Hardwater Trout help..

[walleyeking]

I've never fished trout on hard water, but am looking to get out on Saturday.. I have a couple lakes in mind but don't know how to target them.. Waxies, crawlers, minnows? Jigs, plain hooks, spoons? any help would be greatly appreciatied.

Also, are they usually suspended? I don't have a flasher.

[Jim W]

If I may, what kind of watewr and what kind of trout?

[walleyeking]

Smaller deep lakes/ponds.. Pretty clear from what I know..

Rainbows/Browns..

[Jim W]

If stocked stream fish, any flashy spoon presentation could work.

If there is any shoreline points or structure that heads out from shore, adjacent to deep water set up there.

Most stocked fish will make rounds with their buddies, cruising just below the ice or in shallow.

If you set up on the aforementioned, take some time to cup your hands around the hole and simply watch for a while. Good chance you'll see cruisers.

I encourage a slip bobber with a canada jig/live minnow in one hole while vigorously jigging near by, keeping an eye on your float.

Don't be shy to move and to try jigging over deep water, just below the surface as well.

Keep the rods bendin'!!

Jim W

[Renneberg]

Waxies and minnows work best for trout. Be sure to check if the lake is a designated stream trout lake before using live minnows. Live minnows are not allowed on a designated stream trout lake, but dead ones are ok.

Jigs, teardrops, jigging spoons tipped with a waxies or minnow will catch trout.

Look for trout on flats, weedbeds, sharpe dropoffs, near feeder creeks.

For rainbows fish the first 10 feet under the ice regardless of how deep you are.

Try night fishing for browns in the same area that you will find rainbows.

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"Study to be quiet"

[hip_hop_fisherman]

When I'm fishing trout, I'll fish as shallow as 3-10ft of water with a small ant tied directly to the line, with no extra weight or bobber baited with a waxie. All I do then is watch the fish swim and take the lure. When its gone I set it.