Trout on The Ice?

[RustySasquatch]

Has anyone been fishing for stream trout through the ice on lakes? Some buddies and I were thinking of giving it a try and would appreciate any advice.

[reinhard1]

check the Forest Lake Hinckley forum and the Grindstone Lake Reports. i dont know where you want to go but i could help you with that. if you want to go in the arrowhead area then check the Boundary Waters/North Shore Duluth and someone will help you there. good luck.

[JBMasterAngler]

It really is quite simple. Use panfish gear and you can sight fish for them in shallow water. I personally like forage minnows and swedish pimples.

[reinhard1]

JB gives some good advice. Satch, did you want information on where to go or what tactics to use? good luck.

[Antero]

I use a small pink ice jig, preferably with a few feathers attatched. Put a waxie on it and keep it moving. Seems to work out here. Of course the lake you plan on fishing needs to have a good population of trout. In my experience Minnesota lakes were good way up north but the southern lakes that depended only on stockers left a bit to be desired.

here is a pic of my son from earlier this year....note that there were no other folks or tracks in the pic. Very important, get off the beaten track and be quiet

[reinhard1]

here in Minnesota all inland trout lakes with rainbows are stocked. that is a great looking rainbow Antero. do the rainbows were you fish reproduce naturaraly with good results? good luck.

[Antero]

here in Minnesota all inland trout lakes with rainbows are stocked. that is a great looking rainbow Antero. do the rainbows were you fish reproduce naturaraly with good results? good luck.

Without checking stats I would say that most lakes are stocked, with some natural reproduction. Depending on the harvest rules I would say that most big rivers are stocked but most have good repro rates also. High mountain lakes with not much forage and real short ice free time are stocked.

Most small mountain creeks I would say are mostly natural.

Before I moved here the state was having a problem with whirling disease, they are now stocking the Hofer strain of rainbows hoping to combat this. Not sure about reproduction of Hofers.

The Arkansas is now fishing good and I am patching my waders today and waiting for the next warm spell.

[RustySasquatch]

Thanks for the help guys! Was thinking of trying a lake in the metro area, but would really like to get up to the arrowhead region

[reinhard1]

you could try Lake Cenaiko in Coon Rapids by the dam or Square lake.east of the metro. Grindstone near Sandstone has rainbows also along with browns and lakers. good luck.

[JBMasterAngler]

Check the DNR lakefinder for stocking records, and you can see what kind of trout and how many they stock in which lakes. It's a good reference to search for trout lakes around the state.