still plenty for me to learn, but there is plenty for me to share as well! Here are some photos of a few client’s fish from this weekend!
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