Ice Fishing Deep Lakers

[Scott M]

I want to try my luck at fishing lakers on Caribou lake. You lake trout guys know that lake on Hwy. 38 near Grand Rapids as the 3rd deepest lake in the state, topping out at 300 and change. I am wondering, where do I start looking, what kind of equipment should I use, and what will I do with my flasher? My flasher's maximum depth setting is 120 ft. I think it would be awesome to get a laker through the ice, but I don't have a clue how to start. Only fished the lake once in the summer, graphed some fish but didn't get any bites.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[fisherking01]

There's some great information in the other trout forums, as well as the canada forum under trout and more trout info. Lake depth does not necessarily change the fish's patterns. Most of your ice fishing will take place in waters under 70 feet. You can find an occasional fish chasing ciscos or just cruising deep open water areas, but don't look to find many, it would be just luck. Good luck with your adventure!

[REEFRAKER]

I'd start out by drilling holes from about 30' out to 60'of water. Move around from hole to hole useing jigging spoons,tube jigs jigging raps. Put one dead line about halfway down with a minnow, ciscoe or smelt on it. I've fished that lk before and have caught a few out of it. Been thinking about hitting it myself. Good luck!

[igotem]

da_chise31, I cut and pasted this post I had earlier in the brainerd forum. It's currently on page three titled big trout trout. There is lots of good reading there. Also like fisherking says there are some good posts in the canada forum. All the techniques talked about will work well for you on caribou or any other lake trout water. Also, let us know how you do if you do try. I've fished bluewater and trout lake just south of there, my parents live on bluewater, but I've never tried caribou.

Sharp drops and underwater points/humps next to deep water are best. A fish locator is almost a must. Fish can be anywhere in the water column you are fishing. I like to start jigging about 5' off the bottom. I'll jig there for a couple minutes or so and then crank up 5 to 10' and repeat. If you see a fish on your locator, crank up or drop down to just above the fish and continue jigging. You'll get a lot of fish chasing your lure, and you'll just have to figure out what will trigger them. The biggest key is being mobile. I like to drill a bunch of holes in an area before I start fishing. I start in about 20' of water and go straight out perpendicular to the break out to 60+' of water, depending on the lake. The most productive depths for me are 35 - 50 FOW. Generally, I start up shallower at first light, and work my way out. Just keep moving, the fish will let you know what they want. Once I work an area, I'll pick up and move to another and start again.

I'm sure you will mark fish, getting them to bite is the challenging part. Once you pattern them its a blast.

The white tube jig in 3" and 4" size with 1/4 oz. to 1/2 oz. jig is my bread and butter. I also like tubes in blue, silver, chartruese, pink, or combos of these colors. Walleye flyer jig heads with various plastic bodies also work very well. Jigging spoons are also a must. Any spoon can be used. Some that I like are Doctor spoons, Kastmasters, Little Cleos, Swedish pimples in 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. You can tip your spoon with a shiner head. It is not necessary, but may help at times. Don't forget to grab a couple rattle baits out of your bass box like a Rattlin' rap or Rattlin' spot. I've caught lakers on those as well, and they throw a lot of sound. Since your fishing over deep water a lot, I like to use a low strech line like fireline and attach a 8 - 12 lb test mono or flourocarbon leader. Be sure to attach your leader with a ball bearing barrel swivel to eliminate line twist. I would use a barrel swivel even if I wasn't using a leader to avoid severe line twist. If you're more of a mono guy, berkley sensation is a good low strech mono line. I'm sure there are others, but that's the one I've used.

Your walleye rods will work, but when you hook that fish over 5 - 6 lbs, and you will, you'll begin to feel the inadequacies. A 30" - 42" MH rod should do the trick.

Hope this helps,

igotem

[Steve Foss]

Check out the BWCAW-Duluth-Range board too. Lots of laker chatter over there. The Burntside Bash threads there also are about lakers, though you may not know if from the titles.

