Spring Lakers

[Germ]

Was just wondering if anyone had some GOOD advice for ICe thaw lakers where to find them what they used that works best...Bets locations in the lake that sort of thing...I mean i know go shallow but some advice would be good...ANyways please post thanks guys

[Barleydog]

Germ,  Do you have a boat?  Do you troll or cast?  Do you have a downrigger or dipsy divers?  Do you have a fishfinder that can identify bait balls or tight schools? 

[deadsmelthead]

Depends on what their primary food source is where you are fishing.. Yozury lures work awesome if there is a good smelt population and if you have perch where you are fishing for them I HIGHLY recomend anything that resembles a perch .. I know a few guys that murder them from shore casting, especialy around a nice drop off or small trib..I believe that trolling for them with streamers is best and more so from a canoe, a canoe is more stealth and since they are in so shallow it can make a world of difference again a smelt or perch pattern..The reason I mention smelt and perch is they both spawn in the spring and the lake trout know it.. If you find a concentration of either of these baitfish the Lakers are not far away...One combo I am thinking of trying this year is a wobbler and worm I heard a couple of guys stumbled upon this method fishing for brookies and instead of catching brook trout they HAMMERED the Lakers, but I can't say for myself I have not tried it yet..

[TroutFishingBear]

Well, here go deep in the spring, cuz we are still icefishing for em.

But in most places, fish around inlets because in most places where lakers live (not here anyway) there are smelt in the lakes and the smelt spawn around inlets. The lakers eat the smelt.

This is what I've heard, it is not so around here as we have no special baitfish like smelt


Hope this works, it sure wouldn't for me cuz of where i live

[TGF]

Hello again Mr Germ. Are you after yearling lakers or decent size ones The first 7-10 days after ice is off lakers can be caught in shallow h20 as the water temp is ideal for them through all the water layers. After that the h20 heats up slowly and the lakers retreat to the deeper zones. Last year I got a 19lber trolling in 10ft of H20 on a fly rod. YEEEEE HAAA. If you want good info but or rent "Trophy Lake Trout" by In Fisherman.

[kingfshr16]

Like it has been said...depends on forage. But here in NY when i fish for spring spawning lakers I either fish minnows under a bobber, with usually 3-10' of line under the bobber. Also wading and casting spinners and stick baits that imitate baitfish, primarily smelt, work. Also try slow trolling with flies,stickbaits,lake clears and worms or flies, and minnows.

[deadsmelthead]

Kingfshr16,for someone that sounds like they fish for Lake trout a bit, you would think that you would have noticed that they spawn in the fall...

[kingfshr16]

In Lake George you will also see lakers come in shallow with spawning salmon, many people take lakers while  fishing for salmon, you will catch many that are full of eggs, many times by fishing right off the pier in lake george village you will catch lakers.

[NH ice 121]

are spring lakers on the surface in the shallows or are they still on the bottom in 5 to 10 feet of water.  Are they around drop offs or just crusing the flats?  What other structure do they like if any?

Thanks,

[Germ]

Well guys the lake im hitting is not very big has a small population of perch and suncfish and some beach areas that have some shallows and a rocky bottom shale bottomin shallow water for a lil bit...Ill be using a canoe i can use waders for the beach part there is nice but yes my preference is the canoe...So your saying dont bother hitting the mid lake at all just tour the lake with casting towards shore or laong shore with the canoe?

[grumpymoe]

spring spawning lakers??? never heard of it. the only lakes and areas that i know, trout spawn in the fall. accordingly, the fishery is closed sept to dec. opens on jan 1  grump

[Germ]

I think he got mixed up with the mentioning of the Smelt and perch Spawning in the spring....Err at least that is the way im going to let him off the hook as he wasn't big enough to keep! LOL  Will try these techniques and Grumps and Info on spring lakers?