Lake Trout Techniques

[Mr._Mack]

What are some Lake Trout techniques you guys use?
In Colo. we usually tip a tube jig with some sucker meat and jig it near the bottom.

[Russellman]

Sounds similar to what is done in southern Maine.  From traps (tip ups elsewhere), we put a hunk of dead bait (sucker or chub)& let it sit on bottom.  For jigging, big 1-2 oz jigs (Swedish pimples or Mooselook wobblers) tipped with a hunk of meat (same dead sucker hunk).  Lots of guys move around a lot with power auger & sonar until they find a pod of fish & then the action starts up.  

No ice in southern ME at all.  It's been 50-60°F for over a week.  Finally, last night the weather turned cold & we'll see some sub-freezing nights.  We need a bunch of them if we're going to get out there on 01Jan !!  Think cold clear nights & windless days.

[LoneWolf]

On Schroon Lake(NY)I usually do well with airplane jigs tipped with smelt(forage fish).I also did well with the NilsMaster Shad(the fatter outline).Most of the Lake Trout are caught on tip-ups I would have to say.Hope this helps,
                              Doug >))))>

[Unky_Mer]

It's the same basic approach we use in Wisconsin and Michigan's U.P. The only exception would be on inland lakes like Big Green Lake in Wisconsin, where livebait is against the regulations below 50'. There is it strictly jigging spoons, tipped with some form of meat, usually jigging spoons or jig/tube combinations.

[Grnmtn]

Hey Unky Mur... My whole family is from Green Lake. I live in VT now but my Dad used to guide there a long time ago with Bud Norton.

[Baxman]

Hey Grnmtn  -- My mother-in-law is also from Green Lake and used to babysit for the Norton's.
Every winter (providing there's ice), my brothers and I rent a shanty from Mike Norton and fish Lakers on Big Green.  It's a gas -- the shanties are huge, they get the woodburner stoked up, Mike supplies equipment and bait, and we've caught fish nearly every trip.

[Dave Bryant]

Its great to see all the Lake Trout fisherman. I have designed all of the jigs and Lake Trout products for Strikeon Lures. We have added a new twist to the Lakers diet. I have developed some similar new paterns for fishing these big guys through the ice. Feel free to email [email protected]  

[Hard_H2O]

Tubes are the ticket when we chase lakers in Ontario. We use different scent and salt impregnated tubes. White, pepper flake, pearl tubes work best. Insert a 1/4 oz jig and you are set.

We spool up with 8 lb Trilene XT and add a swivel and a flurocarbon leader.

Were we go barbless hooks are required so long limber rods help keep the hook in the fish.

[bigredonice]

Out on otsego lake, big spoons are used, as are tip ups tipped with big emerald shiners.  most of the action occurs withing 3 feet of the bottom, in about 90 feet of water.

[deadsmelthead]

i know alot of guts go right off the bottom or pretty close to it in deep water.i do the total opposite and have done very well, shallow water 5-15ft deep 1-3ft under the ice,these fish love smelt dead or alive,and usually can't refuse a live mudler minow.

[bluecaddisfly]

Tubes work here in NH down to about 40', depending on the water. Sometimes the waters are a bit cloudy or just dark because snow cover, then we switch to Swedish Pimples with cut bait, more flash to atract them.

[NAD42]

We jig up lots of lakers on lake george and easily blow away the tip-up fishermen...not to say we don't take a few on tip-ups but no where near the amount we take jigging. Swedish pimples up to size 9 usually do the trick, along with the right presentation, of course. Just ask Terry M. He is the Master.

[trapperdirk]

Here where I fish in Ontario we use mostly simcoe shiners for bait.We are only allowed two lines.I put one anywhere from 5-12 ft under the ice,the other on bottom. I have found though that jigging with a williams whitefish spoon or a white tube jig works best of all.Then hang on

[Smelt1]

Up here on Winni in NH we use a 3/4 oz. bucktail jig tied with yellow & red buctail like a mickey finn.We use a piece of sucker cut like a pork trailer.We'll find a hump in the lake that comes out of deep water 80'+ and bounce the jig off the bottom.Its like ringing the dinner bell.

