Salmon through the Ice?

[WVBoy]

What is the best set up and method for catching Atlantic landlocked salmon through the ice?Same as trout?

[FRESHBAIT]

DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE, HERE IN MAINE I TEND TO FISH FOR THEM JUST BELOW THE ICE MAYBE 18"-6', NEAR DROPOFFS,  OR NEAR A WEED LINE,  THEY USUALLY WILL BE SWIMMING THROUGH LOOKING FOR A MEAL, FIND BAIT YOU'LL FIND THE FISH.

[FRESHBAIT]

ALSO HERE IN MAINE WE FISH FOR SALMON WITH SMELTS 3-6" RANGE ON TIP UPS MOSTLY,  SHINERS WILL WORK BUT NOT AS WELL AS  SMELTS.  GOOD LUCK

[Pasquatch]

Fairly deep water, usually near rocky cliffs on Lake George, Medium Shiners or Medium Suckers (Smelt are illegal on Lake George) 5-10' under the ice with very small hooks (size 18s). They seem to come through in feeding frenzied schools, you'll get alot of hit and misses, and some double hookups, with long amounts of time in between with nothing. Make sure you get to the flag quickly, they'll spool you in no time! We got three nice ones today, had fun...

[MikeVT]

I definitely agree with Pasquatch - I also fish Lake George and all my catches have been just underneath the ice - size of bait does not seem to matter - when they want to hit they will hit whatever is in front of them.  Was fishing this weekend - standing 10 feet from a tip up when it went off- the fish took 20' of line and dropped it before I could get to it.  Managed to get 2 salmon - had a 20" swallow the #8 treble.   Had 2 hit and runs out of one hole and set up my slammer tip up - hooked and landed a 25" about 5 minutes later.  The slammer definitely helps out with salmon or any fish that tends to run and drop the bait.  Tight Lines!!!

[Pasquatch]

I definitely agree with Pasquatch - I also fish Lake George and all my catches have been just underneath the ice - size of bait does not seem to matter - when they want to hit they will hit whatever is in front of them.  Was fishing this weekend - standing 10 feet from a tip up when it went off- the fish took 20' of line and dropped it before I could get to it.  Managed to get 2 salmon - had a 20" swallow the #8 treble.   Had 2 hit and runs out of one hole and set up my slammer tip up - hooked and landed a 25" about 5 minutes later.  The slammer definitely helps out with salmon or any fish that tends to run and drop the bait.  Tight Lines!!!

Lake George salmon are definately down in numbers, but when you find them, it can be nonstop action

[WVBoy]

Cool guys thanks. I fish Champlain and want to go for lakers and salmon this year.I figure i might give the Northern a days rest one day

[AdkIceman]

Where are some good spots to fish for salmon in Lake George ? WVboy how did you make out for the salmon and trout on Champlain, were u fishing westport or Port Henry?

[Pasquatch]

I don't think there's really any in particular. Out from Hearthstone can be good, and later ice, near stream mouths, over rocks if you can. Salmon population in Lake George is in definate jeopardy in my mind...

[TroutFishingBear]

Salmon population in Lake George is in definate jeopardy in my mind...

I wonder why? Think it's because of all those lakers you guys have

[Pasquatch]

Yeah, probably, lol. It's really a shame though...

[bigredonice]

about the lake george salmon...if the lakers were over competing them, that means that the lakers would be over populated and probably not too healthy...but the lakers are very healthy in LG, and growing rapidly - salmon populations are somewhat cyclical over time, as are the smelt....if a down year for salmon coincided with a down year for smelt, the population numbers of salmon would drop quite a bit - maybe that is what is going on?? I'm just speculating though

[Pasquatch]

I know its not competition, i was kidding, I just think that maybe they were overfished, they've been down for a while. It seems that most everyone  that catches one keeps it, that's not good for a population of fishies...

[kingfshr16]

 I was told by a DEC officer, (i guess this could make sense i really dont think so though, even if its true, no way it would have that big of an effect) that suppossidly the lakers come in and eat the salmon when they are first stocked and that causes such low numbers, personally i dont think so but ya never know.

[Pasquatch]

I know big bass do that to rainbow trout, I believe it fully.

[kingfshr16]

 I know they eat them, but to basically eat a whole stocking of salmon seems kinda crazy, it deffinately does have an effect, but how much?

[AdkIceman]

it really is a shame that the salmon fishery has taking a turn for the worst. I have heard so much about the glory days back in the 80's when salmon fishing was more productive than the lakers. I wonder if that will ever come back. I have heard that the state is thinking about lowering the laker size and allowing more to be kept. I mean jeez they are stocking 34,000 salmon in the lake a year. That has to be increasing the population. Personally i think the lakers are eating them right up since there are so many lakers in the lake which isn't a bad thing by any means it would just be nice with a Lake the size of George to have a second coldwater fish to pursue and salmon are just awesome from lake george. Maybe they should even close salmon fishing for a few years to get the population back up. Everyone keeps a legal salmon, I cant blame them they are so damn good to eat that I will too when I catch a legal one. I dunno my two cents.

~AdkIceman~

[mgarvey]

salmon 90% of the time are caught just under the ice. If you look at their snout it is usually banged up because they are bouncing it of the bottom of the ice trying to find more oxygen. 

[Pasquatch]

Yep, we always catch them right under the ice, back when we used to catch the at all. Its really a shame!