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Author Topic: Trout tips  (Read 2251 times)

Offline keithm87

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Trout tips
« on: Jan 01, 2014, 07:31 PM »
So I am looking to give trout a try this year. I have taken off time during opening weekend and am looking for advice on targeting them. I have caught 1 trout through the ice ever. So what is the key? I am planning on going to seymor and spending sat-tues on the ice opening weekend. how should I rig my tips, hooks and leader wise. What should I bring for jigs? should I say screw buying bait and just hope I can jig some smelt? I usually fish champlain in the ST Albans area, is there any trout fishing in that area (maquam and general area)

Offline RipSomeLips22

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #1 on: Jan 01, 2014, 07:48 PM »
if fishing seymor you should buy bait. Smelt there have been extremely hard to jig up the last couple years. Are you targeting lake trout? I've caught them just a couple hundred yards from the boat access in about 40 ft of water. Place the bait right on the bottom, and just under the ice. Have a chance at catching either trout or salmon there. The fishing there is sporadic, fishing off wolfs point can produce some really nice fish. The opening weekend of trout season is usually a zoo there so get there early. I use a #6 hook, with a 10' leader.  I have actually jigged up lakers of forage minnows there, and just plain bibits.

Offline keithm87

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #2 on: Jan 01, 2014, 08:22 PM »
I plan to (ice permitting) pull out my semi perm shack friday morning before it opens up, drill some holes and drop the vex and underwater cam down to ssee whats up. then move the shack based on what i find. I am going to spend the weekend on the ice, and plan to drop lines in at 1201 when the season opens.

Offline TRT

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #3 on: Jan 02, 2014, 05:11 AM »
Suggest spending Sat am 12:01 -5am jigging for smelt along the beach and or in front of the brook and then
setting up with smelt. Arkansas shiners are not worth a turd. Crawlers & jigging are a better option.

Offline vtbuckrulrss

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #4 on: Jan 02, 2014, 06:43 AM »
If this is one of your first times going for trout, you should really go to a lake with higher odds, like Caspian.  That used to be my go to spot, before I had kids which limited my outings.  Lots of smaller lakers, with the chance to catch some real beauties in there.  I have had a few huge ones make runs that I couldn't even slow down, they just kept going. I use trebles, too, to increase the odds of a good hook set.  Thread my baits.  Set up not far from a drop off, from shallow to deep, spread out a hundred yards or so with tip ups. Any closer than that, they are likely to get tangled up( been there, done that, too many times).
Silly rookies, traps are for animals!!  Tilts are for kids!!  Fishermen use tip ups!

Offline gogetthegaff

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #5 on: Jan 02, 2014, 07:52 AM »
Suggest spending Sat am 12:01 -5am jigging for smelt along the beach and or in front of the brook and then
setting up with smelt. Arkansas shiners are not worth a turd. Crawlers & jigging are a better option.
I agree that on most lakes shiners are a waste of time. The only place I have caught lakers using Arkansas shiners is on Champlain, near the Crown Point bridge. I'm guessing maybe Champlain has a wider variety of forage fish so they may be more accustomed to food other than smelt. We fish Dunmore for lakers, and if you don't have smelt there you may as well jig or stay home. Frequently I catch lakers with a dead smelt right on the bottom, but have caught nice ones in the top 10' of the water column too. Vary your depths.
Ice fishing is a social activity that may occasionally be interrupted by the catching of fish.

Offline gogetthegaff

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #6 on: Jan 02, 2014, 08:01 AM »
Seymour grab your flasher and jig for the lakers, Swedish pimples with a little bit crawler on the hook.
You will have to move around some until you find them but usually on or off shelves is a good place to start.
Never tried crawlers for lakers. Thanks for that. I'll give it a shot next time we go out.
Ice fishing is a social activity that may occasionally be interrupted by the catching of fish.

