First timer, advice appreciated.

[Clear_Ice]

Hey everyone, I have been ice fishing my whole life, but never tried fishing for trout.

There is a lake near where I am currently, and it is a 33 acre lake that gets around 120 feet deep. In my eyes, it has no structure, and I don't even know where to begin looking for these trout..

Here is a Lake survey, and depth map of the lake.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=04003300
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/data/lakemaps/c0036010.pdf

Also, I am guessing UL rod and reel are the equipment of choice? What is the tackle and bait that I should use?

Thanks guys!

CI

[Sprocket]

Sir, I suggest you do about 24 hours worth of reading in this very forum - so much info can be found in here if you dig.  It's all here, go find it - see it evolve and turn into what is now the "best practice" for trouts.  Do not discount the old ways either, the trout don't know tackle changed to catch fisherman...

Pay attention to the following terms:
shallows
flats
drop offs
and so on...

It's all here - start mining your info and apply it as best you can - fishing not catching...

Good luck

[fishing207]

I like to have a couple tip ups and a couple Jig rods going, depending on the line limit. For tip ups I use shiners if they are native to the water, vice versa with the smelts. Jigging you can't beat the swedish pimple tipped with a piece of worm or even a dead smelt head. Stay shallow for brookies along shore line and try to target any points sticking out into the water.  I like 20-30 fow for lakers, browns, with the live bait a few feet under the ice. 

[Clear_Ice]

We are only allowed 2 lines per person in Minnesota, and the species stocked in the lake is Rainbows.. And I guess there was a few brown trout stocked a few years ago too. Would I be best off just throwing a tipup shallow along the shore and then just jig out progressively deeper as the day goes on?

[Super-ice-bird]

Imo, trout are nomadic. They move all over a lake looking for food. As long as you get into water 10 feet and deeper you can fish on bottom or suspended and have equal chance at getting them. More importantly you should find out what bait catches fish on the lake you are going to fish.

[Clear_Ice]

Imo, trout are nomadic. They move all over a lake looking for food. As long as you get into water 10 feet and deeper you can fish on bottom or suspended and have equal chance at getting them. More importantly you should find out what bait catches fish on the lake you are going to fish.

Ok, well they just recently opened the lake this year to ice fishing, so I am unsure on how many people fish it. I will look into it though. Thanks!

[thessalaker]

jig with a light to medium action rod, 15 lb winter powerpro with 15lb florocarbon leader 2 ft in length. 
pick 4-5 lures, mimicking the feed in the lake.  silver, silver/blue, hammered half n half, white spoons, and white tube jigs are hard to beat.
set up a tip-up, or dead-stick rod with a live or dead sucker minnow or smelt on it, 3 ft off bottom.  drill your second hole 50 ft away, and jig in that hole while watching your still line.
jig the entire water column, target suspended fish that are feeding, and use a vexilar or marcum or humminbird sonar unit.
cant miss.

[Clear_Ice]

jig with a light to medium action rod, 15 lb winter powerpro with 15lb florocarbon leader 2 ft in length. 
pick 4-5 lures, mimicking the feed in the lake.  silver, silver/blue, hammered half n half, white spoons, and white tube jigs are hard to beat.
set up a tip-up, or dead-stick rod with a live or dead sucker minnow or smelt on it, 3 ft off bottom.  drill your second hole 50 ft away, and jig in that hole while watching your still line.
jig the entire water column, target suspended fish that are feeding, and use a vexilar or marcum or humminbird sonar unit.
cant miss.

Why so heavy of line?  Are rainbows that strong..?

[mtnhillbilly]

4# test will be fine i use 6 and add a leader of 4# flourocarbon use crappie jigs, trout magnets, ratfinks (sp?) berkely power nymphs, you can tip them with wax worms or meal worms... pinch head off to allow scent.. lighter rods are fine i use one ultra light and one medium... the ultralight is nice for when the bight is veru light... others use bobbers and such... i dont waste my time with bobbers... its easy enough to see the line move or feel them... thats just what im successful with... i dont like powerbait personally but i guess it works... i also carry spoons and hard plastics too especially early ice...

ive caught rainbows in 4-20 ft of water near or in weeds beds... especially now when weed beds are dieing and insects are more vulnerable...
rocky points and flats are good too... lakers i fish all water depths... others may not fish as deep but i have them shoot off the bottom from 120ft up to 40 ft to hit my 3" tube jug they are often suspended in 20-60 ft of water as well... hope that helps

[Clear_Ice]

4# test will be fine i use 6 and add a leader of 4# flourocarbon use crappie jigs, trout magnets, ratfinks (sp?) berkely power nymphs, you can tip them with wax worms or meal worms... pinch head off to allow scent.. lighter rods are fine i use one ultra light and one medium... the ultralight is nice for when the bight is veru light... others use bobbers and such... i dont waste my time with bobbers... its easy enough to see the line move or feel them... thats just what im successful with... i dont like powerbait personally but i guess it works... i also carry spoons and hard plastics too especially early ice...

ive caught rainbows in 4-20 ft of water near or in weeds beds... especially now when weed beds are dieing and insects are more vulnerable...
rocky points and flats are good too... lakers i fish all water depths... others may not fish as deep but i have them shoot off the bottom from 120ft up to 40 ft to hit my 3" tube jug they are often suspended in 20-60 ft of water as well... hope that helps

Good info! Thanks!

[hardwater diehard]

search?query=IG+trout

Sir, I suggest you do about 24 hours worth of reading in this very forum - so much info can be found in here if you dig.  It's all here, go find it - see it evolve and turn into what is now the "best practice" for trouts.  Do not discount the old ways either, the trout don't know tackle changed to catch fisherman...

Pay attention to the following terms:
shallows
flats
drop offs
and so on...

It's all here - start mining your info and apply it as best you can - fishing not catching...

Good luck

[feklar]

Looking at the map, straight to the right of the big hole is a slight point, with flats in the 10-20 foot zone on either side of it.  I find trout like to cruise those flats sometimes looking for food. 

I would start fishing on that point, and if I'm not into fish move left or right some.  If you have some sort of electronics it will help you find the fish in the water column.  If you don't I'd start 1/2 way to the bottom.

I like 2-4 pound line, lightweight rods, spring bobbers and small jigs that hang horizontal.

Again, electronics will really help you to find the fish.  If you are not finding any, I'd try the necked down portion on the top of the map.  I'd start in 10 foot and run a line of holes out deeper and keep checking that area.  Did I mention some sort of electronics will help you find the fish.  Getting them to bite is up to you.

[Beerslushy]

The same gear, jigs, lures, baits, etc.. that you use for panfish will work great for stocker trout.  No need to make things more difficult than they have to be.  Good luck!

[Arctic Addict]

Well, from the maps I would start on the east bank adjacent to the deep spot and start drilling holes from the flats I. 20 FOW toward the deep spot.  I would set up a tip up with live bait (smelt) and the I would aggressive jig either a bucktail or tube jig and pound the bottom.  I'd work the holes for a short period of time before switching to a deeper hole.  Pay attention to the flats on the edge of a drop off.