FOSTER ARENDS ???

Do you need a trout stamp to fish there? I know on designated lakes or in possession of trout you need one. Thanks for the help guys

Yes you do need the trout stamp! It is posted on signs at the park stating you need the stamp to keep trout! limit of 3 with only one over 16″

you can fish without as long as you dont target or keep trout!

Correction here.

You CAN fish trout, you cannot possess them without the stamp. Immediate release of trout is required if you have no stamp.

This lake is under special regs beyond what managed trout lakes are. Its always been maintained as a “community put and take” water and originally was structured heavily for handicap access. There has never been any restriction to any kind of fishing other than having to hold a stamp to possess the trout. 3/daily, only one over 16″.

Thanx CT didnt think you could target them without stamp!

I have the endorsement. Just was curious how the lake was classified. I appreciate the input. Have you guys been out there this winter?

Was out their about a mounth ago 1 22 incher 1 20 1 18 1 16 good luck

Like everywhere this winter in this corner of the state, the fishing has been on and off. Ironically though, Foster has had some of the more consistent fishing.

I know it was stocked a while ago and that they are due to get this done again soon.

I’d urge those who do not intent to keep the trout to NOT fish with minnows, especially under a float. The trout that will be hooked will be a tough order to get unhooked in a timely fashion and maybe have a tough time after a release. Use a jigging spoon and a minnow head instead. Or use a smaller jig and a spike or two….waxies are good too.

When I fish there I take a couple jigging spoons in a pocket box along with a few waxies and spikes in a snuff box. A forcepts on a lanyard and I’m set. There are a million holes in the ice and many of them can be kicked open so I rarely take an auger….if its been super cold I will. I don’t scoop the holes to help block light. If minnows seem to be the food of choice I pick up a dead one and snap the head for my jig.

The trout move constantly so a locator is a nuisance and stays home. I drop to the weed tops and work the water between there and the bottom of the ice for two or three minutes and then move on. If there are no weeds under the hole I am at I drop to the bottom and sloow jig the spoon to the bottom of the ice, maybe two times before moving along. I tend to set of a pattern that moves me thru a course of several holes, stopping at each one to jig a bit. I do quite well with this system.

Great cant wait. i will report back….after i put the

I never thought about leaving all that stuff at home….no flasher?? no auger?? Can you ice fish without a flasher??? lol

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I never thought about leaving all that stuff at home….no flasher?? no auger?? Can you ice fish without a flasher??? lol

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When the weather is nice you’ll find tons of holes to kick open. If you feel like hauling equipment, take a spud. That locator will be about useless. Those trout approach and hit faster than you’ll be able to react to what a locator is showing you.

The bottom of the lake is really convoluted, like corragated siding. High spots and low spots very tightly knit together. In one hole you may be in 6 feet of water with weeds on the bottom four feet while a few steps to the side might have you in 15 feet of weedless water. If you see weeds, fish from the tops to the bottom of the ice and don’t be amazed to see hits happen right at the hole under the ice. In the deeper stuff just jig the whole water column. You’ll get trout.

I use either the gold 1/12 ounce Kastmaster with a stripe on orange tape on 1/2 of one side or a Swedish Pimple of the same weight and with the orange tape on a gold lure. One in a while I’ll hang a small Little Cleo in gold/orange on the line and jig it. The panfish sized Jigging Raps in orange over a gold body can be good, but be sure to change out the treble hook for a size larger. Gold and orange…..If I am not using that combination I’ll have on a copper and orange and it makes no difference what I am adding for a bait.

Nate and I use a flasher when fishing for gills and sometimes it will help for trout but alot of times trout will be just a couple feet under the ice so like Tom says the flasher may not help. Waxies work nice for gills and trout have taken them too but minnows work nice for trout if you are using live bait. Please be sure and let us know how you do. Good luck and go get em.
Thanks, Bill

It was cold but the lake was all mine . I only fished 3 hours and caught six. four sunnies and two crappies. The biggest being 9″. funny how few fish it takes (if any) for a great time in the winter. Heading out in the cold for a few hours on saturday and I think I will be bringing the shack.

Its a quick way to get a fishing fix so to speak. People don’t mind ice fishing for only a few hours but when it comes to open water its tougher to get someone out of the boat once they are in it, including me.
Thanks, Bill

very late with this but we did get out that next weekend. it was -15 but with the shack and the heater we were ok. we caught 6 crappies 5 sunnies and a brown and rainbow both chunky 14 inchers. was a blast just wish it wasnt so cold so my son could have come with!