Baits?

[Hood]

What baits do you guys out west use for lakers? Are there any local lure companies that provide standby lures?

[auger in]

Things have changed over the years.  When I arived in UT from NY over 20 years ago the standard was to pull huge flat-fish with heavy sinkers on gear that could be considered ocean.
 
As electronics have improved most now jig with 1 to 2 oz tubes with some sort of scent or sweetener like chub meat.  Some still troll with downriggers, but after you have learned where to fish, I think the jigging is more fun and produces more.  Some thing about staring at the sounder screen and watching as the arch seperates from the bottom and you feel the jig gets heavy appeals more to most then waiting for a rod to pop from the rigger.
When I guided in NY for lakers it was big flashers, pop gear and pulling Suttons on wire in LG, Ontario, Placid and Champlain.  Here it's Flaming orge for really big fish, but Fish lake has some big ones too and Bear Lake has many fish, but I've never caught the size that I do at the other places.

[fd757]

Bear Lake lakers feed on the Cisco.  That is the reason I go over to the Cisco Disco.  Catch them, bring them home and use them for bait.  Only allowed on Bear Lake though.  Fish Lake, and Flaming gorge have biguns in em to.  Seen some pics from all three and boy I want to catch em.

[Hood]

Things have changed over the years.  When I arived in UT from NY over 20 years ago the standard was to pull huge flat-fish with heavy sinkers on gear that could be considered ocean.
 
As electronics have improved most now jig with 1 to 2 oz tubes with some sort of scent or sweetener like chub meat.  Some still troll with downriggers, but after you have learned where to fish, I think the jigging is more fun and produces more.  Some thing about staring at the sounder screen and watching as the arch seperates from the bottom and you feel the jig gets heavy appeals more to most then waiting for a rod to pop from the rigger.
When I guided in NY for lakers it was big flashers, pop gear and pulling Suttons on wire in LG, Ontario, Placid and Champlain.  Here it's Flaming orge for really big fish, but Fish lake has some big ones too and Bear Lake has many fish, but I've never caught the size that I do at the other places.

I fish Champlain and Placid...placid in open water and champlain for panfish. I nearly live on the shore of champlain.


I just picked a random western state to see if you guys have any local specialized for jiggin them through the ice. a couple years back I did the same with the guys in BC and learned a couple neat tricks about large spoons with strip baits cut from baitfish...much like we use when fishing the ocean for fluke or stripers. I have had a strong shift to swimbaits form the traditional solid lures, thanks for your replies. If there are any particular lure companies that are local out there I would love to know about them and maybe give them a whirl.

[sorenson]

I just got back from an amazing weekend at Flaming Gorge Reservoir.  We (as a group of from 3-7, depending on the day) iced over 50 lake trout in 3 days of fishing.  One of the best baits I used was a Buzz Bomb tipped w/ sucker meat.  Jigging Shads, Buckshot Rattle spoons and jigs w/ Gulp minnows all did well too. 
S.

[Hood]

I just got back from an amazing weekend at Flaming Gorge Reservoir.  We (as a group of from 3-7, depending on the day) iced over 50 lake trout in 3 days of fishing.  One of the best baits I used was a Buzz Bomb tipped w/ sucker meat.  Jigging Shads, Buckshot Rattle spoons and jigs w/ Gulp minnows all did well too. 
S.

Those buzz bombs look awesome...Definitely gonna purchase some.

[sorenson]

Those buzz bombs look awesome...Definitely gonna purchase some.

Glow and Orange were hot colors.   

[trfishin]

tube jigs and curly tails work great for lake trout here