Offline keithm87

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #7 on: Jan 02, 2014, 01:35 PM »
Most of my jigs are perch jigs... I have some pimples... But they are small what size should I be using? Is there a color combo that works well? I have a vex and a cam so I should be able to find them, just have to entice them to bite. My shack is on wheels and I will have a quad with me, so I will be mobile

Offline tench

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #8 on: Jan 02, 2014, 01:51 PM »
White, silver, glow. Thats all you need most of the time. Tip it with some kind of meat (smelt or shiner) and jig big until one comes in to look at it, then keep it ahead of them. They're impossible to really outrun but this seems to entice them to hit hard most of the time. I've had them follow my bait 20 feet up before they'll bite.
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable,
a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
~John Buchan

Offline fishingrip

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #9 on: Jan 02, 2014, 05:24 PM »
big white pimples #5 or #6 get em down in the mud make some noise then jig above the bottom flasher is a big help. I had one chase over 100 feet in Lake George NY and crash into the ice right at the hole .That was a rush. Good luck
If your going to go out with the boys,You better get up with the men.

Offline putback

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #10 on: Jan 02, 2014, 05:47 PM »
All excellent advice above. Some one correct me if I'm wrong on this. Cut bait can be used from another lake??????? Meaning you can stock up on smelt ahead of time for jigging?? A warden gave me an OK on Magog smelt strips on a Sutton flutter spoon in Echo in 2010. Things you don't want to learn the hard way, like I did. Top & bottom are the highest % zones. BUT they do cruise the entire column. Be very aware on the drop down, you won't feel the take, if your line stops don't think set the hook on reflex. On your primary jigging hole check the bottom of the hole for sharp ice, you don't want a "saw off". Don't skimp on line, big ones can hug bottom and run some distance, its a real bummer if you're trying to turn one and see color coming up on your spool. That will haunt you for years. For some reason that 6" auger hole that's OK for a 10# walleye gets real small with a 10# laker!  Lakers take patience, every Minuit you're moving you ain't fishin. Vt F & G site has a pretty good map of Seymour on their web site, very usefull. Best way to make friends on ice for trout is keep a generous distance from your neighbors lines. Trout/salmon can run a lot farther than most warm water fish we're used to. Above all else remember its gonna happen in the next couple minutes!!!!!

Offline 802keeper1122

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #11 on: Jan 02, 2014, 06:19 PM »
I do not believe that you can use smelt from another lake even if they are dead.  With F&G trying to stop the spread of disease that would seem to defeat the purpose but I might be wrong.

Offline TRT

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #12 on: Jan 02, 2014, 06:27 PM »
x2 can't remove smelt from one body of water to the next dead or alive.

Offline putback

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #13 on: Jan 02, 2014, 07:19 PM »
x2 can't remove smelt from one body of water to the next dead or alive.

I believe you are right. I just went on site and read all 9 pages of bait regs. As of now I can't catch smelt in Magog and use them as cut bait on Echo. Either it was different in 2010 or that warden gave me a break. The only way it can be done is through a dealer. I'm damn glad I posted and you responded. I have frozen strips in the freezer now, useless, thank you..

Offline keithm87

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #14 on: Jan 03, 2014, 09:44 AM »
I plan on getting there very early like Friday morning and getting all prepared picking a spot and the such so I don't think the neighbors line thing will be an issue. I know I can't drop a hook into the water till 1201am Saturday, but am I allowed to drill and sound holes as long as there is no hook? My goal is to get everything to point where I can just drop it down at midnight (want to see if I can get a burb during the night). Plus getting everything preset (sounded drilled) minimizes the work I need to do in the dark hours.

Offline shirefisher

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #15 on: Jan 03, 2014, 09:56 AM »
I'm curious to hear about any burbot you may catch if you do put lines in by 1201am!

I dig you enthusiasm. I have to work that weekend otherwise I would try tohet out there early also. It looks like I'm off for Monday of that weekend and may also try there.

I like to jig trout/smelt with a Swedish pimple or a hali with smelt. You can catch smelt with chunks of previous caught smelt or start with a spike or 3 on your hali.

I have caught lakers with my smelt set ups which can be a fun challenge.

Offline Crayfish2

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #16 on: Jan 03, 2014, 10:05 AM »
Keith,  I've had some luck with lakers on Seymour in 40-50' of water across the bay from the boat launch, maybe 100-200yds north of the end of the point on the far side.  I used med to med/heavy shiners within a foot of bottom and my son and I caught 6 one day ... 2 keepers.  Never had any luck jigging, though.  All caught on tipups.  We try to get up there at least once each winter, usually during Feb school break. 

Good luck!!


Offline fish_360

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #17 on: Jan 04, 2014, 07:44 AM »
Just wanted to give you a tip for jigging lakers at Seymour, your best lure to use will be a Spro Bucktail jig. White colors tend to work the best and make sure that you tip them with cut bait. I have used Swedish pimples and they will work as well, but bucktail jigs work much better at least in my experience.

