Trout on Ice Part 2: Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, and Big Water Browns
Bait size matters little when lake trout fishing. They’ll take pretty much anything they encounter, even dead baits. Big baits are simply more readily noticed by a big fish, but browns and salmon tend to prefer not-so-large baits and the livelier the better. I also apply a drop or two of smelt-oil (we use a product called Smelt-Rite) right to the hook wound on the bait. Our live baits are generally hooked just above the spine and about midway between the dorsal fin and head. This keeps the bait pretty much “level” when it’s not swimming, appearing more normal.
Lake trout can be found at all depths, depending on the body of water, the day, weather conditions, even the time of day. Weather plays a huge role. We always have our best luck the day before, or even during a big storm, but never just after. Those clear, often calm days just after a big blow always finds us home where it’s warm. Fishing after a big storm is a waste of time, as far as we can tell.
Lakers have varying habits, depending on the lake you are on. I fish some big, deep, northern lakes where these big trout never seem to leave the deep waters, or at least not for long. We may catch them in the shallows right at dawn or dusk, but otherwise they stay in the deep sections, often well below 75 feet, even in winter. Yet on other lakes, we have our best luck in waters anywhere from eight to 35 feet. Trial and error is the only way I know of to tell. Using a fish locator is not the answer. I’ve marked fish at certain depths, in certain lakes that will never seem to feed at those depths! It won’t help you to locate them if you can’t get them to hit!
Many people have the mistaken impression that lakers are a “deep water” fish. This simply isn’t so. What lakers are is a cold water fish, not necessarily “deep”. I’ve fished many areas of the far north where lake trout live and can be caught right in the rivers, even in the dead of summer. That the water never warms above 50 degrees is why. So in winter, when ice covers the lakes, nearly every inch of that lake now becomes lake trout territory.
My jigging rods are a bit stiffer than the size you’d use for panfish, obviously and I use a medium size open-face spinning reel with a quality drag as well. You can’t use cheap gear when after trophy size fish. You get what you pay for generally. Buy cheap stuff and expect a cheap result. I usually use Gold Stren in 6-8 pound test for my line. It is highly visible and has good stretch to it, both factors I rely on. These new “no-stretch” lines have no value to me, as I count on the line’s ability to stretch to help me battle a huge fish on light line and tackle. I attach a quality, ball-bearing snap swivel to the line, then an 18-inch length of 14-pound mono (we use Silver Thread) as a “shock leader”. The line is then tied directly to the jig. When not using the Rapalas, I like the Spro lead-head, bucktail jigs in assorted sizes and colors. When fishing big, deep lakes like Lake Champlain (NY & VT) I use jigs anywhere from 1 to 2 ounces. I generally stick to the lighter colors too and chartreuse combinations always work well on big lake trout. The weight is to help counter both deep waters and the strong currents these big lakes tend to have, even in winter. That hi-vis line is imperative, when jigging deep. Often as not, you won’t feel the hit when jigging in 75 feet of water. But you’ll often see that line go slack or twitch once, that is, if you have line that can be easily seen! Set the hook hard as you back away from the hole. It often takes me up to 15 feet, to get all the slack up and actually connect with that fish, as I’m backing up! I then slowly work my way back to the hole, never allowing the tiniest bit of slack. Never hurry the battle with a large fish. I’ll often get a big trout to the hole 5 or 6 times before I can actually land it. Big holes are a plus when fighting and landing a big trout. I use my 10-inch auger at such times. Usually I jig two rods at once also, with one down near bottom and other only 8-10 feet down. Long, sweeping motions and “lifts” are used to jig the bucktails, which are often tipped with a chunk of smelt meat or a minnow head and that all-important smelt-oil. More often than not, the fish will hit as the jig sinks, after each lift. Watch for that line to go slack! That’s the hit!
A typical trout-fishing day begins well before daylight. We’ll cut however many holes we feel we need while it’s still pitch black out. We are baiting and setting tip-ups in the dark, using headlamps. Often as not, we arrived an hour or two before that even, just to jig for our live smelt for bait, with the aid of a lantern. The smelt can be brought right up to just under the ice early in the morning, with the aid of a lantern and are easily caught with tiny lures and a small piece of earthworm. I especially like the Hali jigs in silver, firetiger and “glo” colors. A quarter inch piece of worm on the hook completes the rig. Most days we can jig all the smelt we need in an hour or so, keeping them alive in a five-gallon bait bucket filled with lake water. I always reserve a hole just for jigging too and will jig smelt all day, just to keep us in fresh bait. Likely as not, I set about half our tip-ups down near bottom, set for big perch. My wife likes to stay “busy” when fishing and for eating, perch are at the very top of our list.
One big difference I’ve noticed between our methods and other fishermen is the way we treat a hit. Once a flag goes up we get to it ASAP and set the hook immediately. Some anglers seem to wait for the fish to stop, turn and swallow the bait. Often as not, at this point the fish will drop the bait and never return. Plus a fish with a swallowed hook is darn hard to release, if one needs to, such as with sub-legal fish. Set the hook quickly and release all but a couple to eat. Bring a camera and get photos as soon as the fish is landed. There is no better feeling than catching, photographing and releasing a big, trophy fish. Fish safely and remember to always check local and state laws. Not all of what I have outlined may be legal in your particular state, or on all waters. Be sure to read the laws before heading out and always check the ice thickness and hardness on a regular basis. Good luck!
Jim Paige is a well known New England outdoorsman, author and outdoor guide. He has acted as a representative and prostaffer for numerous nationally known outdoor-related companies and has been published in most national and regional publications over the years, as well as being a popular seminar speaker.
Jim lives with his wife Sherry in a small village in the mountains of Central Vermont and still is a very active hunter and fisherman. He and his wife have hunted and fished all over the country and especially enjoy ice fishing together each winter all over New England. They operate a small scent company called Ridge-Runner Scents (hunting and fishing scent products) out of their home in Middlesex, Vermont. They moved to Vermont from Alaska in 1984.
