Ice Fishing Trout

[deets22]

I want to try to catch some trout through the ice this year. I have tried in the past with little success. I was hoping that a few people could give a little info on jigging as well as trying with tip ups. Target species would be mostly stocked rainbows and maybe some brookies and brownies. If I'm feelin froggy i might try some lakers. Thanks.

[Swimbait2009]

Is there a winter season for trout?

[JBMasterAngler]

Yes...january 15th (I believe) through march 31.

[Swimbait2009]

Ok, thanks! I would also be interested in hearing people's thoughts on ice fishing for these guys around the metro. What water should we look to target? I'm assuming that you'd have to look beyond the streams, but where?

[JBMasterAngler]

Season is not open on the streams, only lakes. Cenaiko pond is popular, but it's only 9 acres and get's lot's of pressure. Square lake is about the only other option. Honestly you'd be better off driving up to hinckley and fishing grindstone lake for lakers and rainbows and smelt.

[magic_minnow]

As for the metro there are only a few lakes you can try: Cenaiko, Courthouse and X-mas come to mind. X-mas is a larger lake and isnt primarily managed for streamers, and I've never caught trout there thru the ice. Cenaiko and C-House get plenty pressure so come early. Use panfish gear tipped with waxies, target anywhere from 20fow to 5fow. As for lakers Grindstone is a good spot but thats not Metro area. I'd recommend Burntside in Ely if you're serious about Laker Fishing. Remember you must have your trout stamp to fish in Cenaiko or C-House. Good Luck!

[JBMasterAngler]

Also, if you fish cenaiko or square you have to pay $5 to get into the park.

[scoutWBL]

If you want to look for Lakers head up north... there are a lot of trout water in the Grand Rapids area, BWCA, etc. I just starget last season in GR and can't wait to do it again.

[Scudly]

Quote:

se panfish gear tipped with waxies, target anywhere from 20fow to 5fow.

How about crawlers? Ever tried? Just jig or use tip ups? I need to get out more this winter.

In the metro, aside from Christmas, Holland Lake in Eagan has trout. Actually only a couple of miles from my house and I've never tried ice fishing on it. I am told if you find a good drop off, there are trout to be had.

[magic_minnow]

Scud:

I've heard of Holland, my coworker lives near there as well, but I've personally never tried it but always hear good things about it. You can try crawlers, i've seen them caught on it. It all boils down to what the trout want that day.

[deets22]

Is it true that you can find them just under the ice. I heard that somewhere.

[JBMasterAngler]

It is very true.

[magic_minnow]

Yes you can. But you can also find them anywhere on the water column as well. I've caught them as deep at 20fow. Pulled in some nice brookies fishing deep.

[Northdrifter08]

Another tip.... Get out on the first day it opens in the winter... I'm not sure if they get lure shy, but after this the bite drops off dramatically....

[tharreld]

Red wiggler on a small hook. You need to watch them take it otherwise they will spit it out before you can set the hook. Square lake in 20 feet of water in a house. Try the wiggler at different depths. 2-4 fish is a good day.

[Scudly]

Welcome back Tom. How was the end of your season? Never have targeted trout under the ice. At least on the north shore, I hear that is where most of thr harvesting is done.

[tharreld]

My experince has been on square lake in washington county. Not sure how it's done on the north shore.

[JBMasterAngler]

It can only be done on the northshore when there is ice, and that doesn't happen every year. And it may be there 1 day and gone the next.

[Scudly]

Quote:

It can only be done on the northshore when there is ice, and that doesn't happen every year. And it may be there 1 day and gone the next

So are the inland trout lakes on the north shore open to trout fishing? When I was in Grand Marais this summer locals told me likely there is more harvest from the inland trout lakes in the winter versus the summer. I've never gone up the North Shore to ice fish, so I'm unsure about rhe regulations.

[JBMasterAngler]

Designated trout lakes up north start on the normal fishing opener and run to halloween. The season will re-open on jan. 15 and run until march 31. No live minnows for bait allowed, no nightfishing. Thompson lake in grand marais I believe is closed to ice fishing, but's that's the only one I know of.

