Would like to try fishing for Laker's but don't know how to start

[NH piker]

I am seeking info on how to get started fishing for laker's. I usually fish for Pike through the ice but would really like to get involved in fishing for laker's this season. I fish Salmon and Laker's during open water but have never fished on ice for them. I have no problem traveling to find some. I am looking mostly for info on how to catch them, bait, jigging methods, etc. I'm not looking for anyone's honey hole. Thanks for any info. It will be greatly appreciated.

[fishingidjit]

Lakers can be caught just under the ice and at all depths down to the bottom.It depends on what depth the smelt are running(thermoclines ?).The bottom will be your best bet to start with a few under the ice for lakers/salmon.Airplane jigs/big swedish pimples are good jigs to use and start at the bottom and jig up slowly remembering how many cranks off the bottom you are if you do find them suspended.They are a finicky fish and when they bite it's great but when they aren't feeding it gets boring fast !I assume since you have pike tip-ups then you have stout ones w/plenty of line which you'll need.

[KAJ]

I am interested in that also. I was gonna try to jig up a Smelt, the send it down on a tip up. Is right above the bridge on Champ a good place to start?

[MikeVT]

I have caught a lot more lakers jigging than on tip ups.  If they are in the mood, anything white or shiny will work.  I like white swedish pimples and white tubes, or silver/chrome buzzbombs.  Tip them with a bit of smelt (if legal) or sucker meat and hold on.

[Icemanvt]

Big sweedish pimple or a red and yellow daredevil tipped with a smelt tail/body! Works great! Start at bottom and work towards top. 

[phantom jigger]

Get a vexlar and some big pimples,then you can see the fish and the lure

[pwicefisher]

Big Kastmasters with chunks of smelt meat

[thebigwiggle]

i don't jig lakers as much as i use to but allot of the tactics , the guys here have mention will work through the ice very well and my favorite jig for lakers is big as you can get White Tube Jig that you would use for flipping bass in the summer.   These tubes jigs fall very slowly in circular motion , which resembles a dying smelt or bait fish. Magically depth for me was 45 feet of water and around sunken islands .
Some laker lakes to consider would be :
Lake Willoughby;( for huge Trophy fish ) Seymore, lake dunmore in Addison county, lake Champlain ( when there is Good Ice) and some of the other smaller lakes of the NEK
Good Luck

[troutslayer 23]

wanna make catching a trout on a tip up simple?  5 foot 8 pound leader #6 hook and a split shot 3 ft up from the hook and hook the smelt and send it down so that the end of ur leader is just at the lip of the ice  bam ull get one 

[Icemanvt]

I feel like having a split shot 3ft from the hook allows more opportunity for the minnow to cause a tangle up.  From experience I sometimes get line tangles the farther up you put the split shot so I usually go with about a foot but thats just me.

[troutslayer 23]

it works for me i never have had a prob