Novice Rainbow fisherman-Questions

[Kodiak Commando]

I am new to ice fishing and have a few questions about catching rainbow trout.

I live in an Kodiak Alaska where there are about 30 lakes most of them no more than 1 sqaure mile and a few around 3. I don't know where to fish these lakes much when they are frozen. There are very few lakes that see ice fisherman or summer fisherman that matter so there are no holes to study. Most of the lakes are between 5 and 12 feet. The only features that are consistant in all of them is rocky drop offs and losts of shallow weed beds. Which is better for rainbows, weeds, dropoffs or neither? I have caught many fish in the summer, including 10 fish over 6 pounds this summer, would the same spots be good in the winter?

I Have also heard from the few fisherman that the fish still move around in the winter, Is this true? IF so is there any way to attract fish from far off ( THe water is very clear, i can usully see to a 12 foot bottom) so i don't have to wait forever? Chumming is not illegal in kodiak but i am open to any other ideas

[Spicoli]

When i fish for rainbow through the ice i will try and find a deep hole in shallow water because if it is not a very big lake the rainbows will be moving around so if you have an area with 12 feet of water surrounded by 6 feet of water all of the fish will be coming through the deeper area so i usually try to set up on areas like that.

[iceintheveins]

Trout will patrol weededges for sure. If fishing these areas, fish outside the weeds almost to right up along the edge. I think trout like deeper drop off areas better than weeds most of the time though. If the lake it shallow like you say, find the deepest areas you can that are still adjacent to shallow feeding areas like weedflats.
My experiences with Rainbow Trout show that they are some of the most active and aggressive feeders under the ice, but sometimes they can be selective. My favorite rainbow lures for ice fishing are smaller jigs tipped with about 1/3 of a crawler. Teardrops, small spoons, and small plastics work wonders. They will also attack larger tube jigs when I fish for lake trout. Rainbows generally are higher in the water column than macks and will aggressively rush a bait, unlike most macks. Just don't jig too aggressively. A small lift fall of about 1 foot every 30 - 50 seconds is enough. Adding jiggles and a lot of pauses to your lures really helps as well. Deadsticking with bait also works well and often better than any jigging. So keep a second rod rigged with a plain jig or hook and split setup with a half or a crawler on it. Follow this advice and I think you'll pull so many 'bows through the ice that you will get tired fast.

Tyler

[TroutFishingBear]

Mack's got the location and behavior down perfectly, but this is where I disagree a bit. I like plastics like shrimpos for trout a lot too, tipped with usually a waxy. If the trout in your lake are big, a 4" live shiner or sucker under a tip up should produce some biggins. Worms, like mack said, also work well, even plain. Rainbow trout are definitely the easiest fish to catch under the ice for sure. Lots of times in the early morning (right around dawn especially) they like to suspend right under the ice in about 2-6 ft. of water. (still fish the same areas)

Overall, soft plastic small jigs like shrimpos are my favorite for trout though.
 
Remember with rainbows that a sonar can be handy because they suspend more than almost any fish under the ice, the only exception being crappie and bluegills.

There really is no way to "bring them in" with huge effectiveness, the best way is to go to them. Once you find a really good spot, you can usually stay in that general (40 sq. ft area) for a few hours and still be catching a bunch of fish. You can bring them in to a known spot for example by throwing down cans of catfood (with holes in the top) the night before fishing.

I don't suggest chumming for them because it is known to kill trout if they gorge on it, which the often will do. Contrary to a few members' belief, that is true according to cdow biologists and from what I have seen.

[Kodiak Commando]

Thanks for awnsering my questions, but I don't thinka fish finder or fancy sonar would be that handy for me because most of the water i fish is only 4 -12 feet. I think just experimenting with different bait depths and finding drop offs with a hand held sonar would work jus fine. Also the water is very clear and the only die hard ice fisherman i know jigs with a spoon  and can see down to 15 feet and looks to see if there are any fish(most are within 2 feet of the bottom) and gauges their reaction to the jig.