dead bait trout

[ice man88]

Going after lake trout again tomarow and was thinking about trying dead bait this time..I have been doing good this year with live bait,but I hear of big lakers being taken with big dead bait on the bottom..Just wondering if I should put the bait right on the bottom or suspend a few feet?If anyone fishes them this way any advice would be appreciated

[Loso015]

Watched 2 lakers get pulled from dead smelt right on the bottom along a steep drop. Both decent size.

[Raquettedacker]

Lakers love dead bait on the bottom......

[ice man88]

thanks..Ill give it a try and see what happens

[merkleyb]

thanks..Ill give it a try and see what happens

What happened? Catch 'em? Dead bait?

[HybridHunter]

Lakers love dead bait on the bottom......

They love them suspended too. Don't get stuck fishing them on the bottom. The fish in my avatar took a 12" sucker right under the ice.
Stagger your baits all over the water column. There are days they are pinned on bottom, I find this is mid winter though and usually smaller fish. And there are days they are cruising in the upper water column. When they are really on the hunt, they will use ice like the bottom and pin bait up against it. When there is a lot of ice and low light penetration, I like to fish the upper 1/3 of the water column. Don't get stuck on fishing bottom, and don't get stuck on fishing deep water. I've been fishing no more than 20' of water right into 5'.