[GEEMAN]

What size/type line do you guys use in waters where a guy can tie into #30 + Lakers ?
Best luck I've had has been on Berkly Power tubes and blue/silver Little Cleos with a strip of belly meat off a Cisco/Sucker etc.
I've been using 3/8 oz tube jig heads with a rattle chamber molded into em. On days the fish hit short I've added a stinger using a short #27 test steel leader. #27 is a bit over kill but I thread it through the body of the tube and out the back. The stiffness of the wire keeps the trailing hook well hidden in amongst the trailing skirt. Works great when the Trout are in chase mode and just nippng your lure.

Any of you Green Lake ( WI ) fishermen got any tips on Big Green ?
I hav'nt fished there in mnay years and want to give it a go this winter !
Thanks for any advice !

[Skyman]

Here in Ontario's Haliburton Highlands two methods are used; jigging and set lines under a tip-up.  Most lake trout are caught within a couple of feet from the lake's bottom.  Because it is winter though there is no thermocline and the lakers could be at any depth.  I'll typically work 35' to 65' deep bottoms with 55' being my most consistant.  As the season goes on the lakers will suspend more.  By the end of March we are catching lunkers right under the ice.

In my area on most lakes you are allowed 4 hook points per line.  This could be one treble and a single or four singles.  I'll quite often run minnows at four different depths off of the same line.  I use bearpaws to attach snells as droper lines off of my main line.  I'll set one a few inches off of bottom, one about 10' above it, one in the middle and one 3' below the ice.

When jigging I prefer a William's Wabler or Whitefish in half & half, either hammered or plain and 3 to 5 inches long tipped with a smelt or simcoe shiner.  Long sweeping upward jigs with a slow free fall triggers the lakers.  They will usually hit on the fall.

Check out my homepage for a lot of ice fishing stuff.  http://www3.sympatico.ca/sconnell/Index.html

[Barleydog]

Nice Website Skyman!  Good to see some Canadian made fish

[mooseslayer]

IN N.MAINE WE FISH BOTH DEEP AND SHALLOW DEPENDS ON THE LAKE AND WHAT TIME OF THE SEASON IT IS. UNDER 20FT. I SET 2FT. UNDER THE ICE. DEEPER THAN THAT5- 10FT. OFF BOTTOM. USE 50 LB DACRON OR NYLON W/15LB. LEADER. SZ.2 OCTOPUSS HOOK W/8OR9IN. SMELT OR SUCKER.DOWN SIZE ONE HOOK SZ. AND THE BAIT IF FISH GENERALLY RUN SMALLER THAN 6LBS.I LANDED A 23LB. LAKER 2YRS. AGO ON THAT RIG.  IT WONT FAIL YOU.GOOD LUCK!

[TroutFishingBear]

I am also from Colorado, and I also use the three inch tubes with sucker meat. But something that works better than sucker meat is a teeny dead minnow hooked through the dorsal fin. ( Minnow can be sucker )
Also if the fish are really picky I use just the teeny sucker hooked through the dorsal fin with minimal weight.
On a stationary tip-up, I like to have a larger, 4 inch sucker or minnow.
On a wind tip-up, I like to have a shiny castmaster on a foot above and a small minnow hooked through the dorsal fin below. ( bottom )
If The fish are very aggresive I use an airplane jig with a chunk of sucker meat.
Always remember to use light weight so the lakers dont feel the pressure because they hit slow and extremely, extremely light.
Here it is without all of the text:
For normal- Use jig with small minnowhooked through dorsal fin. (2 inch)
For passive- Use just small minnow
For Aggresive- Use airplane jig and sucker chunk
Do all of these things and use tip-ups accordingly and you should catch fish in all situations.