Fishing Trout

[rattleL]

Hey I am going to go to courthouse lake on saturday, and am new to the whole trout through the ice, was wondering what i need to ice some trout, I have a vexilar which i heard is a neccisity and was just wondering what lures slash presentations so use to catch these things.

[PikeHarms]

Rattle

I'll begin hear with saying a vex is not a necesary but certainly does help. I have my best luck with a custom jigs ratso or shrimpo which are basically the same thing. waxies, euro larva, DEAD minnows. They all work. It's actually pretty easy. I would guess that most people sight fish right below the ice in less than 10ft of water for the bows, brookies, lakers and browns are a little different. I have never fished courthouse but hear the fish are really easy to hook up with. kinda like fish in a barrel. I'm sure you'll have a great time out there and also end up with a couple for dinner. Good luck

[Andrew Erickson]

PikeHarms

when you are using your ratsos do you use waxies with them or just the plain bait?

[Mr Special]

Regardless of what lure i have on. Weather it's a Ratso, shrimpo, moonglow, or jigging spoon, i always tip it with some waxies, euro larvae, minnow head, or some Gulp maggots.

I've also had decent luck with jigging raps too.

Having a Vex will come in very handy. Sometimes there just a few feet below the ice and other times close to bottom. the I ones i mainly catch seem to be cruising about halfway in the water column.

I personally like using a smaller jiggin spoon with a dropper rig, then tipped with some bait.

The only downside to this is i've seen them hit the spoon and not the dropper w/bait, who would've thonk.

Good luck C ya out there saturday

I'll be in a Green Eskimo QF2, probably in the small bay