Last Ice period on Newfound Lake.

[TroutChas3r]

Hey everybody, I just have some questions regarding this last month on the ice. My buddy and I went out to newfound last weekend a finnally hooked up with some decent lake trout, we were running smelt on tip ups about 1-2 feet from the bottom in about 30-50 feet of water. We were also jigging 1/2 oz - 1 oz bucktail jigs tipped with sucker bouncing off the bottom. So I was just wondering if the techneques change at all fishing for lake trout in this last ice period or if they stay the same. Any other advice is would be great as well. Thanks for your time.

[jethro]

I am still learning myself but what I have been told is that later in the season the lakers trend a little shallower while chasing the smelt. Participating here so maybe I can benefit from the thread!

[TroutChas3r]

Thanks for your input doctorgee!, hopefully some of the newfound veterans will help us out.

[JRFlatlander]

I would say your right on track.  I don't have a lot of late season experience on Newfound.  I don't change my approach all that much on Winni.  One thing is they tend to be more active towards the end of March.  IMO smelt for bait is key on Newfound on tip-ups.  I like light, long leaders and small hooks.  I will also use smaller buck tail jig as needed with light line.  If I can see them on the flasher and not get them to bite, I will down size.

[TroutChas3r]

Thanks for your input JRFlatlander, we have noticed that smelt is the key as well. any preference on the colors of the buck tails?

[Fishfinder81]

I am going up on the 22nd. We are setting cusk lines, but of course have to drop a couple tipups. We were there for the gathering and had a great time. I noticed the lake trout were very shallow. We will be fishing anywhere from 10-20 feet of water with smelt a couple feet from bottom. As far as pairing down flatlander what size hooks and test leadershould I pair down too. I think our gear is little heavy.

[JRFlatlander]

I use a size 10 hook with 6# floro leader on my tip -ups.  My leaders are long to, at least 15 feet or so.    Just the way I do it.  I was on vacation this past week on Newfound.  Spent 9 nights there, fished 8 days in a row.  No skunks but 3 days with one fish.  The one fish days were tip up fish caught on smelt.   Pretty sure I would have got skunked if I didn't have the smelt.     

[SALMONEMIA]

where did you stay?

[JRFlatlander]

Off west shore drive near Cummings beach

[Fishsavage]

If you had to pick one bait on Newfound, smelt is the way to go.  Use them on tipups or even on bucktails and lures.  The lakers will follow the smelt into the shallows but I wouldn't just "go shallow" all the time for lakers unless there was a good drop off nearby.

If your fishing an area by a drop off that also holds some yellow perch, lakers will be there too.  Some of the lakers I have kept have small perch in their bellies so I tend to fish 18-35fow.  Your depth of 30-50fow is pretty good, but I would try a little shallower especially in the morning.  One hump that I fish, is roughly 22fow I set a tipup 7ft under the ice and it has produced with bows and lakers (live smelt).  On Newfound the water is very clear, I figure if I'm within 15-18ft from the bottom lakers can see my bait and I'm high enough that it might entice a bow on my tipup if I'm pretty shallow.

Just my 2cents, sometimes March ice fishing is like early ice in January.  Good luck

[Guinea]

I've had pretty good luck fishing shallow for lakers in March. Then again, I'm having a horrible year this year, so you might wanna go deep. 

[TroutChas3r]

Thanks for everbody's input! some very helpful tips. well probably try the 10-40 feet of water this weekend when we go. We will also try the 7 feet under the ice techneque. We have been fishing the big point by camp onaway and we will probably fish there again since were familar with the depths. but if anybody reccomends any other spots we will be happy to try those as well.

[Capt. Black]

We've had good luck for lakers with smelt 1-1.5 feet off the bottom in 30-60 feet of water. As the weather warms the smelt move in shallow and so do the lakers. When the smelt are shallow so are we. Then we put the smelt right under the ice.

[TroutChas3r]

thanks for the advice Capt. Black, towards the end of march we will definitly give that a try.

[Jimbows]

                                I haven't caught many lakers out of Newfound on smelt, although it's probably just a coincidence. I always felt like they were too fragile and I liked my bait to be lively and hardy. I have however had great luck with smaller tip-up suckers, It seems like the smaller ones always produce on Newfound. Then again, I know guys that use monster tip-up suckers and don't catch fish as often but always tend to pull up much bigger fish. After finding Iceshanty this season I'm planning on trying smelt on my tip-ups more often for the remainder of the season, it seems like a majority of people who fish the lake prefer them. During March, I have seen lots of 5lb+ lakers in 10ft of water or less in the porta bob, especially early in the morning. They weren't really biting at the time but they were there. Hope you enjoy the rest of the season!

[TroutChas3r]

Thanks Jimbows! we have tried some of the tip up suckers but never had any luck, but mabye well have to give them a try again. Hope you have a good rest of the season as well!