Equipment for trout ice fishing

[gtfourmn]

I want to try ice fishing for trout this weekend. Besides bait/lure, ice fishing rod and a manual hole driller, what else do I need? Should I invest in a flasher or just try to fish near people for my first outing? Do you guys think it is crazy to bring a life jacket just in case? Thanks

[reinhard1]

check out the trout forum and you will see many threads that will help you out. good luck.

[Will]

I use waxies and maggots for bait. Small jigs and spoons for lures. 4 to 10 ft of water is a good place to start. I usually just sight fish for them, but the neck tends to get a little sore staring down the hole. As far as a lifejacket goes, it's never "crazy" to bring one and a rope with loops tied on both ends.

[DARK30]

Anybody use salmon eggs? I (usually) did really good with them at the courthouse pond in chaska years ago.

[reinhard1]

minnow heads real or gulp, euro larva, on jigging spoons mainly and small minnows on non designated lakes mainly. never tried salmon eggs [ preserved in a jar i assume]. worth a try though. sometimes you get stuck using the same stuff all the time. good luck.

[DARK30]

It was nothin fancy. We used a plaine ol wooden jiggle stick with 4-6 lb mono wrapped around the handle, really small bobber, small split shot, and a salmom egg hook. Pink or red Uncle josh preserved eggs about a foot off the bottom in about 10-12 fow.

As soon as the bobber moved, you needed to smack um ... I should go there again some time.

[reinhard1]

thanks, i will give it a try. good luck.

[Acemac]

you wont need a life jacket anymore there is tons of ice.