[rollz2002]

Caribou tops out at 150 only I think you are confusing it with Canisteo pit that also has Lakers in it. Caribou does have some nice trout and we did alright there earlier in the year but I haven't been there for a while so I dont know what it is like

[Scott M]

Quote:

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You lake trout guys know that lake on Hwy. 38 near Grand Rapids as the 3rd deepest lake in the state, topping out at 300 and change.

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Rollz, when I fished it in the summer, it showed 330. I got back to the launch, and there was a group of scuba divers there. I asked why it showed that deep when the map only shows 152, and they told me it was the 3rd deepest lake in the state, and that I did graph the deepest spot. It might not be that deep, but that was what the SCUBA folks told me. Any else get a reading like that in summer?

By the way thanks to all who have posted. I'm looking into finding a hot area bite, but just to give it a try I'm considering trying to fish Caribou on Friday, Feb. 17 if any experts want to help/join me.

[knoppers]

the bottom must have been ledge rock, you will get a double echo, so the 152 might have responded at around 330.

like said earlier, fish the structure that abuts deep water. if you get lookers with no takers, you may have to reel up fast, that sometimes triggers them to take your bait.

[Quickstrike]

i agree with knoppers tip, my last two laker trips i would wait to mark a fish and rip my jig or spoon as fast as i could towards the surface and 9 out of 10 times the fish would hit or follow it aggressivly near the surface and hit shorty after. the lakes we were fishing only get to about 100 feet deep, however we were having out best luck in 15-30 feet up on structure with deep water nearby. basically i'm saying you don't need to search out the deepest spot in the lake during the winter, find structure and you'll most likely find fish.

[Scott M]

WOW guys...Thanks for all the helpful ideas. I really want to fish this one now with all the tips. No matter the result it'll be a blast. Also interesting to hear about the double echo on the depth. From all your descriptions of fish "screaming up red from the bottom", it sounds like when you watch a musky fishing show and this huge wake starts flying towards your lure...you just have to play keep away...I get an adrenaline rush just thinking about it...Again, if anyone is available on Friday morning, I'm pretty much set that I'll be there.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

Definitely a good comparison to musky fishing- lake trout can be nearly as addictive. Its pretty cool to jig a trout up to where you can see it hit just below the ice. Good luck and don't forget to bring a club

[OUTDOORNUT]

Porter,

You'd club panfish.....if ya could!!!

[knoppers]

da_chise31

the DNR map shows 150 feet deep. I know a lot of mine pits are well over 300 feet. the 3rd deepest lake would not be true then, lake superior, lac la criox, and a lot of mine pits. I belive some of the mine pits go to over 600 feet deep.

[cashcrews]

I believe the deepest natural inland lake, at least partially in Minnesota, is Saganaga and that has a max depth of around 280 if memory serves correctly. Several others up the Gunflint have 200+.

The Embarrass Mine Pit over by Giants Ridge has a spot in it that goes close to 700.

I'm pretty sure this Caribou lake by GR is going to have a max depth around 150. Sounds like an interesting lake. I'd still stick to the 35-65 foot range, close to deeper water.

Cashcrews

[Scott M]

Well guys...I didn't even make it out. Car wouldn't start, had to take it someplace warm and then I decided might as well get a block heater and plug. So my quest will have to wait another year. But I'm still excited to give it a run some day.

[Eye Slayer]

Quick question for those knowledgable in the ways of lakers: does a guy need a trout stamp to fish and keep lakers on a NON-designated trout lake? I am planning on fishing Big Trout Lake near Brainerd this weekend so I needed to know... I think the answer to my question is Yes, but only if you intend on keeping the fish you catch...

[Quickstrike]

The answer is indeed yes, you need a trout stamp to fish trout in a non designated trout lake. people will fish without one and claim they were fishing for a different species. However, I would adivise anyone not to be that guy and to go out and pay the 10 bucks. It's not worth the risk and stamp money goes back to the resource for us to enjoy in future years.

[OUTDOORNUT]

Eye Slayer,

You wouldn't be headed there with a fellow that now lives in Hudson would you??