Targeting Winter Lakers

[DrJuice1980]

I am not looking for anybodys honey holes, just looking for a little info on where to find these guys come ice time. I know some lakes are going to offer different oxygen levels at various depths, I also would think that time of day has to play a factor in depths as well. I am not looking to make the trek to the BWCA, would love to just do not have the resources. I am looking to stay south of there so I can drive my truck out on the ice. I guess I am just looking for a few general rules of thumb; depth and structure. Also a few lakes (MN) that would be worth the trip, but not to a remote lake that I can not access.

I have never targeted them in the winter but have enjoyed many hard fought battles on Superior.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[monstermoose78]

for depths I like to find 20-60 feet. Lures depend on the lake but jigging spoons with rattles, Flashy jigging spoons,tube jigs, live bait,Chubby darters, airplane jigs. Burntside in ely and snowbank are easy access lakes. There is some of the gunflint trail as well, but I normally fish for walleyes and stream trout over that way. Just so ya know if you search this site you will come across tons of laker info.

[DrJuice1980]

Thanks for the help. When you say "20-60ft" range are you looking at deep water breaks/humps for structure?

[monstermoose78]

I look for deep water close sharp breaks, humps, islands. small bays where lakers can round up bait fish up. I caught my biggest laker 2 feet under the ice in 30 feet of water.

[DrJuice1980]

So I live in the cities, without making the 6 hour trek up to the BWCA, are there a few lakes with in the 3 hour range? I see grindstone has a pretty good population and it is not a big body of water with a lot of structure and from what I have heard you can always go to the weed line and target rainbows/browns if you can not locate Lakers. Besides that I pretty much know of Big Trout in Brainerd and thats it. Are theyre any others you could possible point me to? I see there are a few splake stocked in lakes heading up 35 to Duluth. I dont expect to just plug a few holes and start icing them, I would imagine its a little more work than putting a couple euros on and fighting off potato chip sunnys. I like the challenges. Thanks for your help.

[monstermoose78]

Well personally I would like to eat splake and lakers but if I had a choice I would take a splake over a inland lake trout. For splake I use rattle spoons in the sizes I would for perch and walleyes tipped with salted minnow head or waxies. I use the same stuff for splake as i would for lakers but some what smaller but not always depends on the fish. Splake like structure and you can catch them in very shallow water. There is some lakes closer to the metro but they seem to get fished harder. Good luck

[JBMasterAngler]

Big Trout and Grindstone Lakes are just about your only option for lake trout outside of the arrowhead region. There are several lakes in the Grand Rapids area that are stocked with lakers and splake, but they're pretty hit and miss.

[fishnut2]

You have not mentioned Lake Superior at all. Good fishing and not that far from you. Talk to Garys in Duluth and they could help. DNR has a great booklet about inland lakes stocked with species and directions. Last time I got it, it was free. There are some easy access lakes just across the border in Canada we fish for lakers that are drive to places. I agree with the earlier posts that Ely area with Burntside and Snowbank are your best bets. You can catch trout right off the landing on Burntside. Look at a map and find steep breaks into 50-70 ft is all we do. Caught all my trout last winter on a white tube. Have new stuff to try this year as well as new lakes. Can't wait for the first of the year.

[DrJuice1980]

I would love to go out on superior because it is not a far walk out from the pumphouse to get to the depths, thats not a far walk or drive at all. Or do I need to head further north? If so where are some good access locations? And as always the concern would be ice safety. Arent there major inconsistantcies when in comes to Lake Superior ice? Again I would love to hit up superior for winter Laker action but I am not very confident because I have many questions.

[Sea Hage]

Get in contact with Jim Hudson in Bayfield, he guides Lakers in the islands. If you don't know what your doing up here you can get in BIG trouble real fast. If fishing anywhere other than the islands you almost have to drag a boat with in case of drifting ice

[DrJuice1980]

I want to stay on the MN side. Duluth area. Would I need to travel further north for good ice or could I walk out from one of the river parking lots along 61 a few hundred yards and get some action? Also bait to use, bucktail jig tipped with a packaged smelt cut bait sound about right?

[JBMasterAngler]

Superior is never a guarantee to freeze. Even if it did get some ice, it could easily be gone several hours later.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

There maybe fishable ice on the Duluth portion of Lake Superior once every 10 yrs. Don't get you're hopes up. You'd be better off bringing your boat and jigging over the side if you're set on fishing Superior in January.

[delcecchi]

Burntside, outside ely.

Check the "ely ice and fishing reports" on Vermilion etc forum. Usually there is a get together up there sometime in the winter. didn't see an announcement, though.

[DrJuice1980]

Bump. Well Im going to make the trip up to Superior this weekend to see if I can ice a Laker. Made the trip to Gander last night picked up:

2 Laker Takers

4 Larger Bucktail jigs (White, White/black, White/Purple, Orange/Chartreuse)

1 Pack of white tubes

20lb braid

12 lb mono (for leader)

1 Pack of whistler jigs (Hot pink)

4 Jigging Raps (largest I could find)

3 Packs of sinkers (only could find 1 that had swivels)

Bait swivels

Snap swivels

As for bait I've read frozen herring or smelt. I would assume I can pick that up in Duluth.

Am I missing anything?

[svingla]

Dr. Juice,

Don't forget to bring the jigging spoons too. Bigger Swedish pimples and Buck Shots, or Kastmasters. I'd also call MG (1-800-777-8557)to be sure they have frozen bait in stock. If they don't I know Vados bait in Spring Lake Park usually has frozen smelt. Good luck and maybe I'll see you out there.

[DrJuice1980]

Thanks man, yeah those laker takers are larger swedish pimples. I went with white and white/orange.

Good luck to you as well

[JBMasterAngler]

Rattle traps work great. You have to tie them directly to the line though, if you use clips they have a tendency to hang up. I've personally never caught any lakers on frozen bait, as I've had too good of luck with live suckers/chubs or no bait at all.

Instead of 12 pound mono for a leader, you should use 8 pound fluorocarbon. Much more transparent in that clear water.

[live4chrome]

#6 white crushed ice pimp can't be beat

[DrJuice1980]

Report:

Tried 45-125'

Only marked fish in 125'

4-5 chasers up from the bottom but no takers (yes I had switched to Fluoro)

Skunked

Did manage to see a massive school of whitefish come through in 125' anywhere from 10-30ft down. Would not show any interest in any presentation thrown at them. Cool to see though. Oh well, it was a fun time regardless.