Lake Trout and Burbot Ice Fishing Trip

[Bushwhack Jack]

I just got back from a nice ice fishing trip for lake trout and burbot.  We had a real nice time.  Nice weather and fishing was decent.  We got some burbot and lake trout.  The burbot were delicious.  One burbot was about 6 or 7 lbs.  We released all the lakers.  The lakers were very picky and lethargic.  I was marking fishing on my sonar, but they weren't real interested in our lures.  We used tube jigs, airplane jigs, and spoons, but bites were very sporadic and few and far between.  Any ideas what might work well for the lakers?  I was thinking maybe they were focused on red salmon smolt.  Not sure what ice fishing lure looks most like red salmon smolt.  Here are some pictures of our trip.

http://imgur.com/a/OqMnv

[Akhardwater]

It's possible you weren't marking lakers at all but probably whitefish.  It's very rare that I have a laker come in and not take a swipe at my jig.  Even if they are acting lethargic they will generally nose the jig at least once and they always hit the dead stick.  The lakers you did catch did you mark them first or was it a fast strike with no warning.  90% of the Lakers I catch never show up on the fish finder they come in out of nowhere and slam my jig.   Nice fish by the way once that laker blood gets in your veins it's hard to fish for anything else.

[Bushwhack Jack]

Well, that might be a possibility.  But sometimes the fish would show up on the sonar and nibble the bait but not take it.  Only once in a blue moon they would take the lure/bait.  I also was marking lots of little fish on my sonar very close to the surface.  I was thinking maybe it was salmon smolt.  But I know there are whitefish so it is possible I was marking whitefish.  The readings I was getting looked like bigger fish because I would get a really strong red or yellow signal.  Thanks for your advice.  I agree with you that it is surprising that they didn't just come in and slam the lures.  That is what I was anticipating.  I was just guessing that I was using the wrong lures and they weren't very interested.

[Super-ice-bird]

Good job, that's a big ol ling!

[AKicefish]

Nice fish Bushwackjack! 

[Fishgod]

Cured salmon eggs work well for picky lakers.

[Drew65]

Hello Bushwack Jack,
do you or does anyone else mind sharing a good road system accessible Burbot location? I live in Palmer and am looking for a spot to catch a few burbot with my father and son.

Kind thanks for any information you can share.

Drew65

[Akhardwater]

Big lake has a crap load of burbot in it right now.  Long lake up on the Glenn also has burbot.

[Bushwhack Jack]

Hello Bushwack Jack,
do you or does anyone else mind sharing a good road system accessible Burbot location? I live in Palmer and am looking for a spot to catch a few burbot with my father and son.

Kind thanks for any information you can share.

Drew65

I've done pretty decent fishing the mouths of the Parks Highway streams where they dump into the Big Su.  You can run set lines for them overnight.  But AKhardwater would know better than me.  I'm a rookie compared to him.

[Bushwhack Jack]

Big lake has a crap load of burbot in it right now.  Long lake up on the Glenn also has burbot.

AKhardwater I would love to go fishing with you some time at Big Lake.  I have fished there a few times but I am not real familiar with the lake.  I would love to tag along with you sometime and learn the ropes.

[Akhardwater]

I'm still learning the lake myself, I only just started fishing it for the tournament.  I'm going tomorrow for another scouting trip if you can make it.  I don't know what it is but those burbot seem to follow me everywhere, maybe I smell funny or something. 

[Bushwhack Jack]

I'm still learning the lake myself, I only just started fishing it for the tournament.  I'm going tomorrow for another scouting trip if you can make it.  I don't know what it is but those burbot seem to follow me everywhere, maybe I smell funny or something.

That's funny.  Sounds like a great problem to have.  I would love to go but I have to work.  Thanks for the invite.

[Drifter_016]

I'm still learning the lake myself, I only just started fishing it for the tournament.  I'm going tomorrow for another scouting trip if you can make it.  I don't know what it is but those burbot seem to follow me everywhere, maybe I smell funny or something.

You been fondling whitefish again?   

[Akhardwater]

What I do in the privacy of my own home is no body else's business.  And yes I have. 

[Drifter_016]

What I do in the privacy of my own home is no body else's business.  And yes I have. 

 

[jkw]

What I do in the privacy of my own home is no body else's business.  And yes I have. 

This guy and his pre fish rituals...... ya don't wanna know.... but whatever it is it works.