Raquette Lake

[wetdreams]

i"m going up to ratquette lake feb 24 for 3 days. me & 3 other guys are renting a house right on the lake neer where they have the fire tower. if anyone has some good info that they would like to share about the lake it would appretiated. location, depth, bait.  thanks in advance. walt

[Robb]

SMELT SMELT SMELT!

For lakers and salmon anyways. We fished it last year and JAGER61 slaughtered them with smelt. We did catch some on icicles and shiners but smelt were the ticket.

We also fished deeper water around 45' but you can catch them shallow as well.
Good luck,

Robb

[iceenut]

You will definitely want to bring a quad or snowmobile for exploration purposes she is a big body of water to cover on foot,and like Robb said-Smelt!!!

[wetdreams]

thanks for the info guys. bringing up 2 snowmobiles & maybe a quad. do you know of any bait shops in the area that carry sment? i:m going to bring up some frozen smelt that a local guy gets for me. i was told that jesse bait shop is closed & was wondering where the nearest bait shop was. thanks again.  walt

[Robb]

Depends on what way you are coming from. If up on rte 30, Jim's bait shop in Mayfield has smelt, also there is a place in Hope just up from Northville that has them. Not sure about coming from the west.

Robb

[wetdreams]

robb. if you could call me on my cell. 845 781 6075 thanks walt

[deadsmelthead]

Raquette has tiny Lakers and Big fat Brookies as said smelt are the prefered bait but small shiners work decent and jigging always produces especialy if you want the rare Landlock Raquette will produce. Raquette is like 2 different lakes in one. The lake side viewable from 28 is all but 15-20 feet deep  but once you get out on the otherside of Big Island it takes a new form points with 25 foot drop offs islands all over the place, it is truly an amazing lake. Its the type of lake that when you are fishing it, you look around at all the points and bays and you know you could spend a whole seaon fishing the 99 miles of shoreline. My advice would be to head toward the Needles I always do well out that way.

[iceenut]

Raquette has tiny Lakers and Big fat Brookies as said smelt are the prefered bait but small shiners work decent and jigging always produces especialy if you want the rare Landlock Raquette will produce. .

 Are you successful with brookies through the ice on Raquette?I know they are common on the open water through the spring and early summer months...any tips,a brookie through the ice would make my season thanks.

[Chainsaw]

 Are you successful with brookies through the ice on Raquette?I know they are common on the open water through the spring and early summer months...any tips,a brookie through the ice would make my season thanks.

Try Mousies, spike, or any other kind of grub on tiny flourescents and plain, (two hook dropper from the palyomar tag line), in shallow, (4' to 8' FOW), with your tips while you're out jiggin' for Lakers and such in deeper water. The Brookies cruise in and out of shallow water in small groups, and patience is a key factor, as is a tiny lure presentation.

Lay holes out in a kind of crescent pattern at 2' depth intervals ten to twenty feet apart. Drill two holes 2' apart at each drill point. When you and your partner run back to catch a flag one of you should begin jigging a similar set-up down the open hole ASAP. Even deadsticking down the second hole can earn fish but at least you'll have a spare Brookie set up waiting. This is kind of a tedious procedure but when you ice 16" to 18" Brookies it's well worth it.

[deadsmelthead]

Successful I wouldn't go that far but I have managed to put some on the ice and most of what I have found is that Brookies are tight to shore around rocky points and lake bottom, rocky structure seems to be their preferrred teritory, If I target them  I usually use small rappalas and pimples, drill about 15 holes spread out, set 5 tipups randomly and move hole to hole jiggin for 10-15 minutes a hole. I usually get more Lakers but there have been days where it has been all Brookies.

[iceenut]

Thanks for the tips fellas,truly appreciated.Can't wait to get up there and give them a rip...hopefully it will be within the next couple of weeks,ice permitting of course

[wetdreams]

thanks for all of the tips guys. still trying to find out where the nearest bait shop would be. coming up 87 to 90 then getting off in utica & taking 12 to 28 into raquette lake. i:ll be up there feb 24-26 so maybe i can meet some ice shanty members. walt