how to jig for rainbows.

[quantumreel]

tommorow and this week i have school vacation am probably going ice fishing every day. where do i fish for rainbows on a local lake and at what depth. i have pimples jigs and lead heads what should i use and i have slmon eggs and nitro trout worms

[ECIcer]

First of all, you have to let us know what area you are from.  I have always had good luck with either panfish jigs or hali chain lures tipped with waxies.  Minnows on a plain hook also work well.  For the most part trout for me always seem to suspend around 10-12 feet, sometimes shallower than that.  Whatever lake you go to, check with some of the other ice fishermen around and they will help you out with fine tuning your presentation.

[quantumreel]

First of all, you have to let us know what area you are from.  I have always had good luck with either panfish jigs or hali chain lures tipped with waxies.  Minnows on a plain hook also work well.  For the most part trout for me always seem to suspend around 10-12 feet, sometimes shallower than that.  Whatever lake you go to, check with some of the other ice fishermen around and they will help you out with fine tuning your presentation.

i fish balpate in georetown ma

[Eaglecrg]

I have good luck for rainbows with worms suspended about 5 feet deep off my tipups.  If I am jigging for them I like to use 2" curly tail jigs.

[arcticat500]

cocktail shrimp are one of the go-to baits here in AK.  Never hit the hardwater for 'bows except here in AK though.

[Rubberdaddy]

Try areas adjacent to the shore in less than 15' of water. They can be found anywhere in the water column so start close to the bottom and work upwards. I've found them to be quite aggressive, so try flashy/noisy baits first and then downsize if necessary

[archer71xx]

Try a 1/12 ounce kastmaster tied on the end of your line and an ice jig tied 1 foot above-both tipped with wax worm. Start jigging 1/2 a turn off the bottom and work you're way up 1/2 turn every couple minutes. I have caught them down as far as 20 feet and a close as 3 under the ice.

[quantumreel]

thanxx today i didnt go for bows cause i bought 2 dozen shiners but caught 4 bass. tommorow i wont have shiners so i will only be fishing with salmon eggs on my tipups and jigging

[iceman0000]

I hve good luck with swedidh pimples, chronomins, shrimp plastic bait, I have good luck jigging from the bottom up all the way up the water column.

[johnsaredneck]

Rainbows are probably one of the easiest fish to catch. Don't be afraid to fish in shallow water and close to the bank. I caught these in 1 1/2 feet to 5 feet of water and very close to the bank. I caught them on a marmooska jig tipped with maggots.

[NSYakfisher]

Some nice lookin browns there....

I fish for rainbows alot... I use a W2 jiggin rap more than anything else anywhere from 3 to 15 feet of water... tip the rap with a gulp waxie and your good to go.... if the rap don't work I normally have have diamond jigs in small sizes for back up.

[fishermantim]

It's a lot like the "highland fling", only done on the ice (with cleats). 
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Generally I use 2 types of lures whn jigging for 'bows.
1) A crappie 1" tube on a 1/8- 1/16 oz. jig (red/white seems to work better)
2) Any small metal spoon, like a castmaster, Al's Goldfish, 'lil Cleo, that is jigged as well as raised and dropped so that it "flutters" as it falls.

Both lures can/will provoke a strike. 

Or you could just drop a worm on a hook just under the ice!

[DukasGt]

I agree with Johnsaredneck.  I catch all mine at dusk and dawn in less than 5 FOW.  I use the same get up too!  Marmooska and a Gulp white maggot.  I usuallt use a chartruese/white jig, but orange or pink worked pretty good this year for me.  Then since I only fish for them at low light, i set the traps up or jig for perch the rest of the day, every once in a while you nail a trout like that too.

Dan

[quantumreel]

thats sweet. ive treid almost everything in my box from pike lures to panfish lures. and traillers or live bait. i just cant seem to hit em. ive traied every part of the ponds and every depth. even on days whee the guy next to me is killin em. i ask he tells. then i try and fail. any help?

[johnsaredneck]

You are doing something wrong.  Try different jigging techniques. I mostly just jiggle my jig and leave it rest. It could also be a scent issue. Maybe your soap leaves a scent on your hands the fish don't like or maybe the oil in your skin. Try using a fish attractant scent. I use real maggots hooked just behind the head.

[Ahab]

Im from wyoming and i usually fish in about ten to twelve feet of water but i fish my tear drop jigs tipped with a waxie just below the ice a couple feet and i fnid the bigger trout cruising just underneath. I will usually also put something a little flashier in a hole couple feet from my jig to grab there attention usually a larger swedish pimple. For the most part though its going to depend on the lake you are fishing becuase the temperments of fish will vary quite a bit from lake to lake. good luck

[kirlin213]

I agree with Ahab on the depth. I usually use small jigs tipped with a meal worm hooked at the head and broken in the body for cent dispersal. I usually don't jig very hard. Just a smooth and steady up/down and then let it sit for a few minutes.

[xjma]

You are doing something wrong.  Try different jigging techniques. I mostly just jiggle my jig and leave it rest. It could also be a scent issue. Maybe your soap leaves a scent on your hands the fish don't like or maybe the oil in your skin. Try using a fish attractant scent. I use real maggots hooked just behind the head.

Another tip, fill the tank the day before....don't be handling gas on your way to the lake....or if you do, wear gloves. 

[icefishin king]

cant go wrong with gold sweedish pimples

[South33]

cant go wrong with gold sweedish pimples

Agreed! You can't go wrong with swedish pimples at all. I use a #2 SP with a little worm on the hook & jig slowly a foot or two off the bottom.

-South