Trout Fishing

[TysonHerz11B]

Hey All!

Just curious and thought id give this place a try! Ive just recently got into trout fishing through the ice and i have no idea how to target them. To better elaborate, i have no clue where to look for them under the ice, ive watched videos where guys are fishing in 3 ft of water in weeds and catching and ive also seen guys fishing in 30 ft but only having there bait 1 foot below the ice!!!!  im so clueless when it comes to trout, any info or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Eastciderida]

I have tried trout multiple times with no luck at my spring and fall trout lake. Good luck with it I have tried everything

[JoeGG]

I catch Trout in NH either right under the ice over deep water or right in the sand in a foot or two. Right under the ice I use very small shiners. In short water I use eggs.I Live in Lynn Ma and have fished Sluice pond for 40 years. I've never caught a trout right under the ice over deep water there. I use to have great luck fishing in about ten feet of water with a few salmon eggs about 1/2 foot off the bottom. Hope this helps

[james1981]

  There are several tricks for trout.  Its really easy once you get started.  I like salmon eggs and worms. 6 lb leader right under the ice.  I prefer really shallow on gravel bottom.  I have caught them in all conditions regarding the depth but once you get dialed in on a body of water its really easy.
 Time of day matters, I like first light and last 2 hours of light. other than that if a low pressure comes in the action picks up midday.

  I drill 6 holes to start literally once I step on the ice in 1 ft or less of water, as you set up put salmon eggs down hole. I like 3 or 4 in each. I alternate salmon eggs and worms on tip ups.  I use 6lb leader with a salmon egg hook on all the rigs but a size 8 or 10 hook works well bet the salmon egg hook usually gets a solid hook set in the beak with salmon eggs its great for releasing them.  I put 4 tipups in and rig my jigging rod, any shiny lure will work, I like the weight of small pimples but spoons really anything tipped with worm or half of crawler, I use tail on crawlers, wrap around trebles and its game on. I usually fire up the auger again and run 6 more holes in 3-10 ft of water parallel to the first lines. that way I can work through the spread jigging. just a slow tease and they will come up to hit at the hole. I put salmon eggs down a few of those where I can look and see them, if they are missing fish are working the spread.  Your warm water trout lures work also, my favorites are any small Cleo spoons, acme rainbow trout, the white acme, and Swedish pimple smallest one, I made a few helicopter blades out of some old plug parts and my wire former, the top water nose spinners that go to plugs, They catch fish as they twirl down, caught trout, pan fish, pickerel on them.
 I hope this helps in finding trout through the ice, its just plain silly how easy it is once you are rigged up right, almost unfair. 
 FYI I caught and released 12 trout in a few hours, 6 through the same hole jigging.  Jigging is the most productive means to catch them. by far better than any tip up. Also don't be afraid to jig a hole within feet of tipups and move the tipups around if they are not getting any action.

[Muppetman]

I seem to have the best luck with trout just off the bottom.  Either shallow or 25ish feet.  Very few in the 10 to 15 foot depth. 

[james1981]

 Also work the lake outlets and inlets bring food and move the water, just have an idea where the water is moving in and out, I like beaches.  Ive watched people be amazed that I am set up right when you go on the ice and walk past and watch me catch fish all morning and see them skunked in the center of a pond.

[skifisher]

Tyson,
I fish trout here in Colorado, but I imagine the techniques should be very much the same. Use a small jig with a meal worm or waxie. Set your jig about 6” to 12” above the bottom and jig conservatively pausing every now then. Usually the bite is very light and it helps to have a sensitive rod, bobber or indicator to detect the take. I also use a second rod with bait as a “dead stick” which also can be productive at times. I don’t know about current Mass regulations, but chumming,(like salmon eggs down the hole), is illegal in Colorado. Also, a small Johnson spoon, Swedish pimple, or cast master baited with a salmon egg, worm or other bait will also work. If you have electronics, use them to find pockets inside of weed beds where your bait will be seen by cruising trout. Good luck and Good Fishing!

[Jack978]

Expect to do a lot of experimenting and prospecting.  Usually shallow is best and light gear is best.  If you use minnows use small ones.  The old timers usually fished right under the ice about a foot or so.  Sometimes you hit them near the bottom or mid depths so try different setups on all your rigs.  The biggest Brookie I ever saw caught through the ice was just short of 24 inches and the rig used was a hook with a minnow on it tied to a branch cut from the shore.  The branch was stuck into the ice and frozen into a hole.  The rest of the rig was a hand line made of twine. That was a long time ago in Maine but the bait was under the ice by just a bit.  Now things are more sophisticated but its not what's on top of the ice that catches fish.  Its what is underneath that counts.

[2Dales]

I have had good luck using 3 ft. 6#flourocarbon leader with very small red treble and a Red Berkley Power Bait Egg and small shot for weight fished just under ice. Set your trap with the lightest setting you can.

[Brendog9]

I've only targeted trout through the ice up in New Hampshire. We've had really good success jigging Swedish Pimples in 30-40 FOW usually a foot or two off the bottom. Having a flasher is huge with this. My friends have been targeting the bottom, then got a mark just under the ice, reeled up and caught a rainbow before.

I've also seen people jig up some very nice rainbows in 4-5 FOW as well.

Experimenting and time are going to be your best bets!