[splakeshaker]

Come on up!! It's a blast!! Winter trout opener is my favorite "opener". Many lakes are easily accessible and hold good fish. Take your pick of rainbows, brookies, splake, and a couple brown trout lakes but those are on the rare side. If you have a snowmobile than you really have options. Be it Grand Marais, Finland, Isabella or Ely, decent to excellent trout fishing can be had. As said before, the opening weekend is really and truly the best of the year for catching numbers. Last year, I missed the first day due to frozen pipes at home. We were like -40 degrees plus windchill but made it out the next day and sat in one spot for a good 6-7 hrs and pulled we'll over 20 fish. Ranging from 10-18inches. Got on a brookie lake a day later and caught two 15inch and an 18inch. Trout are a blast through the ice. Might want to give lakers a shot too. In my experience with lakers, which isn't much, is that they are tough to come by but once you got one on....hold on!! I've only caught one laker 2 seasons ago but that was my favorite fish I've ever caught through ice. He was 27inches and a fight I will not forget.....There ya go. Ya got me all worked up and it's only the middle of October

[JBMasterAngler]

Splake, I did some fishing on mink lake (grand marais) last march and had a few lookers, but no bites. What do you prefer for bait? I was using euros and tried gulp waxies as well.

[splakeshaker]

I mostly use glow jigs (red or green)tipped with waxies for rainbows. I always tip with 2 waxies. 16th oz. Swedish Pimples tipped with waxies are great for splake and brookies. Also silver, gold or copper teardrops work great again tipped with waxies. It seems later in the season (like March) it's tough to get anything going. Mink get pounded pretty heavily. Most of the "right off the road" lakes are tough by then and I've been skunked enough to know!! I'd probably try a different body. Something that hasn't had as much pressure. I found that the later in the season the lighter lures and softer jigging are more productive but it's still slow. Early season is the way to go. Chasing lakers in the late season might be more exciting.

[Scudly]

I fished Mink by the cliff this summer. Quite a drop off. Local guy was fishing too and his dog thought my bobber was a ball to chase so that was not productive. I also tried Trout Lake briefly, also no luck. Next summer I'll bring my canoe to cover more ground. Did end up having excellent luck at another lake close by. Numerous 14-16" rainbows. The fat 16" chased it to my toes before he hit.

So in the am these fish were cruising. You could see their wakes and just cast to the side and they would hit. Do trout have any patterns in the winter? Or just jig at various depths until you find where they are at?

[splakeshaker]

Trout definitely roam. I think Brookies and rainbows do more-so than splake, but that's just my thinking. And quite often you will have a "school" come through. Have a flurry of bites or at least mark multiple fish on the Vexi for a couple minutes and then there gone. Some time later more will come through. After thinking about it, that seems to happen more often mid to late morning. Early morning seems like they are feeding more heavily and aggressively. You can start fishing 1 hour before sun-up and I like have my holes drilled and set up ready to go an hour and a half before sun-up. Maybe it's the deer hunter in me but I like to let things "calm down" after I get out there making noise with drilling holes and setting up. Just like rivers, trout can be skiddish and that my reasoning for setting up shop so early. It seems like I'm always the first one on the ice in morning during the winter. It also gives you first choice on where you set up. I've fished some openers where by 10am there will be over 100 people out on a lake. And most trout lakes are on the smaller side. With saying that, I was on a very popular lake that gets heavy pressure. Nowadays, I opt for a bit more remote or a least less popular bodies of water that have produced well for me in the early summer when that bite was going. Having a snowmobile really helps to get away from crowds which I prefer. But nothing wrong with hangin with the crowds. They're there for good reason also.

As far as the water column, They're all over the place. from 2 feet under the water to 30feet on the bottom I have caught fish. I would say on averages, rainbows tend to hold higher, splake lower and brookies depend. But thats not always the case. I remember some saying on FM last year his buddy caught a 24 inch splake in 4 feet of water. Not four feet under the ice, but four feet to the bottom of the lake. I've never set up in that shallow of water but fish are there too. So they can be anywhere. Never caught a brown through the ice but haven't fished waters with browns in it. Hope that helps.

The lake I suspect you were on scudly, catching rainbow at the tips of your toes has browns in it but I have never ice fished it. Maybe I'll put it on the list of lakes to try. I've fished it in the summer and have done well on rainbows and an occasional small splake.