Author Topic: Pactola lakers (Read 3146 times)

fishfeind · « **on:** Jan 31, 2011, 08:25 PM »

Fished Pactola last Sat pm. Between two of us we had six hits. never got one over three feet up before they came off

I was wondering If any of you regularly target them. we were definetly under gunned for them with our flimsy walleye rods and light line. we were using 6lb floro in 80 to 100ft of water. Im going out again on sunday and am in the process of putting new laser sharp hooks on all of my jigs and trying to find a more suitable laker rod in town (rapid). Also going to switch to fire line braid with a 4-6' feet of floro for a leader. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. FF

Fillet · « **Reply #1 on:** Feb 02, 2011, 12:48 AM »

I am definitely no laker pro but I have fished them enough to learn a few things by mistakes. I have always hit them with my walleye gear too. Super lines are pretty nice for this application. It seems that line stretch has more negative impacts than the rod. You should be fine with that fluorocarbon though. A little stretch is always nice for those head throbbing lakers.

I looked for a good laker rod last season and never found one I liked. I finally found one at the beginning of this season. Its a Rip City Customs 42" MH. Found it at the Rooster. They had both spinning and bait casters. I haven't fished lakers yet this year but did get to tackle a gate with it and I am quite pleased.

Keep those hooks sharp and drive that hook home on the hook set. They have hard mouths. A jump set isn't a bad idea!

fishfeind · « **Reply #2 on:** Feb 02, 2011, 05:45 AM »

thanks man om working on the rod.

PerchMaster24/7 · « **Reply #3 on:** Feb 02, 2011, 01:34 PM »

The best luck with lakers I have had is to have a big sweedish pimple or something large with a treble. I like to leave this hook baitless and have about 12-18" of leader with a smaller jig on the bottom (tie the leader directly to the trebble). Most times the big lure will bring them in and they will nail the jig under the lure. Im not sure which bait would be best to use. I have always had good luck with some sort of meat, like sucker meat or minnow meat. I am no expert either but I have caught a fair share of them using this method.

snotslayer · « **Reply #4 on:** Feb 03, 2011, 12:02 PM »

how thick is the ice right now were you guys are going for lakers and how deep do you start to fish for them, ive never really target them and would lilke to try one day. Can lakers be anywere in the water column?

appleye · « **Reply #5 on:** Feb 03, 2011, 03:21 PM »

Ice is 8" plus. Start in about 60' and work to 100'. They can be anywhere but the bottom 10' most of the time.

fireandice · « **Reply #6 on:** Feb 03, 2011, 05:36 PM »

Just at the Rooster less then 2 hours ago getting bait for Durkee and seen a 19lb Laker that a guy caught in 65 FOW.. Very nice fish

fishfeind · « **Reply #7 on:** Feb 03, 2011, 07:10 PM »

Well I bought 2 eagle claw 36" Mh spinning rods and just got done putting on 2 shimano synergy reels and 8# fire line witha 5' floro leader we'll see how that works come sunday

TheRo0sTer · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 05, 2011, 12:20 AM »

You don't need anything special to pull lakers out of the hole. I fish everything with a 24" perch rod with 3lb test on it. I've landed everything from 3" perch to my 35" Laker on my favorite rod. Patients is a virtue!

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=109860.0

fishfeind · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 05, 2011, 10:41 AM »

awsome fish rooster! thats what were looking for also. I too have hooked a lot of small lakers on my perch rods But you would have to agree its alot easier to set the hook in 100' of water with a little longer rod and the right line. Anyway im going to try tommorow if im not plowing snow!Gettem caught RT

royjulius · « **Reply #10 on:** Feb 06, 2011, 01:49 PM »

Quote from: snotslayer on Feb 03, 2011, 12:02 PM

how thick is the ice right now were you guys are going for lakers and how deep do you start to fish for them, ive never really target them and would lilke to try one day. Can lakers be anywere in the water column?

Hey snotshooter, we'll have to get on those Lakers soon. In a few weeks that lake won't be safe. My auger wouldn't run right yesterday so I came home early. There must be an adjustment I need to make for over 30 degrees. That's when she bogs down when WFO. I'm going to ask on the auger forum.

TheRo0sTer · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 06, 2011, 08:45 PM »

Quote from: fishfeind on Feb 05, 2011, 10:41 AM

awsome fish rooster! thats what were looking for also. I too have hooked a lot of small lakers on my perch rods But you would have to agree its alot easier to set the hook in 100' of water with a little longer rod and the right line. Anyway im going to try tommorow if im not plowing snow!Gettem caught RT

This time of year I wouldn't think you need to be in 100ft of water. I've had all my luck in the 40-60 range in the past.

