Go shallow or go home

[Big-Jake]

I have come to learn this time of year that many (certainly not all) species of fish we target are shallow this time of year.

Is it bait patterns/ behavior?

light near the edges?

Spawning?

all of the above?

Curious on your thoughts about where to target as the ice season wears thin...

Jake

[fshnfool]

smelts are getting ready to head upstream for their spring runs, and math was one of my best subjects 

[spartaman12]

I have come to learn this time of year that many (certainly not all) species of fish we target are shallow this time of year.

Is it bait patterns/ behavior?

light near the edges?

Spawning?

all of the above?

Curious on your thoughts about where to target as the ice season wears thin...

Jake

i hear that they go shallow a lot but i guess i must fish lakes that are diferent from EVERYONE else- i was fishing 40 FOW yesterday and caught my limit in less than 2 hours and the vexilar was still full when i left

[Big-Jake]

I know when we get to conduit fishing we hope for the smelts to start their run as the bigguns tend to follow them I'd say 40 ft or so off shore (sandy bottom) but it is still a bit early for that

[_FLAG_]

I'm no bio here but maybe it has something to do with the oxygen levels?? more oxygen with the edges opening up??

[pfd168]

I've had the same luck just not sure why they are there, I would imagine it has to do with the smelt run and the edges are getting thinner

[Wilsonlaker]

In lakes that you may target salmon, lake trout or large brook trout, they do hang on shore to forage for smelts as they prepare for spring spawning. The salmonids are also very sensitive to temperature, in the winter the lake turns over (temp stratification) forcing cold water to the surface and warm water to the bottom. Therefore salmonids can travel through the water column because their not restricted by unfavorable temp or o2 levels (this includes near shore). This is why its possible to catch lakers and salmon "on shore" in shallow water, but it does not mean that you should solely fish on shore during the winter. I catch most of my lake trout in around 20-60' and salmon 1-4' under the ice (mostly in 70' water, but some in less than 10').

[jayswimmer09]

around this time of year the pikes will be shallow and getting ready to spawn

[toguefisha]

I'm not sure I really agree.  From my experience I'd say Pike and Bass tend to move shallower this time of year but as far as game fish go, I'm not sure if thats the case. I've caught some Togue and Browns in shallow this time of year, but I've caught just as many shallow earlier in the year and my biggest brown ever came in late March out in about 50-60 feet of water on bottom.  go figure    Probably depends more on the individual lake then anything else.

[Yukon Steve]

around this time of year the pikes will be shallow and getting ready to spawn

bass also.....

[BoneHead]

I say food, cover, oxygen, and warmer temps. IMO

[slt]

Our best fish this year was a 29" salmon caught on a brook trout set in about 2 feet of water on shore. Jan 27