Offline BassInVt

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #18 on: Jan 04, 2014, 07:49 AM »
ive been using bucktail jigs for 30 years, tie my own when i have time. also slider jigs work good, they are a very versatile lure
What?? fish are biting, I'm gone

Offline keithm87

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #19 on: Jan 04, 2014, 09:41 AM »
Is there a certain size I should try in the bucktail?

Offline fish_360

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #20 on: Jan 04, 2014, 07:47 PM »
I prefer 3/4 ounce bucktails, 1oz or 1/2 will work too. You want enough weight so you can fell the jig when you left it off the bottom if 40-80 feet of water. I find that on Seymour I catch about 15 lakers jigging for everyone I catch on a tip-up. As people said before if you do set-up tip-ups, then you really should use smelt as bait, as lakers really don't like shiners on tip-ups (you will still catch them just very few and far between). For cut bait on a bucktail jig you can use shiners or smelt it does't seem to make a significant difference. I hope this helps and good luck.

Offline ice fiend

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #21 on: Jan 05, 2014, 11:37 AM »
might hit up caspian a  few days after the season opens up i really wanna get a lake trout i tried all last winter and all i got were pike (in 50 feet of water)!!!
i told myself id be back by 2 i guess i didnt factor in that the fish were biting

Offline shirefisher

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #22 on: Jan 05, 2014, 11:40 AM »
might hit up caspian a  few days after the season opens up i really wanna get a lake trout i tried all last winter and all i got were pike (in 50 feet of water)!!!

where did that happen?

Offline ice fiend

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #23 on: Jan 05, 2014, 11:45 AM »
in NY when i was at college i believe they were following a huge smelt school becasue my fishfinder ( when i had one) was going nuts
i told myself id be back by 2 i guess i didnt factor in that the fish were biting

Offline wmhunts

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #24 on: Jan 05, 2014, 12:49 PM »
This thread has really got me thinking about jigging for lakers. Especially that bit about bucktails. Ive caught hundreds of stripers vertical jigging them on smithmountain lake VA this time of year to, but from a boat. Never caught a laker, not yet
Come on get on the ice fish!!

Offline vtpike

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #25 on: Jan 06, 2014, 07:40 AM »
where did that happen?

Not that uncommon to catch large pike in deep water. I regularly catch nice ones just under the ice fishing for trout....the pike will be where the feed is!

Offline keithm87

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #26 on: Jan 06, 2014, 08:41 AM »
So I placed an order for 8 different bucktail jigs from cabelas. And I am going to hot up basspro while I am stuck in mass for a work training this week. Gonna spend the 200 in mileage that my company is paying me on jigs and a new medium action rod and nice reel. Should be ready to jig the trout.

Offline Troutmagnet

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #27 on: Jan 06, 2014, 07:35 PM »
I prefer 3/4 ounce bucktails, 1oz or 1/2 will work too. You want enough weight so you can fell the jig when you left it off the bottom if 40-80 feet of water. I find that on Seymour I catch about 15 lakers jigging for everyone I catch on a tip-up. As people said before if you do set-up tip-ups, then you really should use smelt as bait, as lakers really don't like shiners on tip-ups (you will still catch them just very few and far between). For cut bait on a bucktail jig you can use shiners or smelt it does't seem to make a significant difference. I hope this helps and good luck.
I've also never caught a Laker and was thinking of trying the bucktail jigs in about the 1 oz. size. What colors would you suggest a buy? Thanks.

Offline fish_360

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #28 on: Jan 07, 2014, 07:02 PM »
I have the best luck with the plain white 3/4 oz jig (paste the link below into your browser and it should take you right to the lures that I use). The pink buck tails will also work ok, I have had very limited success with green and blue colors. Make sure that when you tie on the lure that you use a swivel, If you don't use a swivel your line will twist and alter the action of the lure. If you need any more information let me know and I will try and help.


http://www.cabelas.com/product/SPRO-Prime-Bucktail-Jigs/742894.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dspro%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=spro&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Offline Troutmagnet

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Re: Trout tips
« Reply #29 on: Jan 08, 2014, 06:35 PM »
Thanks for the link, color info and need for a swivel. :thumbsup:

 



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