Yukoner · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 06, 2011, 08:55 PM »

I know we are a long ways from SD, but we have been catching all ours in 5-20 feet.

Ted

appleye · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 07, 2011, 08:10 AM »

Any snow update after the weekend? Thinking about giving it a run on Wens. Thanks!

White Jimmy · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 01:02 AM »

I like 4 inch berkley pearl white tube jigs with 3/8 inner tube jig and 15lb berkley crystal line , then a swivel and about 3 feet of florocarbon tie the lure direct. also white 3/4 ounce spro bucktails white/glow. If you are fishing with someone use the two together. what I mean by that is that if you are using a flasher jig the hole water column with a buck tail or spoon and if a laker comes in and don't bite start taking the lure away in three foot strips while the other guy works the tube. the tube swirls and sinks slower and lots of fish will trade off for the tube. I live in AK and used to live in SD but I have found this trick to be a winner. Depending on the lake i've caught lakers from 20 to 150 feet.

appleye · « **Reply #15 on:** Mar 07, 2011, 10:41 AM »

Went to Pactola Sat. turned out to be 40 degrees up high and no wind. Two of us caught 21 lakers 18" to 23" and two browns. Everything came on white tubes with dead and alive minnow. Ice is still 14" plus.

Fillet · « **Reply #16 on:** Mar 07, 2011, 02:23 PM »

We had a pretty good day on Saturday too. Three of us ended up landing somewhere around 30 lakers. Iced one over and lost two good ones. You know its a decent fish when you fight them for a couple of minutes and don't get a single crank on them. Ice is still plenty good. Hopefully we get another couple of weeks out of it!

nbaker · « **Reply #17 on:** Mar 07, 2011, 09:12 PM »

Sounds like a good time, I've never caught a lake trout before!! What white tube do you speak of? Do ya'll have them on tip ups or jigging? I probably will end up working this weekend again but I will for sure be getting out next Monday early!!

Fillet · « **Reply #18 on:** Mar 07, 2011, 11:04 PM »

Tubes work great but any kind of spoon, jig, or even a dead stick will catch you lakers. They will bite bare tubes and spoons but a little meat will seal the deal on the finicky fish. We usually set up a few flags too, especially if we don't have enough flashers for everyone. Any kind of live or dead minnow, sucker, or shiner about 4-12 feet off the bottom will do!

appleye · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 09, 2011, 08:05 AM »

I would agree with most, tipping help but with a flasher you can get them to hit a tube with no meat. The one thing I use is a "Ice Rigger" which is a tip up for a fishing rod. I use 4 1/2' to 5' rods and when a fish bites most of the time they set the hook on them self but when you get to the rod it can be jigged and the fish will hook up most of the time. I set my rods about a foot off bottom. The rod I jig if nothing on screen of my flasher I will reel up to draw fish in and then mess with them. I try light jigs up to 3/8's oz with 2" to 4" bodies. Day to day it changes. I will drill hole 50' to 110' and 60 to 80 seem to be best day to day. I don't use a graph on my dead rods but it it's not hit in 30 minutes I move deeper until it gets bite. Some days one or two hole will be hot and nothing other others so it's a good search pattern.

Fillet · « **Reply #20 on:** Mar 10, 2011, 05:21 PM »

Had another good day Wednesday. Two of us caught 20 some lakers. One over and a good number of thick 22 and 23 inchers. Get out there and enjoy the fight before the ice goes!

fishfeind · « **Reply #21 on:** Mar 10, 2011, 05:31 PM »

Hey fillet that sounds great! Were going out there on Sat. how deep were you ? Was the bite better morning or evening?

Fillet · « **Reply #22 on:** Mar 10, 2011, 06:42 PM »

Morning is definitely better right now. One of my spots is loaded with fish right away in the morning until about 10:30. Another spot seems to be best from noon to 2. Picking most of the lakers up from 40 to 60 but have caught them at every depth!

PerchMaster24/7 · « **Reply #23 on:** Mar 16, 2011, 01:25 AM »

Fished Pactola on monday off the north boat ramp. Weather was great, but the fishing was terrible. ONe flag, no other hits. Everywhere from 100 FOW to 30 FOW. Ice was very soft and the dog broke through near the shore. Not much ice left, maybe 8". Be safe!

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Author Topic: Pactola lakers (Read 3146 times)