ice fishing for rainbow trout ?

[slab master]

never fished rainbows throuh the ice .Just looking for some ideas/types of tackle.

[Will]

slab master, you might get better response in the trout section.you will find lots of great info there.

[Deitz Dittrich]

It just so happens this weeks podcast is on this very subject!

http://hotspotoutdoors.com/podcast/hsopodcast020308.mp3

[LABS4ME]

I like sight fishing for them in 4-9' of water. I use a small hook with a large red salmon egg on it... now here's my little twist that just does them in...

I take the little red flipper from a swedish pimple and slide it on the line before tying on the hook. I jig it generally 1/2 way down from the ice to the bottom. Keep that little flipper bouncing against the egg... almost like a woodpecker working on a tree... they come in and generally smack it. If they swirl and miss it, quickly pull it up to about a foot below the ice and let it settle back naturally, they'll generally turn and hit it on the fall.

If it's a non-designated trout lake and you can use 2 lines and minnows (like many trout lakes are in the metro), I use a crappie minnow on a red gamagatzu hook (no weight) a couple feet below the ice with the bail open and a string bobber stop just outside the last eye of the rod. Put it in a rod holder on the side of a bucket and leave the bail open. Usually I set this line up about 10' from where I'm sight fishing. When a fish hits, it will pull the line and bobber stop (indicator) and you can walk over and set the bail and hook.

It's a great one-two punch!

Good Luck!

Ken

[52#FLATHEAD]

I caught my limit of rainbows last Sunday. Small minnows or a jig w/ a large minnow tail worked great. I've also caught them on jig & waxie, jig & Berkley trout bait, jig w/ a pinch of crawler. And most of them bit when the jig was sitting absolutely still.

[WyoChris]

When I used to fish for them in Wyoming, I used to slay em on melee worms. Tear a melee worm in half to make it smaller, then put it on a small yellow or orange teardrop jig. I'd then put a slipshot or two a few inches above it and fish it just off the bottom. Always worked well for me. A flasher works great too because I would often see rainbows come cruising by about 10-20 ft off the bottom, so i'd quick reel up my jig to that depth and sometimes end up catching them.

Chris

[PiedmontAngler]

If you can find out what they are feeding on select a bait sized accordingly. I reduced size to catch this one during the "Bash" weekend on another lake.

[Dan Brelje]

check out this thread. Some good info to be had.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1215786#Post1215786

[slab master]

well guys im back.thanks for all the replies,very good information.made it out this morning managed 5 nice rainbows.alot of fun to catch, anyways thanks very much.